Driver Tee Height Too High Encouraging Pulls/Hooks?

[DLev45]

Does teeing driver up too high encourage a pull and/or hook?

 

I’m playing off a 6.6 index right now and really having trouble with my driver. Big miss is a hook or pull and it’s costing me.

 

I tee the ball up even with my front foot, and I use 3.25 inch tees (Pride Professional Tee System - Blues). It never dawned on me that it might be my tee height forcing me to flatten my swing, which makes me more inside-out.

 

Last round I hit 12/18 GIR and shot 80 thanks to 2 lost balls off the tee. Round before I hit 10/18 GIR and shot 82 for the same reasons, so my ball-striking up through driver has gotten pretty decent.

[larrybud]

Why don't you experiment with tee height during play? I think the result would be different for everybody.

[tbsbama]

I have always hit a draw since my younger days with my miss being the big hook. In the last few years I have discovered two things. 1 is to set the driver head about 4 inches behind the ball to assure that my shoulders are square at address. 2 is that teeing the ball lower, but not so low that I can’t catch it on the upswing, has significantly helped my dispersion and most importantly taken that big hook away. Just play with tee height, and good luck hope this helps.

[DLev45]

> @larrybud said:

> Why don't you experiment with tee height during play? I think the result would be different for everybody.

 

I am certainly going to next time out. Weather not cooperating.

 

I was just interested from a swing philosophy perspective - higher tee height = swing path has to be flatter and more in-to-out, because if you are steeper you will sky it, and that shifting of the swing plane more horizontal promotes hooks and pulls?

 

 

[GoGoErky]

> @DLev45 said:

> Does teeing driver up too high encourage a pull and/or hook?

>

> I’m playing off a 6.6 index right now and really having trouble with my driver. Big miss is a hook or pull and it’s costing me.

>

> I tee the ball up even with my front foot, and I use 3.25 inch tees (Pride Professional Tee System - Blues). It never dawned on me that it might be my tee height forcing me to flatten my swing, which makes me more inside-out.

>

> Last round I hit 12/18 GIR and shot 80 thanks to 2 lost balls off the tee. Round before I hit 10/18 GIR and shot 82 for the same reasons, so my ball-striking up through driver has gotten pretty decent.

 

Can you describe what even with front foot means?

 

As for tee height, is the crown of your driver at the equator of the ball or below it? If below, how far below?

[DLev45]

> @GoGoErky said:

> > @DLev45 said:

> > Does teeing driver up too high encourage a pull and/or hook?

> >

> > I’m playing off a 6.6 index right now and really having trouble with my driver. Big miss is a hook or pull and it’s costing me.

> >

> > I tee the ball up even with my front foot, and I use 3.25 inch tees (Pride Professional Tee System - Blues). It never dawned on me that it might be my tee height forcing me to flatten my swing, which makes me more inside-out.

> >

> > Last round I hit 12/18 GIR and shot 80 thanks to 2 lost balls off the tee. Round before I hit 10/18 GIR and shot 82 for the same reasons, so my ball-striking up through driver has gotten pretty decent.

>

> Can you describe what even with front foot means?

>

> As for tee height, is the crown of your driver at the equator of the ball or below it? If below, how far below?

 

Tee is in line with the front foot, not inside my left heel, but even with my big toe on my left foot.

 

I use these 3.25" tees with the blue part in the ground completely. https://amazon.com/Pride-Professional-Tee-System-ProLength/dp/B07GBS3376

 

I would say the entire ball is above the crown of the driver if it is soled.

[GoGoErky]

> @DLev45 said:

> > @GoGoErky said:

> > > @DLev45 said:

> > > Does teeing driver up too high encourage a pull and/or hook?

> > >

> > > I’m playing off a 6.6 index right now and really having trouble with my driver. Big miss is a hook or pull and it’s costing me.

> > >

> > > I tee the ball up even with my front foot, and I use 3.25 inch tees (Pride Professional Tee System - Blues). It never dawned on me that it might be my tee height forcing me to flatten my swing, which makes me more inside-out.

> > >

> > > Last round I hit 12/18 GIR and shot 80 thanks to 2 lost balls off the tee. Round before I hit 10/18 GIR and shot 82 for the same reasons, so my ball-striking up through driver has gotten pretty decent.

> >

> > Can you describe what even with front foot means?

> >

> > As for tee height, is the crown of your driver at the equator of the ball or below it? If below, how far below?

>

> Tee is in line with the front foot, not inside my left heel, but even with my big toe on my left foot.

>

> I use these 3.25" tees with the blue part in the ground completely. https://amazon.com/Pride-Professional-Tee-System-ProLength/dp/B07GBS3376

>

> I would say the entire ball is above the crown of the driver if it is soled.

 

You probably have two issues leading to your issues. Driver to far forward causing face to close and due to tee height coming to far from inside accentuating the issue of too far forward. Move the ball to inside front heel and have crown of driver at equator of ball or just below it.

[jholz]

I think there may be some credence to the OP's opinion. Conventional wisdom has always stated that one tees the ball high for distance, low for control.

 

It may be that the higher tee height is causing the OP's swing to flatten out. It might also be that the higher tee is impacting you psychologically, causing you to focus on distance, and subsequently you are trying to hit the ball as hard as you can. That kind of mentality easily ends up with early extension or some other swing flaw that could be the cause of your pull/hook.

