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Teeing up – how to get it right

Before you even strike the ball, there are a few things about your tee shot to consider for a perfect drive…

04 August 2016 2 minute read Teeing up – how to get it right
  
Your tee shot – especially the first of the day – can often set the mood for the rest of your game. Get it right and you could land perfectly on the fairway with just a simple lay-up shot to complete. Get it wrong and you’re on the back foot for the rest of the hole, trying to bash your way out of the rough or dig your ball from out of a bunker.

And while many aspects to the perfect tee shot come down to issues like swing, confidence and grip, how you set up the shot can also have a huge impact. 

Choosing the right balls

There are a number of things to consider when selecting a ball for your first drive of the day – one of the main ones is: do you crack open a new set or select one of your old favourites? While you might have a lucky ball, choosing a new one will probably add a few yards to your drive. This is because damage over time can reduce the bounce of balls.

If you decide to go with new balls, which ones to buy becomes the next question. Balls with a firm core can give you more spin, while a larger core produces more power and speed. The dimples also matter, as they affect the flight of the ball. The rule of thumb? The larger and shallower the dimples, the higher your ball will go.

There are other things to consider as well, such as what the cover is made from. A thin Urethane outer shell is relatively soft - this gives you more control over the ball and some extra spin. Surlyn on the other hand, can be harder - while it gives less feel, it provides you with more distance.

If you’re confident you can strike a clean drive, go for Surlyn. If not, maybe Urethane is for you.
   
Tee Up
  

Which tee for you?

The choices don’t end there. Next up is your tee. You may well have just picked up a cheap bag of plastic ones or, even worse, gone with what’s already in the ground. But different tees and how you place them in the ground can affect the distance, height and spin of your shot.

Tees usually come in four heights, with the taller ones more suited to drivers and the smaller ones better for hybrids. However, as you won’t be using the same club to tee off at each hole, we suggest going for one of the middle two sizes (usually 2 ¾ inches and 3 ¼ inch).

As for material, you’ve got two options – plastic or wood. While plastic can last longer than wooden versions, they tend to have a little less give when striking the ball. This can cause your club to veer off course. Even a fraction of an inch off your target can cause your shot to slice or hook.

There are a number of one-off tee types that can be useful, such as the brush tee, which sits the ball on bristles, or the zero friction tees that reduce the friction between ball and tee. Try them out and see if they help.
   

Tee Up
   

Where to play from

You’re given a number of options in most courses of where you want to tee off from. Usually there are around four positions. The accepted wisdom now is to play from the tee most suited to your level. If you’re playing from the very back you’re not giving yourself a chance.

By playing from the back tee, you’re not playing the same ‘relative’ course as a professional. A study into tee positions found that an average golfer playing a 6,700-yard course from the back tee would be the equivalent of a tour player playing an 8,100-yard course.

Another analysis calls for something called ‘drive x 28’. This is the theory that the total length of the course you play should be the length of a good drive for you, times 28.

The takeaway is that you shouldn’t be ashamed of playing from further forward tees to make the overall course length shorter.
   

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