Par 3 Tees - Do you Tee it up or hit off the grass?

[mcanadiens]

Maybe if the tee boxes were nicer at my area courses, it might make some sense to play the ball off the floor. I figure my chances are always better with the tee.

[Fairway_CY]

1 minute ago, Vinny Cap said:

Hey CY - I would think even more about loosing the Tee when hitting a wedge.  For me anyways.

Your description is throwing me off... I'm reading it get teed up a little above the grass?

I would always use anything to help me or give me an advantage but on the 3's I am finding it might be better to not use the tee.

I think I wrote it a little funny... but, yeah... I tee the ball up above the grass a little.  It's just enough so that if you're looking at the ball, it's clearly off the ground but not so much that it looks like I'm hitting a driver or something.  I guess if I was putting a measurement on it, I'd say that the ball is about 1/8th of an inch off the ground.

As for using a wedge... I won't ever tee the ball up if I'm using a wedge.  I have done it in practice and it produces a higher, shorter flight with my wedges.  If I'm at 110 yards or 100 yards or 90 yards or something... I know what clubs go those distances from a fairway lie.  I'll just hit the ball from a perfect lie on the tee in those situations.  Any other clubs above that, though, and I'll go with a tee.

[newtogolf]

I stated in another thread that I had found I was consistently coming up short on par 3's compared to the distance I'd hit the same clubs when not on the tee.  

I used Club Hub sensors to track my round and also all of my swing data, including swing speed.  What I found was that my swing speed was slower when hitting off a tee compared to off the ground.  My guess is I was trying to sweep the ball off the tee where as I hit down on the ball when it's on the ground.  

[Hardspoon]

I always use a tee, even for wedges, but tee it up so low that it is basically on the ground. I figure it gives me a hair more tolerance for a fat shot, if nothing else...even if that's just mental.

This thread should have a vote.

 

[jsgolfer]

I always use a tee on par 3's., I tee it low as well. You get a perfect lie, and you Miniize the chance of hitting the ball really fat. And if it's good enough for Jack Nicklaus it's good enough for me, although he does say to tee it higher.

[dennyjones]

Arnie always said to tee the ball up on a par 3.  

[Papa Steve 55]

I was watching one of those golf shows, had Arnold and his grandson on it. On a par 3 the kid threw a ball on the ground. Arnold told him you only have a few chances for a perfect lie, don't waste it. I teed it up ever since.

[JonMA1]

With an iron, I tee it up just to where it's a good lie. With woods (longer par 3's), up about 1/4".

[WUTiger]

This summer I actually had some golf short tees I used on par 3s and on tee shots with hybrids.

If the ground was hard, I actually had trouble getting a longer tee to go deep enough.

Funny story: On the day I got my hole in one, I walked up to the tee box expecting to find broken tees. Couldn't find any, so I fluffed up the grass and sat the ball atop. I then sank a 6i: hit on front fringe and released 12 feet into cup. 

[woodzie264]

1 minute ago, WUTiger said:

This summer I actually had some golf short tees I used on par 3s and on tee shots with hybrids.

If the ground was hard, I actually had trouble getting a longer tee to go deep enough.

Funny story: On the day I got my hole in one, I walked up to the tee box expecting to find broken tees. Couldn't find any, so I fluffed up the grass and sat the ball atop. I then sank a 6i: hit on front fringe and released 12 feet into cup. 

I'd never tee it up again

[dchoye]

5 hours ago, Vinny Cap said:

I usually hit it off a Tee and have 50/50 luck with hitting the green.
I recently started hitting it straight off the grass.  I am liking this better and having better results.  Sunday I hit 3 of the 4 on the course I played.  The 4th hit the green and rolled off into the fringe so it was an almost.
Of the 3 I hit, all were within 15' and I pared them all... 2 missed birdie by 2"! The one in the fringe I ended up with a bogey.
With good ball striking this season and a big effort to be in the breaking 90 group, I think that the tee on the 3's is not good for me.  I sometimes hit it fat, hit it thin or just don't hit it well period.
My irons play is pretty good and I have my distances dialed in pretty good so it makes sense to hit it off the grass as that's what I would be doing on every other hole inside 200yards.

Same here 

I find that I'm closer to the pin when I just place the ball in the grass than teeing it.  I try to just use the turf more often.  Love playing in mid summer when I can do that. In non growing season there is not nice clump of grass at our tee box so I tend to put the ball on the tee as low as I can 

i like to see the top of the ball when I'm using an iron and the top of the fairway wood and inner side of the ball when using a FW 

 

Edited November 15, 2016 by dchoye

[MrGolfguy67]

Depends on how long the hole is / i.e. what club I'm hitting. For short par 3s where I'm hitting SW up to 7 iron I just put it on a good lie on the grass; for 6 iron up to hybrids & woods I tee it up usually with a broken tee.

[Buckeyebowman]

I use a tee on par 3's now, but back in the day I did not. Back when I could play this game, I'd just whack my clubhead into the turf, raise a mound, sit my ball on it and go!

[CCC]

I would never tee the ball up on a Par 3 (over water) Drop Zone. :)

[Lihu]

It depends upon the club I use. For wedge to 7i probably no tee, for 6i and above I use a short tee.

[Good Ash]

For the most part, I drop the ball then hit it.  If it rolls into a divot I'll move it over to some turf but that's about it.  I have always thought I'll learn to do it consistently from the ground then the tee will be easier.  Unfortunately, I am still learning!!

[Valleygolfer]

15 hours ago, newtogolf said:

I stated in another thread that I had found I was consistently coming up short on par 3's compared to the distance I'd hit the same clubs when not on the tee.  

I used Club Hub sensors to track my round and also all of my swing data, including swing speed.  What I found was that my swing speed was slower when hitting off a tee compared to off the ground.  My guess is I was trying to sweep the ball off the tee where as I hit down on the ball when it's on the ground.  

Interesting. I had some issues this year but it was due to teeing too high... at least that is what I thought.

12 hours ago, Papa Steve 55 said:

I was watching one of those golf shows, had Arnold and his grandson on it. On a par 3 the kid threw a ball on the ground. Arnold told him you only have a few chances for a perfect lie, don't waste it. I teed it up ever since.

Arnold Palmer had said this other places which was why I went from not using a tee to using one. Prior to this I always felt like I knew how my ball reacted from being hit off the turf, why would I want to change it by using a tee.

[Vinny Cap]

14 hours ago, Hardspoon said:

This thread should have a vote.

Good idea, didn't think of that.  Not sure I can add one in now.... will look to see if it can be done.

 

With Jack and Arnie giving the OK it is tough not to but I have seen different results and that's why I started this thread.

I think we are about 1/2 and 1/2 on using one.  All my recent par 3's were under 160 so I have not tried it with a longer iron but for 7i to W I am gonna stick with the no Tee till my results change.

Edited November 15, 2016 by Vinny Cap