Master Teeing Off With an Iron Thread

[Tifosinumerouno]

Again, in the major minority here. I do not use a tee for iron shots. The main reason for me is that I get a mental block with a tee and try to help it up, and usually end up thinning it or cutting across the ball. I hit a much more consistent shot off the deck. I also find the best lie in the teeing area I can (you are allowed two club lengths back from the markers), and hit from there.

[Zeph]

Thinning it when tee'd up is a sign there is something wrong with the swing, or a mental problem. For most high handicappers, it's the other way around, because they can get under the ball when it is tee'd up. Only problem is that you are not supposed to get under the ball.

The ball is never pinched between the club and grass, it will always climb straight up the face of the club and take off. It doesn't matter if the ball is sitting clean on the ground or tee'd up an inch, if you make the same swing, striking the ball equally well, it will react the same.

I tee up everything from a 52º wedge to the driver. Why not create a perfect lie when I have the opportunity?

[double_j]

Use a tee on iron shots to get it just off the ground. If teebox is uneven or shaggy, I try to get it above the turf line.

Do you mean an extra club shorter or longer? I'm assuming you meant shorter (e.g., PW instead of 9I)?

[Fourputt]

I noticed a lot of people tee up their iron shots like they're going to hit a driver.

That is a myth. Watch a slow motion video of a ball hit by an iron. The only squeezing is the ball against the clubface. The ball is immediately lifted off the ground. Pinching or trapping the ball is a feeling, not a physical reality.

That said, I always tee the ball, usually on a broken tee and just so the bottom of the ball is no higher than level with the top of the grass blades. All I want to do is give myself a perfectly clean lie, but I don't want the ball to look like it's sitting up off the ground.

[RichF]

I use a peg for every iron I hit off the tee: usually 1/2 " for my 2, 3 and 4 irons...all the way up to 9 and PW, where the tee will maybe be raised a 1-2mm...

[sean_miller]

I use a peg for every iron I hit off the tee: usually

I vary it down the line too. Sometimes I use a little nub that barely has enough wood to hold a ball. Never let a broken tee go unloved.

[PuttPutt]

Some people do not use a tee for many of their iron tee-shots, but that is not advisable. There are not much of places on the course where you can give yourself an advantage and place the ball anywhere you like. Take advantage of it. For the long irons, tee the ball slightly above the grass/ground. For shorter irons, tee the ball to where it appears to sit atop the grass/ground.

[bplewis24]

I tee up most iron shots. I tend to hit a lot of 3 and 4 irons off some par 4s and 5s because I struggle with the driver so much. In that case, I'm teeing it up a bit higher than a typical iron tee shot for a par 3. On par 3s, I tee up everything except the shortest par 3s that require a 50*+ wedge. Sometimes if there is a fine enough broken tee I'll use it, but unless I find the tee box in really bad shape or uneven, I'll hit it off the turf.

Brandon

[WUTiger]

doublej,

No. I would hit a 9i instead of PW. With ball teed up a bit more, you are impacting a little higher on clubface - you get better backspin but lose a little distance.

[sean_miller]

doublej,

One quarter inch up provides enough extra spin and distance loss to club up? That's pretty revolutionary!!

[James_Black]

One quarter inch up provides enough extra spin and distance loss to club up? That's pretty revolutionary!!

lol, don't know he managed to figure that one out.

How do you get more spin?

[sean_miller]

lol, don't know he managed to figure that one out.

I take less club, play the ball a touch back in my stance, and hit down harder - not very scientific I'm afraid.

[James_Black]

I take less club, play the ball a touch back in my stance, and hit down harder - not very scientific I'm afraid.

I was talking about hitting the ball higher in the face.

never liked that idea for spin, too many variables to go wrong.

[The Recreational Golfer]

Why tee up the ball?

This reminds me of Laura Davies walking into the tee box with a driver in one hand and an iron in the other. Whack! goes the toe of the iron in to the ground and a little tuft of turf comes up. She puts her ball on it and away she goes. This must be a British Isles thing.

As for teeing it up, let me ask this question. If the Rules allowed you to tee up any shot you wanted to, not just off the tee, would you? Can you imagine how much easier golf would be if you could?

[ejimsmith]

Can someone describe the advantages of using a tee on par 3's?

I seem to hit them worse off of the tee (especially using my 3 or 4 hybrid).. topping it, pulling it left, etc.. Yet I do it because everyone else does.

Yes, I'm tempted to simply drop the ball and hit directly off the grass, but I feel as if there's an advantage to using the tee that I'm missing. Thus my current goal is to practice at my grass-range, off of tees to get the feel right.

But, my confidence is shaken... help me please!

[JML22]

Helps get a higher ball flight/ maybe more spin
I dont use them on par 3s because cause its no tlikely to help you on a real course ever

[sean_miller]

Helps get a higher ball flight/ maybe more spin

Par 3 courses or par 3s on full length courses? Either one of those aren't real since when?

Anyway, on 3 of 4 par 3s today, I hit the ball off the deck (cleaned and placed). The 4th par 3 was the only shot I wasn't happy with - weird for me.

[JML22]

It wont help you on a full course using a tee
Practice rounds arent meant for practice
How often would you get to hit an iron off a tee? 3 holes maybe on a par 72 course?
how many times do you have to hit your irons off the deck? a lot more
also think about how many times you'd get to use a wedge on a full course