Lining up across a tee box

[timd77]

I don’t think I’m alone here in struggling when the tee box isn’t facing where I want to aim!

My usual routine is to pick my target, pick a spot on the target line just in front of the ball, and line myself/body up from that. But if the target requires me to hit ‘across’ the tee box as it were, I get into all sorts of problems, could be a hook or a slice! I avoid it at all costs, even accepting my target is in the rough as long as it means I’m square!

Anyone have any tips for lining up in this scenario?

 

[Beedee]

I see loads of people that line themselves up exactly on the line between the tee markers. Do you do that? If so, forget about the tee-makers. That tee-marker line will suddenly matter in your mind and it's hard to be non-perpendicular to it. You've got two club lengths behind the markers to play with. I know every little helps, but we're amateurs and we will never hit it predictably enough that those 1-2 metres will make much difference. Much better to find a nice stable location with a nice aiming marker in front of the ball, and completely disregard the tee marker line.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I don’t think I’m alone here in struggling when the tee box isn’t facing where I want to aim!

My usual routine is to pick my target, pick a spot on the target line just in front of the ball, and line myself/body up from that. But if the target requires me to hit ‘across’ the tee box as it were, I get into all sorts of problems, could be a hook or a slice! I avoid it at all costs, even accepting my target is in the rough as long as it means I’m square!

Anyone have any tips for lining up in this scenario?

Surely as long as you aren't using the mown stripes on the tee box to line you up it's a question of simply setting yourself up and picking the spot in front of the ball. Have you tried going to the range and hitting at angles off the mat?

 

[jim8flog]

As per Beedee

Is going back a yard really going to make that much difference.

I always choose the best area inside the teeing area rather than to most worn out area.

 

[Diamond]

I struggle if the tee box is on a slope, in fact slopes anywhere on the course are a real problem for me.

 

[larmen]

I struggle if the tee box is on a slope, in fact slopes anywhere on the course are a real problem for me.

Last week I lost my best 9 hole round on the last tee because I had a ‘downhill’ slope on my drive. Probably much more in my head than it should have been, but I messed up the drive, tried to force a recovery... double bogey.
Today, same hole I pulled the drive behind a tree for another double bogey.

I am happy finding the best spot in the teeing area, but if it is on a slope the whole thing is and there is no escape from downhill.

 

[patricks148]

the one tee we have that sets you on the wrong line really had me for a while, but now set up for a fade on the hole,far better res than my normal draw

 

[HomerJSimpson]

the one tee we have that sets you on the wrong line really had me for a while, but now set up for a fade on the hole,far better res than my normal draw

I'll go to one side or other on the tee box to simply play away from trouble so from that perspective lining up directly down the hole isn't always the primary option anyway. We have a couple of tees that are sloped but two clubs lengths is a decent enough distance to find a flat spot and even as a short hitter I'd rather give up a few yards for a level stance and a chance to make a swing without any nagging doubt about whether the slope will influence the shot

 

[Robster59]

My old playing partner had the same problem so when playing foursomes we always played so the he didn't tee off on the hole that bothered him.
Personally, it's never bothered me. I always tee up a little behind the tee markers, choose a mark on the grass on the tee and place my ball behind it in the line I want to play and pay no attention to which direction the tee box is facing.

 

[Depreston]

Plagues me this .... same with driving range mats ha

 

[timd77]

Thanks for the responses. I may just try beedee’s suggestion, I hadn’t thought of trying that. Nowt to do with losing a couple of yards. I think that, in my head, I draw a vertical line from marker to marker, and then a horizontal line at 90 degrees to get me square. If I have to draw that horizontal line at say, 70 degrees because the fairway is that way, my body is still fixated on 90 degrees! So perhaps standing back a yard or 2 will help. I’ve even started wearing a cap to try and block it out of my eyeline!

 

[Maninblack4612]

The pro at my range gave me two bits of valuable advice. 1. Only hit shots parralel to the line of the mat. Since he told me that & I've tried shots at an angle to the mat I've noticed that I shank a lot more of them. I've stopped doing this. 2. Elementary, really. Pick a spot about a foot in front of the ball in line with the target. This is always possible, on the tee especially, & helps to offset the fact that the tee is pointing in the wrong direction. This has helped me on one particular hole on my course.

 

[Grant85]

I don’t think I’m alone here in struggling when the tee box isn’t facing where I want to aim!

My usual routine is to pick my target, pick a spot on the target line just in front of the ball, and line myself/body up from that. But if the target requires me to hit ‘across’ the tee box as it were, I get into all sorts of problems, could be a hook or a slice! I avoid it at all costs, even accepting my target is in the rough as long as it means I’m square!

Anyone have any tips for lining up in this scenario?

Got two holes at my place that do this. I guess both of them point in the direction the tee box is facing, but both would take you right of where the proper / safe line is.

Definitely took me quite a few months of being up the right at 18 and miles away from the green to realise what was happening.