# Tee or no Tee on a Par 3



## vkurup (Jan 1, 2014)

What is the difference between using a tee or not using one on a P3.

Situation: Faced with a 145y P3, would you tee up on ur 6/7/8i (or whatever you hit 145y).  Does the situation change if you have uphill or downhill P3s?


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## tsped83 (Jan 1, 2014)

Just tee it up a fraction to get a perfect lie. This is a no brainer surely. Why would it matter if the hole was up/down hill???


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## guest100718 (Jan 1, 2014)

A question more at Home on wrx..  Why wouldn't you tee it up?


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## Imurg (Jan 1, 2014)

The only reason not to tee up is if you can get a good enough lie without one.....


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## MadAdey (Jan 1, 2014)

I only tee up for long irons. I hate hitting short irons from a tee, I end up hitting them too high and loosing distance.


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## HomerJSimpson (Jan 1, 2014)

You don't get many advantages but teeing up on a perfect lie is one. Why wouldn't you use a tee peg on a par 3


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## Liqdaddymac (Jan 1, 2014)

Tee it very very low in medals, generally dont bother if I have just gone for a knock or friendly game.


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## vkurup (Jan 1, 2014)

Had never considered the tee as a provider of the 'perfect lie', so this is interesting.  I have mostly used tees, but in the past few knockabouts with mates have just dropped the ball and hit it.


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## DAVEYBOY (Jan 1, 2014)

I would use a tee but saying that on a 145 yard par 3 I'm not sure I would need one for my 58 degree wedge with a half swing


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## Jimbooo (Jan 1, 2014)

Have there actually been any scientific studies showing that it's beneficial to tee up on a short par 3, or do all of the pros on tour do it?  Personally I find I usually get better contact and more backspin for stopping the ball on the green if I don't use a tee with my short irons.


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## chrisd (Jan 1, 2014)

tsped83 said:



			Just tee it up a fraction to get a perfect lie. This is a no brainer surely. Why would it matter if the hole was up/down hill???
		
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I feel the same, I'd never not tee up


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## pbrown7582 (Jan 2, 2014)

as alreday shown, its personal preference as long as you are happy with the way the ball is lieing you tee up and lob on the grass to achieve the lie you wish. 

i have seen a few signs at some clubs asking for a tee to be used with this in mind if you push in virtually right in whats the differenc really?


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## One Planer (Jan 2, 2014)

My review pretty much mirrors other posts.

Why would you, potentially, make the game more difficult by not giving yourself a perfect lie?

FWIW, I went through a phase of just dropping a ball on the tee box and hitting it. Not really much difference if I'm honest.


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## BTatHome (Jan 2, 2014)

Jimbooo said:



*Have there actually been any scientific studies showing that it's beneficial to tee up on a short par 3*, or do all of the pros on tour do it?  Personally I find I usually get better contact and more backspin for stopping the ball on the green if I don't use a tee with my short irons.
		
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Do you really need a scientific study to know this?


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## Jimbooo (Jan 2, 2014)

BTatHome said:



			Do you really need a scientific study to know this?
		
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No I don't need one, I was just curious.  As I stated, for me I hit better shots without one.


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## stevelev (Jan 3, 2014)

Jimbooo said:



			No I don't need one, I was just curious.  As I stated, for me I hit better shots without one.
		
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The difficulty is judging the backspin,  if I hit of the deck sometimes it will hop and stop others spin 2yards other spin 15feet. Tee it up pretty much stops within a foot of landing point.

How do you judge the backspin accurately?


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## chrisd (Jan 5, 2014)

stevelev said:



			The difficulty is judging the backspin,  if I hit of the deck sometimes it will hop and stop others spin 2yards other spin 15feet. Tee it up pretty much stops within a foot of landing point.

How do you judge the backspin accurately?
		
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What!!  Playing off 15!

So you can't putt then?


