What golf tee should I be using?
You’re standing in the tee box, taking a few practice swings with your new driver before lining up your first shot of the day. Your ball is in place, posted slightly above the creeping bent grass that covers your favorite golf course.
You check your golf grip and perform your trademark foot shuffle before taking a rock-solid swing, sending your golf ball … dribbling down the fairway?
What went wrong? You were lined up correctly, your swing speed was optimal, so could it be your new driver? That must be the culprit, because everything else was perfect, right? Wrong. If you’re suddenly topping golf balls and failing to find the sweet spot on your driver, it could be a simple matter of the type of golf tee that you’re using. Playing with a tee that isn’t long enough and doesn’t give your ball the steady foundation that it needs can cause a world of trouble from the tee box.
Playing with a tee that’s too long, however, can cause problems of its own. Let’s check out some facts about golf tees to see which ones will give you the best advantage when driving the ball.
What Golf Tees Should I Use?
Most of us recognize standard golf tees – there isn’t much to these slender, wooden posts that are usually sold by the dozens. But many golfers don’t realize that there are actually several considerations to make before deciding on which tees will serve your driver the best.
For example, did you know there is a maximum length for golf tees during official play? The United States Golf Association (USGA) is the governing body of golf in the US, and sets forth rules and regulations for every aspect of the game – including golf tees.
According to the 2012-2015 USGA rules on devices and other equipment, tees must not:
- Be over 4 inches in length (101.6 mm)
- Consist of a design that would indicate line of play
- Unduly influence ball movement
- Assist the player in making a stroke in his or her play
As you can see, aside from tee length and apparent lines that could help golfers direct their drives, there is little regulation on golf tees for regulation play. This means that players can utilize traditional wooden tees, or choose from other types like plastic tees, brush tees, and even fun personalized tees.
So which is the best golf tee for your game? That depends on a number of factors, including proclivity to slice, effective ball height, and swing speed.
Best Golf Tee Practices
Most intermediate and high-handicap golfers would say the only way to use a tee is to stick it in the ground and place a golf ball on it. While properly placing a golf tee isn’t rocket science, there are still some important points to keep in mind prior to teeing up your next shot.
- Golf tee depth matters.
Just because the USGA allows tees up to 4 inches in length doesn’t mean that 3 ?? inches should be in the ground. In fact, the deeper your tee is placed, the more resistance your golf ball will face upon impact, resulting in shorter drives. Always make sure that your golf tee is placed no deeper than half an inch into the ground to keep impact resistance at a minimum. Many tees come with colored bands around the bottom to help you determine how deep the tee should be set.
- Find your optimal ball height.
When changing the way you use your golf tees, you don’t want to blow an entire round trying to figure out how high or low your golf ball needs to sit on the tee. Make sure to grab a handful of golf tees that are different lengths before heading to the driving range for some practice off the course. Tees range from 2 ?? inches to 4 inches, so try out different lengths to find the tee that best connects the golf ball with your driver’s sweet spot.
- Try different golf tees.
One of the best things about today’s wide selection of golf tees is their affordability. Golf tees are relatively easy on the pocket book, so make sure that when you’re shopping for golf tees to try out different lengths, compositions, and features that modern golf tees afford their players. It’s always a good idea to keep a variety of different tees in your golf bag for days when your game could use a little changeup.
If you’re still asking yourself, “What golf tees should I use?” then just remember one thing: the best golf tee for you is the one that makes you feel like you’re getting the most out of each and every drive. If practice dictates that your drives go further off a high tee, then consider purchasing longer tees. If your club stays low at impact during your swing, then maybe some standard 2 ¾ inch tees are the right fit.
Whether you decide to up your game with the latest brush and anti-slice tees, or are more comfortable sticking with traditional wooden ones, the important thing is to switch it up during practice and find out which tees suit you best. That way you’ll know exactly which tees to reach for before teeing off during your next big round. Check out tees from renowned brands like 4 Yards More, Brush T and more.
Golf Tee Recommendations
