How High Should You Tee Your Golf Ball?

Your first drive of the day down the range or golf course is always an exciting moment and you are prepared. You have warmed up on the driving range, pulled a new expensive golf ball from your bag, put on your glove, and grabbed a tee. You want to get off to a good start; maybe today will be the day you finally break 100, 90, or 80 for the first time.

As you get ready to make that first swing, do you even consider what the proper tee height of your ball should be? Something as simple as your golf tee height can make a big difference in how you strike the ball. Without noticing, have you made your tee shot harder with less spin than it needs to be?

For many golfers, small details such as the correct tee height and ball position can be the difference between elite players and casual golfers. Depending on the shot you are trying to play, you definitely want to adjust and get the right tee height.

When it comes to a golf tee, how many options are there?

We are focused on how high you tee up your golf ball, not really the length of the actual tees. Golf tees come in various sizes and different heights but primarily are offered in 2.75”, 3.25”, or 4”. Using long tees gives you more options and a better chance to prevent a slice with a good golf swing, because you simply push them in the ground further if you want your ball lower or if you want to tee it low. The other option when teeing it low, is to simply find a broken tee that someone has left behind.

The real question – you have a full-length higher tee, but how far off the ground should your ball be to give you the best optimal launch conditions and chance for success? Let’s start by talking about the 3 primary options when you consider a tee shot:

• As High as Possible – the tee is barely in the ground – your ball is sitting nice and high in the perfect swing arc
• Just Above the Grass – the tee is pushed mostly in the ground, with your ball sitting just half inch above the grass, great for a lower ball flight
• No Tee – hit if off the deck – simply place the ball on the ground, making contact with your driver face when taking your shot

All 3 of these standard tees can be correct, depending on the shot you want to play. But, the best height position to tee your golf ball is to align it same height or parallel to the crown of your club or drivers.

When to tee it high and let it fly!

It’s time to Let the Big Dog Eat, Grip it and Rip it. This wasn’t true 30 years ago, but now that a club/driver head has gotten so large, your tee height can’t be too high when you are looking for that sweet spot to rip that club down the middle.

There are two things unique about a good driver swing/shot.

1) You don’t want your driver to hit the ground during the swing – this will decrease it’s loft or impact point, to get consistent results, you want as much speed as possible and hitting the turf will decrease your acceleration.
2) You want to hit up on the ball, to promote a good spin, higher launch angle and additional distance.

So, if you have the big stick out (driver), tee your ball as high as possible, give it a mighty lash and watch it go the distance!

Some clubs just need to be slightly above the grass

For example, maybe you have reached a par 3 and need to hit a 7-iron off the tee or a tight par 4 and you want to hit 3-wood for safety. These are both shots that you should tee up, but not very high and hit the center of the ball. You are looking to simulate a perfect lie in the fairway. Push your tee almost all the way into the ground, so you ball is just a quarter inch above the grass. It’s also a great way to negate strong headwind or air.

A common mistake on fairway wood and iron shots is the wrong tee height; teeing the ball up too high. You get your power and consistency on these shots by using the ground – you want to hit the turf just after you contact the ball. Teeing these up too high, can cause you to scoop the ball off the tee with your driver, leading to loss of distance and accuracy.

Sometimes just leave the tee in your bag

This may sound like an oxymoron, but not every tee shot requires a tee. Just because you are on the tee box, doesn’t mean the best option might not be to simply place the ball on the grass. Think about it this way – most of the time that you hit a fairway wood or iron shot, you are in the fairway. The tee box is typically in as good, if not better shape than the fairway.

By not using a tee, you are hitting a shot that you practice more often. When you hit 9-irons on the driving range, do you typically tee it up or just hit it off the ground? No tee at all is definitely an option but would only recommend it on short par 3s. If you are hitting an 8-iron or less, try no tee and would never recommend hitting a wedge off a tee.

Pro tee height ideas

Now that we have the basics, do you want to try some creative shots? Don’t pull these shots out on the course right away but see how they work on the driving range. These don’t work for all golfers but for most golfers, it can be a nice option.

So, how high should you tee your golf ball? Final Thoughts

The concept of teeing up your golf ball seems simple. Easier than trying to hit a punch shot from the woods or making a 15-foot putt for birdie, but worth giving some thought.

The next time you go to the driving range or golf course, try some different tee heights to find your sweet spot – do you notice a difference in the shots you hit? What works better with your swing? You might discover some new shots that will help you on the course. Oh yeah, if you can perfect the Driver Off the Deck, you will amaze your playing partners!