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## SwingsitlikeHogan (Jan 6, 2014)

If the perfect lie for a tee shot is your ball sitting *on *a perfect 'carpet' of turf - then surely pressing a tee down so that the top is level with what would be your perfect lie is sensible. You are creating your perfect lie for teeing up.  

I'm guessing that most issues we find when teeing on par threes is that we tee them up a bit - and a bit too much - because doing so makes it feels like that's better for us as we get the ball and club 'up' and 'clear' of any rubbish lie in the immediate vicinity - when in fact doing so actually is for the worst.  That said - I can imagine that the very good striker of the ball would feel a difference in the strike when using a tee.


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## stevelev (Jan 6, 2014)

chrisd said:



			What!!  Playing off 15!

So you can't putt then?   

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I never said it went where I was aiming just what it did when it landed. :fore:


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## D4RK1 (Jan 6, 2014)

I generally don't use a tee at this time of the year as we are playing off mats. In the summer I'll play off a tee that's just shy of being flush with the grass.


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## hovis (Jan 6, 2014)

I do something a little unusual. If for eg im inbetween a 7 and 8 iron I will tee it up just short of a cm. That way the ball comes off the face a little higher and doesnt go as far.  I was given this tip by a golf pro called graham far. It works great


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## Snelly (Jan 6, 2014)

I always use a tee.  Seems a bit daft not to really. Why not give yourself the advantage?


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## vkurup (Jan 6, 2014)

When you play off the turf...  (in an ideal swing) you are looking to compress the ball..

However if the ball is sitting in a slightly elevated position e.g. on a tee, you wont get to compress the ball, so it will be a bit of a sweeping action or as Hovis mentioned, ball comes off the face a little higher and does not go far. 

Surely there is a difference between tee and no tee beyond just a perfect lie.  (or am I thinking like a WRX guy?)..


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## chrisd (Jan 6, 2014)

vkurup said:



			When you play off the turf...  (in an ideal swing) you are looking to compress the ball..

However if the ball is sitting in a slightly elevated position e.g. on a tee, you wont get to compress the ball, so it will be a bit of a sweeping action or as Hovis mentioned, ball comes off the face a little higher and does not go far. 

Surely there is a difference between tee and no tee beyond just a perfect lie.  (or am I thinking like a WRX guy?)..
		
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My understanding is that you never actually compress the ball into the turf, so teeing up won't be a disadvantage


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## pokerjoke (Jan 6, 2014)

stevelev said:



			The difficulty is judging the backspin,  if I hit of the deck sometimes it will hop and stop others spin 2yards other spin 15feet. Tee it up pretty much stops within a foot of landing point.

How do you judge the backspin accurately?
		
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I used to play with a guy now and again who could spin the ball for fun.
Not once did I ever see him pitch it over the flag and spin it back stone dead.
Always landed it short and draw it back even shorter.
He has a driver swing speed of 117mph.
I think you've woken up a better golfer than you went to bed as.


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## LanDog (Jan 6, 2014)

For longer irons I use a tee, but for anything 7 iron or under I don't tend to use a tee. Just find a nice bit of grass on the tee box.


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## Matty (Jan 7, 2014)

I tee up almost everything - I will take every advantage legally offered. The only time I don't is on a winter mat that allows a perfect lie to be created anyway and you can't get a tee into it without a hammer in your hand.


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## bignev (Jan 7, 2014)

I the words of the great Jack Nicklaus "always tee up when possible".


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## Blue in Munich (Jan 7, 2014)

bignev said:



			I the words of the great Jack Nicklaus "always tee up when possible".
		
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Surprised that one took so long to come up, but he's right.  Only time I didn't was at a previous club which had a winter mat on one tee that you struggled to get a tee into, otherwise I'd tee it up.


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## garyinderry (Jan 7, 2014)

I have a steep AOA so I rarely tee up an iron.      I have no need for a foreign object under the ball.


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## guest100718 (Jan 8, 2014)

Why when some like to bang on about the virtues of GI Irons and assisting off centre strikes are you prepared to let grass get between club and ball which can cause a flyer when there is no need?


