Can tees affect your shot?

[rulefan]

'Aerodynamic head for longer drives'.

Got me wondering if different tees can really make a difference?

The answer should be no.

Tees (Rule 11)
A tee is a device designed to raise the ball off the ground. A tee must not:

• be longer than 4 inches (101.6 mm);
• be designed or manufactured in such a way that it could indicate line of play;
• unduly influence the movement of the ball; or
• otherwise assist the player in making a stroke or in his play.

 

[Face breaker]

Yep, once watched a chap play half a round using the long pink tee's for driver off the 'T' nowt strange in that you say, he was using a 19* hybrid and kept whipping the 'T' out from under the ball...

I eventually took pity on him and asked him if he had any other T's he could use to which he answered 'no, it's been a long time since I last played and I've only got these which I've picked up on my way round' so I delved deep into my bag and dug out a good handful of the short red ones and gave'm to him, he was most chuffed...

 

[jim8flog]

You're going to have to explain the science behind that one for me mate 

It is one of the methods used to teach a player to draw a ball. A ball which is above your feet will tend to have draw spin when hit.

My Pro got me hitting 6 iron shots with a ball tee on the longest tee available when I decided to turn my standard fade shot in to a draw shot.

 

[SteveJay]

It's not an alignment issue as I am not hitting them straight in the wrong direction, they start off straight, then veer horribly to the right.

Have got a lesson booked for Monday morning, am hoping that will sort it out as this is doing my head in!

It may well be an alignment issue.

I have struggled with alignment recently. Good on the range but not on course. Had a playing lesson and the pro quickly identified I was lining up closed, especially feet, aiming right of target, probably to sub consciously avoid a fade. That actually made it worse according to him as in your head I was adjusting my swing path to try to hit it straight, making me come over the top.

Straightened my alignment and it made a big difference. Just have to learn to do it myself on course now.

So yes, alignment can cause fades and slices, as well as straight shots in the wrong direction.

 

[Beezerk]

My Pro got me hitting 6 iron shots with a ball tee on the longest tee available when I decided to turn my standard fade shot in to a draw shot.

You're $hitting me surely? 6 iron off a pink tee as a drill?
*goes on Ebay to order a bag of pink tees*

 

[guest100718]

Er...I think you mean 'performance' rather than 'quality'! And even that is arguable - without defining performance metrics/criteria! They are often designed to travel less distance than 'proper' balls - and generally do that job superbly! It's more likely that it a less responsive core rather than more (or less) spin that achieves the performance design aim!

After several zilion hits and washes however, the quality of the cover is pretty low, which also reduces flight - try hitting a completely smooth ball (or simply a core) and see what happens!

you keep hitting ctrl+b.

 

[Deleted member 23344]

While it certainly won't fully explain the performance difference, one aspect that needs to be considered is that, on the range, there is no self inflicted mental pressure. I have virtually given up using the range for practicing ... I often used to hit the ball so well on the range, only to fail to match it when next on the course. Now I only use it occasionally to warm up before a round.

 

[Foreplay]

My problem exactly. Played Sunday, slicing horribly off the tee. Went to the range on Tuesday, driving straight 90% of the time. Played Wednesday, slicing again. Went to range Thursday, hitting it nice and straight. Played yesterday, slicing again. Use a big blue rubber tee at the range, and a pink plastic one on the course.

It's not an alignment issue as I am not hitting them straight in the wrong direction, they start off straight, then veer horribly to the right.

Have got a lesson booked for Monday morning, am hoping that will sort it out as this is doing my head in!

Let me know how the lesson goes Rudebhoy

 

[Simbo]

Very doubtful the tee is the cause of the slice, very doubtful.
Really don't get the higher tee for a draw and lower tee for a fade etc. A few Mm of a difference in tee height to 99% of golfers will make zero difference. The tee nor the ball wont affect the swing.

 

[sawtooth]

Very doubtful the tee is the cause of the slice, very doubtful.
Really don't get the higher tee for a draw and lower tee for a fade etc. A few Mm of a difference in tee height to 99% of golfers will make zero difference. The tee nor the ball wont affect the swing.

It usually works that way for me , lower the tee to help encourage fade.

 

[need_my_wedge]

Sure I've seen articles in golf mags suggesting to tee it higher to hit straighter, i.e. to reduce a slice. A quick google found this video from Luther Blalock at Woburn suggesting the tee height change is a way to help shape the fade or draw.

https://youtu.be/XyiZ0y6kNog

 

[Simbo]

It usually works that way for me , lower the tee to help encourage fade.

Cool, if it works for you.
I know I can slash the ball either way and the height of the tee will make no difference to my shot shape, whether the ball is high or low if my club face is coming through open relative to swing path the balls going to fade, a couple mm on the tee height will make no difference.
I think things like this is anothe example of average golfers over complicating things that are beyond their ability. While it might make a difference to a tour pro I doubt very much if it will an average golfer.

 

[Swinger]

Not sure about the type of tee affecting the shot but I think the angle of the tee can be important.

I always have the tee leaning to the left if I'm trying to hit a fade.

 

[hovis]

Not sure about the type of tee affecting the shot but I think the angle of the tee can be important.

I always have the tee leaning to the left if I'm trying to hit a fade.

the angle of the tee makes no difference either.
are people for real!!!

 

[Swinger]

the angle of the tee makes no difference either.
are people for real!!!

I disagree.

 

[Swinger]

Just try it.

 

[hovis]

I disagree.

you can't disagree. its not my opinion, its basic physics. for a tee to effect the golf ball it would have to have frictional influence on the ball. being as the ball stays on the face of the club past the tee then it cant

 

[Swinger]

If you had a tee leaning so that the top was pointing away from the target, albeit only a few degrees granted, you are saying it would have no effect whatsoever?

 

[hovis]

If you had a tee leaning so that the top was pointing away from the target, albeit only a few degrees granted, you are saying it would have no effect whatsoever?

it wouldn't have any effect what so ever. the ball compresses on the face and takes it past the tee. also, the club has loft and the ball is picked off the tee before the club strikes the tee

even if it did offer resistance, the forces going into the ball are massive. far superior to a wooden tee to offer any influence. i little like saying if you put a sheet of paper in between you and a lorry then it wont hurt as much when you get hit

 

[Swinger]

You would have to take in to account where the lorry hit you and what angle the paper was at during impact but I would suggest that there would be a difference. Paper weight and the microns of the stock would be important too!

While the impact speed, launch angle and direction would be a negligible difference the spin rate doesn't need a big increase to make a significant difference in shot dispersion.