 

For me, I finally came to the conclusion that I hit my driver far enough. I don't need to try to squeeze out extra yards. So, I tee the ball low and focus more on where I want the shot to end up, not on how far it is going to go.

 

As others say, you should experiment with your tee height on the range and the course. And remember that 320 OB is a hell of a lot worse than 220 in play.

[DLev45]

> @jholz said:

> As others say, you should experiment with your tee height on the range and the course. And remember that 320 OB is a **** of a lot worse than 220 in play.

 

I wish... I swing about 100mph with driver. It's more like 260 OB...

 

 

[cardoustie]

OP

 

You are likely overdoing the up into the ball move (what is your AoA) and sort of flipping it or cupping left wrist to get UP to the ball

 

Either that or toe-ing it .... = hooks

 

I USED TO DO BOTH ABOVE FWIW

 

Even teed way up try to think of descent into ball, you won't be, but it should help

[jholz]

> @DLev45 said:

> > @jholz said:

> > As others say, you should experiment with your tee height on the range and the course. And remember that 320 OB is a **** of a lot worse than 220 in play.

>

> I wish... I swing about 100mph with driver. It's more like 260 OB...

>

 

Yeah, but 260 (or even 250) and consistently in play would be gorgeous right?

 

One of the things I find most intriguing about the whole distance thing is how we focus on averages as if they were a benchmark of some kind - whether those averages are our own, or a PGA professional's. Like if JB Holmes is averaging 312 off the tee, we think that he hits it 312 every time or something. In fact, sometimes he hits it 270. Other times 330.

 

With that amount of variation/deviation, I think focusing on definite yardages/distances with the driver is pointless. Instead of asking "how far did I hit it," we should be focused on "is it far enough to give me a reasonable chance of getting home in regulation and is it in play." Simply shifting that psychology has helped me eliminate the vast majority of my tee shot misses. I still put one OB every now and again, but its usually when I am freaked out by a long hole and I am trying to hit the ball as hard as I can.

[TIM929]

> @DLev45 said:

> > @larrybud said:

> > Why don't you experiment with tee height during play? I think the result would be different for everybody.

>

> I am certainly going to next time out. Weather not cooperating.

>

> I was just interested from a swing philosophy perspective - higher tee height = swing path has to be flatter and more in-to-out, because if you are steeper you will sky it, and that shifting of the swing plane more horizontal promotes hooks and pulls?

>

>

Op, the first post is so strong, hope this helps:

 

https://forums.golfwrx.com/discussion/909991/diy-driver-tune-up-diy-fitting/p1

 

Tee height/ face contact = flight

 

explained at its best.

 

 

[4rheel]

I thought teeing it up promotes a draw and teeing it low promotes a fade.

[TIM929]

> @TIM929 said:

> > @DLev45 said:

> > > @larrybud said:

> > > Why don't you experiment with tee height during play? I think the result would be different for everybody.

> >

> > I am certainly going to next time out. Weather not cooperating.

> >

> > I was just interested from a swing philosophy perspective - higher tee height = swing path has to be flatter and more in-to-out, because if you are steeper you will sky it, and that shifting of the swing plane more horizontal promotes hooks and pulls?

> >

> >

> Op, the first post is so strong, hope this helps:

>

> https://forums.golfwrx.com/discussion/909991/diy-driver-tune-up-diy-fitting/p1

>

> Tee height/ face contact = flight

>

> explained at its best.

>

>

>

sorry, posted the wrong pic above..

 

 

[TMoakley1547]

Tee height is important for me. If I tee it too high, I tend to hit big fades/slices because I dump my right shoulder underneath trying to hit up on it. I drive it so much better when I tee the ball down a bit.

[KMeloney]

OP -- This has been me to a T (pun partially intended).

 

If you want to talk about "inherent" issues with teeing the ball too high and/or too forward, I suppose there are some. I agree with the others who have said that that combo of height and placement can encourage too much of an in-to-out and "hit up on it" swing, and that that can often lead to snap hooks (ask me how I know). But, I have a buddy who plays the ball off the front half of his front foot, and he absolutely crushes the ball (he's a +2, and one of the longest hitters at my club, bar none). Now, he doesn't tee it high, but definitely tees it way forward.

 

...But what he DOESN'T do is hang back on his rear foot at all. He makes a big shift into his front side and turns hard and doesn't have to flip at the ball. He hits a relatively high draw, and it goes forever.

 

So, I'd first look at the tee height encouraging that big in-to-out and up swing which can easily be way overdone. But, also I'd consider the idea that you are hanging back and trying to save the shot with your hands. If you shift properly, you can afford to have the ball teed forward and high, as you'll then be able to deliver the club face at a much better point in your swing.

[MonteScheinblum]

Yes

[jholz]

> @MonteScheinblum said:

> Yes

 

A man of few words, yet in possession of great wisdom.

[DLev45]

UPDATE:

 

Played a tournament round this weekend with a much lower tee height than I had been playing with prior. Probably a good half-inch.

 

Hit 11/14 fairways, and all 3 misses were right. Didn't have one ball go left on me via pull and/or hook. Didn't change a single thing about my swing, at least not consciously.

[jldillard1]

This is encouraging to see. I’ll be teeing the ball lower next time. This explains why I can hit my 3 wood 270+ and straight barely teed up but struggle with hooking my driver. A lot of rounds my driver ends up staying in the bag bc 260-280 in the fairway is better than driver in trouble