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## delc (Jan 8, 2014)

vkurup said:



			What is the difference between using a tee or not using one on a P3.

Situation: Faced with a 145y P3, would you tee up on ur 6/7/8i (or whatever you hit 145y).  Does the situation change if you have uphill or downhill P3s?
		
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Hitting your shot cleanly rather than risking a fat shot! And No!


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## Snelly (Jan 8, 2014)

guest100718 said:



			Why when some like to bang on about the virtues of GI Irons and assisting off centre strikes are you prepared to let grass get between club and ball which can cause a flyer when there is no need?
		
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You and others clearly know more than Jack Nicklaus. 



Everyone should always use a tee.  End of story.


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## guest100718 (Jan 8, 2014)

Snelly said:



			You and others clearly know more than Jack Nicklaus. 



Everyone should always use a tee.  End of story.
		
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?............


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## Snelly (Jan 8, 2014)

guest100718 said:



			?............
		
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Sorry!  Quoted the wrong bloke! Sincere apologies!!!


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## Kellfire (Jan 8, 2014)

vkurup said:



			When you play off the turf...  (in an ideal swing) you are looking to compress the ball..
		
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Yep. Not hit it into the ground aka top it...


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## One Planer (Jan 8, 2014)

vkurup said:



			When you play off the turf...  (in an ideal swing) you are looking to compress the ball..

However if the ball is sitting in a slightly elevated position e.g. on a tee, you wont get to compress the ball, so it will be a bit of a sweeping action or as Hovis mentioned, ball comes off the face a little higher and does not go far. 

Surely there is a difference between tee and no tee beyond just a perfect lie.  (or am I thinking like a WRX guy?)..
		
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You compress the ball against the club face (.... Not the ground)

If you are hitting down sufficiently you will compress the ball. 

You can also compress the ball when it's tee'd up. For evidence look on YouTube at superslow driver impact positions.

Heres one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNNvrrF5ZDQ


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## Wayman (Jan 8, 2014)

always tee it up 
we are handicap golfers not pros so why disadvantage yourself


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## Jimbooo (Jan 8, 2014)

What is the perfect height for a tee on a par 3?


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## chrisd (Jan 8, 2014)

Jimbooo said:



			What is the perfect height for a tee on a par 3?
		
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4 inches taller than you James!


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## garyinderry (Jan 9, 2014)

this video explains why I don't use a tee.  he calls it pro side thin.  it doesn't lend itself to a ball perched on a tee.

listen from 37 seconds.

[video=youtube;nsWZ0fQEUus]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsWZ0fQEUus[/video]


with pro side thin, you make contact EVERY single time. no perfect, but 100% of the time the ball will go generally where its supposed to and how its supposed to. bottoming out too soon leads to a lot od different problems. 

you will NEVER have a pro who bottoms out too early!  he just wouldn't make it as a pro if he did!


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## Kellfire (Jan 9, 2014)

garyinderry said:



			this video explains why I don't use a tee.  he calls it pro side thin.  it doesn't lend itself to a ball perched on a tee.

listen from 37 seconds.

[video=youtube;nsWZ0fQEUus]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsWZ0fQEUus[/video]


with pro side thin, you make contact EVERY single time. no perfect, but 100% of the time the ball will go generally where its supposed to and how its supposed to. bottoming out too soon leads to a lot od different problems. 

you will NEVER have a pro who bottoms out too early!  he just wouldn't make it as a pro if he did!
		
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Sounds a bit Stack and Tilt...


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## garyinderry (Jan 9, 2014)

Kellfire said:



			Sounds a bit Stack and Tilt...
		
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you can see in that slow motion shot at the end of the video that is transferring his weight.  its definitely not a stack and tilt swing that he does.

I probably have quite a few elements of stack and tilt in my swing. I didn't fully understand what people meant about transferring weight until I was a  mid teen handicap. I still don't consciously shift any weight. I just swing.  chances are I don't move too far off my left side.  I also play the ball a bit too far back which doesn't help.


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