New Driver...sole scratches??

[green6767]

After a long debate and endless testing, I finally got rid of my regular flex TM 425 Quad driver today and got a stiff flex TM SuperQuad 460. Took it to the range right afterwards and instantly noticed the improvement a stiffer shaft can make. Distance is much longer and I feel as though my swing is more in control. I love it. But....the driver has a black sole and noticed right away scratches along the bottom from what Im guessing are the tees Im using. The tees break about 90% of the time after a hit and they scrape along the bottom of the driver making hairline sratches in it. Its not a huge deal since its purely cosmetic, but after spending some good coin on a driver, Im being overly picky I guess. Anybody know a fix for this? Shorter tees so they dont break on impact and just barely stick em in the ground when I tee off? Softer tees? Do they even make a "high quality tee"???

By the way, if anybody has any input on their SuperQuad, go ahead and chime in, Im eager to hear how its working for others too.

[lamebums]

I daresay you're hitting the ball a little thin, or teeing it low. I occasionally have this happen myself.

You might want to try the Zero Friction tees - I saw people teeing off with those today, and their tees never broke, and nothing was wrong with their drivers, either.

[CG031]

www.zerofrictiontees.com

I love those tees. They don't break, they are plastic.

The white scratches along the botton of the clubhead SHOULD come off if u run it under some soapy water for 2-3 mins...then rub it hard with a towel...thats what I do and it comes off.

[green6767]

I know im not hitting it thin, because when I was at the range, I put some contact tape on my driver to see where impact was. I was either dead center and in a bit, or dead center and slightly high. Occasionally I'd have one right on the nuts, but not thin. I have heard the zero friction tees are hard on clubs? I dont think I'd use em on par 3's but I could see doing it for driver I guess. Also, the tees I was using today were green. It was an emergency buy after running out. I had green streaks along the bottom also, but those washed off pretty easily. Maybe I will try out the zero friction tees. How far do you guys usually stick your tee into the ground?

[CG031]

I know im not hitting it thin, because when I was at the range, I put some contact tape on my driver to see where impact was. I was either dead center and in a bit, or dead center and slightly high. Occasionally I'd have one right on the nuts, but not thin. I have heard the zero friction tees are hard on clubs? I dont think I'd use em on par 3's but I could see doing it for driver I guess. Also, the tees I was using today were green. It was an emergency buy after running out. I had green streaks along the bottom also, but those washed off pretty easily. Maybe I will try out the zero friction tees. How far do you guys usually stick your tee into the ground?

The ball just JUST clear the driver head in height wise...That's how I look at it.

[green6767]

The ball just JUST clear the driver head in height wise...That's how I look at it.

What I meant was how far into the ground do you stick your tee? Not how high you tee the ball. Sorry for the confusion. Do you buy a 4" tee and put into the ground 2" so when you hit, the tee is for sure going to break? Or do you buy a 2" tee and BARELY stick it into the ground so when you hit, the tee itself goes flying without breaking? All the while, your ball is teed up to the normal height you would always tee at. Therefore eliminating a broken tee to scratch the bottom of the club? The more I think about this, the more that method seems logical...haha.

[lamebums]

How far do you guys usually stick your tee into the ground?

However far it takes for the center of the ball to be about level with the top of my clubface. I try not to use the 1' 3/4 tees, since those are annoying, and too short. But, I'll use anything I can get my hands on.

(After watching so many others in the club championship use Zero Friction tees - and never break a tee, while I was going through tees like nuts - I will buy a bag of those next time I hit the Golf Galaxy.)

[gompers]

I just use a bit of water and a rag to wipe off the tee marks from wood tees from the sole of my driver.

I don't have the problem any more since I use zero friction tees. They NEVER break (almost never anyway), and I don't think they are any harder on the club than regular tees. If you think about it, impacting a hard ball at 80-100 MPH induces a lot more force than the club sliding over top of a tee.

The zero friction tees should run about .10 a piece, and one should last you until you lose it. They aren't made of plastic, they are made of cornstarch. They don't leave marks on my clubs like the white wood tees I was using used to.

[jmhunter]

any word on those brush tees?

[Nate]

Im glad zero friction tees are working for you guys but when i tried them they didnt break but bent so it was a hassle tee up your ball next hole

[iacas]

What I meant was how far into the ground do you stick your tee? Not how high you tee the ball. Sorry for the confusion. Do you buy a 4" tee and put into the ground 2" so when you hit, the tee is for sure going to break? Or do you buy a 2" tee and BARELY stick it into the ground so when you hit, the tee itself goes flying without breaking? All the while, your ball is teed up to the normal height you would always tee at. Therefore eliminating a broken tee to scratch the bottom of the club? The more I think about this, the more that method seems logical...haha.

I buy the short ones. They're plenty long enough to tee up for a driver. The long ones you do stick in more and I think that makes them more likely to break.

They have a few sizes... so maybe by short I mean the 2 3/4" ones. I tee it up so the center of the ball is about even with the crown. 2 3/4" is all I need and enough tee is still in the ground that it is stable.

[irfan]

i used 2.75" as well.. sometimes in mushy ground they end up getting tee'd down too much but usually perfectly fine. i think you are jst being overly concerned here. heck get some clear packaging tape and cover the sole if you are that worried about marking it up.

[green6767]

I just played my first round with my new SuperQuad. I shortly lost interest in how the sole of the club was looking as long as it continued to perform the way it did. It was the first time I was CONSISTANTLY driving near 300 yards. I ended up losing a couple balls because the course I play on, if you drive over 300 on a certain hole, you'll put it in the water from a stream that runs straight across the fairway. I have NEVER put it up that far before, so I just swung.....oops I guess. I'll know next time. The sole scratches are bothering me less and less. Thanks for all the advice on the zero friction tees though.

[MGP]

I used to use Brush Tees, they were OK and did give me a really consistent tee height which worked for me.

But... Erik converted me over to Zero Friction tees with his glowing review and the fact that he actually uses them himself.

I'll not be looking back now. I bought a package of the 2-3/4" model and in about a dozen rounds used exactly two of them. I still have the first one too -- it's a little bent up (we have some courses with really hard tee boxes here!) -- and the second is still like new.

Erik was right in his review, a single package may be a "lifetime supply"!

Oh, I have found that they sometimes leave a light "plastic trail" on the bottom of my driver but it comes off with some gentle persuasion when cleaning the clubhead. A little warm soapy water and a soft nylon brush or sponge seems to do the trick.