Golf Tips – Picking a Spot to Tee Your Golf Ball

Each hole begins with your first shot. And each first shot is taken from a tee box. Since this is the only place on the golf course where you can choose, within limits, where you will actually place your golf ball it makes sense to give some thought to where the best place to tee it up is for your game and style of play.

A lot of golfers place their tee on the line directly between the tee markers. And although that is perfectly legal, it may not be optimal. The rules of golf allow you to tee your ball anywhere between the tee markers as long as it is not in front of the imaginary line between the two markers, up to two club lengths BACK. That imaginary rectangle is your hunting ground. Choosing carefully can mean the difference between a good shot and a great shot. Choosing poorly may be the difference between a good shot an a poor shot.

Check the condition of the soil not only where you will place the tee, but also, and perhaps more importantly, where you will place your feet. If the ground is uneven, or hard pan, or soggy where your feet will be you will want to look for a better spot from which to hit. You may not be able to improve it much depending on course conditions, but don’t stick with it just because your ball is teed and that’s where your stance dictates you stand. If you are playing a short par three and prefer to hit your short irons off the ground you will likely find better turf from which to hit a few feet behind the front of the tee box which will lead to better backspin and allow you to throw it straight at the pin and know it will stick where it lands.

Finally, the rules state that the BALL has to be teed in that imaginary rectangle. Your feet are allowed to be outside that area if you find a spot you like on the very edge of that area but that places your feet outside it. Where you stand is not important. Where the ball is teed up (or lies) is what matters.