Hitting an iron off a tee

[Paulienash]

Hi there,

Apologies for the obvious question, it's probably been covered 1000s of times.

Still new to the game, it was only after a couple of lessons did I get the whole compression thing (I assumed I was scooping it of the deck). When hitting an iron off the tee, but using a tee, are you looking to still compress the ball into the turf or hit it like a driver or wood? I've noticed other players tee it quite high. I've been practising hitting it on the downswing and squeezing that ball on my DIY driving range and was wondering about it.

Thanks in advance
Paul

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

For me - it just depends...that doesn't maybe help that much - suffice to say that some will not use a tee at all when hitting an iron from the tee - especially a short iron. But most of us do use a tee.

 

[fundy]

Hi there,

Apologies for the obvious question, it's probably been covered 1000s of times.

Still new to the game, it was only after a couple of lessons did I get the whole compression thing (I assumed I was scooping it of the deck). When hitting an iron off the tee, but using a tee, are you looking to still compress the ball into the turf or hit it like a driver or wood? I've noticed other players tee it quite high. I've been practising hitting it on the downswing and squeezing that ball on my DIY driving range and was wondering about it.

Thanks in advance
Paul

tee it slightly off the ground, not a lot, and hit it like a normal iron shot

 

[Imurg]

tee it slightly off the ground, not a lot, and hit it like a normal iron shot

This.
I cant get my head around teeing 1cm or more off the ground when you're hitting an iron.
Tee it so the ball is a whisker clear of the ground...

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

This.
I cant get my head around teeing 1cm or more off the ground when you're hitting an iron.
Tee it so the ball is a whisker clear of the ground...

They only time I have done the 'red' tee thing is when I have been stricken with the unmentionables, when all I am trying to do is get the ball off the tee without doing one - and a little third swing chip off a high-teed ball is all I can manage and it's the salve for my tortured brain.

Thoughts of 'compression' just don't enter my thinking - but then again I know diddly-squat about golf and the golf swing...but I how to get a ball round a golf course in a respectable number of shots.

 

[Curls]

Difficult one to answer without seeing how you impact the ball but what I would say is that teeing it up high means you’re probably going to hit it higher in the club face. That’s not a problem as such, but it will reduce spin. This is why some folk struggle with irons off the tee, because they assume the cleaner strike off a tee will mean better flight. If you want the ball to backspin and hold it’s line you hit it out of the bottom of the club face, the lower grooves. Yes you compress it or hit down on it or what ever but you’re not driving it into the ground, the back spin comes from the ball travelling up the club face, over the grooves, each groove imparting spin.

Tee it up too high and you lose that, which you might want if you’re playing in the wind and want to take the spin off, but I’m guessing that’s not what you want.

Welcome to the game, it’s a mind wrecker of infinite proportions

 

[JustOne]

Without getting into a discussion about backspin, compression, turf or grooves I can discuss more of a feeling....

With a short iron (like an 8) off a tee I personally feel that I tee the ball no more than 5mm off the gorund and FEEL like I am hitting down on the ball somewhat (handle leading)

With a long iron (like a 4) off a tee I personally feel that I tee the ball maybe 10 mm off the ground and FEEL like I couldn't care if I hit down, at 0°, or even a few degrees up at it.
Probably not trying to spin a LONG tee shot at all.

 

[Captainron]

I use irons off the tee 95% of the time and I never ever use a tee peg.

 

[SammmeBee]

I use irons off the tee 95% of the time and I never ever use a tee peg.

Some lessons will help I suspect.....

 

[chrisd]

I never hit an iron off the tee without using a tee peg, it is the only time you can have the perfect lie.

 

[Captainron]

Some lessons will help I suspect.....

Lessons are for chumps

I hit iron off the tee and it puts me up with or past most peoples drivers.

 

[Orikoru]

I concur with the majority - I use a tee for irons but only tee it up a couple of millimetres. Gives you a perfect lie sitting on top of the grass and you can just strike it the same way as always.

 

[Bdill93]

I concur with the majority - I use a tee for irons but only tee it up a couple of millimetres. Gives you a perfect lie sitting on top of the grass and you can just strike it the same way as always.

This - but if our tee boxes are battered or very very soft I sometimes use a red castle. Never in summer.

 

[SaintHacker]

Lessons are for chumps

I hit iron off the tee and it puts me up with or past most peoples drivers.

Although playing from different fairways...

 

[evemccc]

Lessons are for chumps

I hit iron off the tee and it puts me up with or past most peoples drivers.

Can i ask why? And with what degree of loft do you often use? I think i am a much better iron playing than a wood player and often use 4 iron off the tee and thinking a lot about getting a driving iron

Do you think that you don't need a driver / 3 wood off the tee? Or don't have, or don't like it?

Think how far yo'd hit it if you were good at the driver. Unless you don't play courses that need a driver / 3 wood off the tee

 

[Bazzatron]

I might need to start teeing lower then, I have it about an inch off the ground.

 

[Orikoru]

This - but if our tee boxes are battered or very very soft I sometimes use a red castle. Never in summer.

For irons, hybrids and woods I always just use the short regular tees so you can put the height wherever you want. So for a wood it'll be maybe a cm off the ground, irons a couple of mm but as you say maybe 4mm if the grass is long on the tee just so I can see all of the ball. I only use castle tees for driver as I want that height to be consistent every time.

 

[Captainron]

Although playing from different fairways...

Thats with the driver (and thats why it stays in the bag mostly)

 

[Captainron]

Can i ask why? And with what degree of loft do you often use? I think i am a much better iron playing than a wood player and often use 4 iron off the tee and thinking a lot about getting a driving iron

Do you think that you don't need a driver / 3 wood off the tee? Or don't have, or don't like it?

Think how far yo'd hit it if you were good at the driver. Unless you don't play courses that need a driver / 3 wood off the tee

I have a driver and a 3 wood but the 3 wood out a fair bit.

I use

2 Iron Mizuno MP30 - 19 degrees (blade)
4 Iron Mizuno JPX 918 Forged - 22 degrees

I don't really need the driver at Woodhall that much. If I use it on 3 holes then that is alot. The driver goes miles but can be a touch unpredictable so I only use it when I have a bit of freedom or I just don't give a damn.

 

[Sats]

For me, tee'ing up the ball for an iron shot is more for a good lie than to elevate it as such (Like the driver.) And with Iron shots I transfer my weight from the rear leg to the front and complete the backswing and follow through. What happens is that my low point gets moved forwards and I compress the ball that way.

The best way to get that into your head is imagine you are throwing something a ball/a rock whatever - your body naturally turns and draws power from the body shifting the weight unconsciously. It seems the moment we have a golf club in our hands we forget this.