‘Tee it high and let it fly.’ You golfers have all heard this
motto, but just how
”
high
”
should you tee it?
‘Tee it high and let it fly.’ You golfers have all heard this motto, but just how “high” should you tee it?
I wish there was one simple answer. But, since there are several different types of clubs and conditions, the tee height will vary.
Your basic rule of thumb with a driver is to tee the ball up so half of the ball is over the top of the club. This allows you to strike the ball on the slight upswing for solid contact. Teeing the ball slightly higher is good if you are hitting downwind and slightly lower if you are against the wind. However, don’t exaggerate it in either case. Teeing the ball too high will cause you to lose distance while teeing the ball too low will cause you to hit a thin, weak tee-shot.
When teeing up an iron on a par-3 hole, just simulate a perfect lie as if you were in the fairway. In other words, tee the ball about half an inch at most; any higher and a good swing will cause you to hit the ball high on the club face, losing distance.
On those rare occasions when you tee-off with a fairway wood, ask yourself what result you want. If accuracy is a premium, you don’t want the ball to travel too far because of some trouble in the middle of the fairway. Tee the ball higher to hit a soft-landing shot. If you want roll, a lower tee would be better.
In both cases, the top of the ball should always be above the top of the club.
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Don DeLorenzo is a PGA-certified instructor at Gilroy Golf Course. To schedule a lesson with Don, call Gilroy GC at (408) 848-0490.
