What’s the right height to tee up your drives?

Have you ever noticed how some golfers seem to tee their ball up very low, some tee it up high, and some tee it up in the middle?

What exactly is the right height to tee up your ball?

It turns out there is actually more than one right way to do it…

When to tee it up low: Teeing the ball up low (top of the ball even with the top of the club) works best when you’re hitting hybrid clubs, or when you’re hitting a wood and into a strong wind. The low height of the tee will lower the launch angle and help your shot stay out of the breeze -maximizing roll and distance. Teeing it low can also help prevent you from “skying” the ball.

When to tee it up in the middle: Teeing the ball up in the middle (half of the ball above the top of the club) works best when you are teeing off with fairway woods in normal conditions. This will ensure the optimal launch rate, minimize spin, and maximize carry and overall distance.

When to tee it up high: Teeing the ball up high (the bottom of the ball even with the top of the club) works best when you are hitting one of today’s big 460cc drivers in normal playing conditions. Studies have shown that this tee height consistently delivers maximum distance and accuracy for players of all skill levels. Just be sure that the bottom of the ball is even with the top of the driver – if you tee it any higher you’re likely to sky the ball and leave a big ugly scuff on the top of your club.

While you might not think about the height of your tee very often it can actually have a BIG impact on the distance and accuracy of your tee shots. Be sure to experiment with these different tee heights next time you hit the driving range to find out how they work for you before trying them in a big money game on the course!