Hitting Iron Shots worse off the tee box?

[markpf189]

I've been really loving my irons lately, but for whatever reason I seam to completely mishit my iron shots on par 3's. I tee the ball very low, right at ground level just to give myself a good lie, but I usually end up doing a scold shot and it goes good distance but real low and runs. It's really frustrating since I feel great hitting them off the fairway/rough, but I must do something differently when on the tee box. Anyone have any tips for this? I'm assuming I am trying to lift the ball up when on the tee box instead of hitting down on it.

[5ironkid]

i belive that th problem is that the ball is teed up and as you said you are not hitting down but rather up. i would say either tee the ball closer to the ground or hit down on it like any iron shot and notto be afraid of making a divot in the tee box thats whats the extra seed is for after all.

[Paradox]

Its usually a case of overswinging, not hitting the ball on the way down.

I would just focus on making a smooth swing and getting back in rhythm.

[newtogolf]

I don't use a tee on Par 3's anymore, even tee'd all the way down I don't hit it as well as when it's on the ground.  I take the divot in front and fill it in, just as 5ironkid suggests.

Originally Posted by 5ironkid

i belive that th problem is that the ball is teed up and as you said you are not hitting down but rather up. i would say either tee the ball closer to the ground or hit down on it like any iron shot and notto be afraid of making a divot in the tee box thats whats the extra seed is for after all.

[ggolokin]

generally i dont use tees i just put it up on a nice even grass and smack it... unless ofcourse its anything higher than a 6 iron then i will tee it up

[MiniBlueDragon]

I play my clubs off castle tees:

Driver = Pink (39mm)

3W = Red (12mm)

4h, 4i, 5i, 6i, 7i, 8i, 9i = Orange (7mm)

Wedges = No tee normally as I'm trying to get plenty of spin to stop on the green but occasionally an Orange.

Interesting that so many people don't tee iron shots. Why would you not give yourself an ideal lie?

If your fairway shots are all good I'd try just adding the thought "nice shot off the fairway" to your tee shot thought process and convince yourself it's a fairway shot.

[Kieran123]

I hit a lot of tee shots off par 3's fat for unknown reasons.

Purely mental - and now I've done it so much it;s the first thing that creeps into my head when I play them so I;m screwed for life.

[colnago1331]

Originally Posted by MiniBlueDragon

Interesting that so many people don't tee iron shots. Why would you not give yourself an ideal lie?

If your fairway shots are all good I'd try just adding the thought "nice shot off the fairway" to your tee shot thought process and convince yourself it's a fairway shot.

I think a lot of it is psychological.  Even if you're giving yourself the "perfect" lie, in your mind you may still be thinking "it's on the tee so scoop it up", which, of course, is usually not what you want to do.  Plus, more times than not, you can give yourself a pretty good lie at the box just by setting your ball down gently on a nice patch of grass.

[Gioguy21]

i agree with those posted above...if you have trouble off a tee, give yourself a nice lie and play it like you would as if it were an approach on a par 4/5. i never use tees on anything other than woods/hybrids/4,5 irons...

[Spyder]

I never use a tee on par-3s either. I seem to get more of a draw w/ backspin without using a tee. I go into a 'scoop it!' mentality and top it off of a tee.

7/8/9i + sw/pw are always off the deck on grass.

6i and lower will be tee'd up though.

[saevel25]

Its probably because you hit driver 14 times a round and irons 4 times a round off the tee. Your use to hitting up on the ball with the driver. You would not use a tee, i like to, you just got to get use to taking a divot with a tee

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by markpf189

I've been really loving my irons lately, but for whatever reason I seam to completely mishit my iron shots on par 3's. I tee the ball very low, right at ground level just to give myself a good lie, but I usually end up doing a scold shot and it goes good distance but real low and runs. It's really frustrating since I feel great hitting them off the fairway/rough, but I must do something differently when on the tee box. Anyone have any tips for this? I'm assuming I am trying to lift the ball up when on the tee box instead of hitting down on it.

Respect for the course does not included the 6 inches directly between your ball and the target. Just remember to go over and get a scoop of sand / seed mix.

[clubchamp]

Look at the ball position in your stance since most people have a tee shot a little forward and irons are more middle maybe even back. You might just be playing it up in your stance too much and catching it on your upswing. I always use a tee I mean if it wasn't an advantage they'd let you use them anywhere on the course...

[Paradox]

Not using a tee gives me the mental image of staying down through the shot.  I know I have to get down to the ground in order to make good contact.

I don't know how many guys I see take divots from the fairway or rough but put them on a tee with an iron and a teed up ball and they don't take a divot at all.

Since I've stopped using tees on par 3's, my shots have a much better spin rate and are much more controllable.  It might have something to do with a tee, it might just all be in my head...but whatever works, works.

[5ironkid]

i thought i read somewhere u could buuuuuut you would get a 1 stroke penalty (fail)

Originally Posted by clubchamp

Look at the ball position in your stance since most people have a tee shot a little forward and irons are more middle maybe even back. You might just be playing it up in your stance too much and catching it on your upswing. I always use a tee I mean if it wasn't an advantage they'd let you use them anywhere on the course...

[Spyder]

Originally Posted by 5ironkid

i thought i read somewhere u could buuuuuut you would get a 1 stroke penalty (fail)

You cannot pick up your ball and place it on a tee in exchange for a penalty. Also, I do believe that would forfeit a hole in Match Play.

[MiniBlueDragon]

Originally Posted by 5ironkid

i thought i read somewhere u could buuuuuut you would get a 1 stroke penalty (fail)

I think you're confused.

I read clubchamp's post as, "I always use a tee when teeing off because it's an advantage. If it wasn't an advantage you'd be allowed to use a tee anywhere on the course, not only in the tee box"

[Spyder]

I'm not confused lol. I was replying to 5ironkid's post, which is why I quoted it. He was responding to this whole point of "using a tee is an advantage. If it wasn't an advantage, you would be able to use a tee everywhere". 5ironKid then responded with this:

Originally Posted by 5ironkid

i thought i read somewhere u could buuuuuut you would get a 1 stroke penalty (fail)