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How to hit the ball as high as possible to carry trees off the tee?


hammersia

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We have an unusual starting hole where a massive (wide and tall) Cedar is in the middle of the fairway at the 180 yard point. Hole is only 360 yards total. A few years ago I was just about hitting a rescue over the tree, the tree has grown and it's got to be at least 100ft tall. I seem to glance the top of it quite often even with a well struck driver and it usually drops straight down. (Trigonometry wise a launch of 12 degrees should do it). Trouble on the left, further right is better. Low branches can't really go under it.

 

Normal swingspeed 105mph. Any thoughts, take a different club, hit driver higher etc. ? (I have a 3 wood I love but it definitely doesn't go high). What's your reliable "long and high" shot?

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I have a couple tee shots like that on my course. Trees not in the middle of the fairway, but definitely on the line where you need to start it. Being a fairly low ball hitter, I started carrying a couple 4” tees just for those shots. I don’t have to try and manipulate my swing, just tee it high and go. Seems to work pretty well for me, so far anyway. 

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Ever thought of drawing or fading the ball around the tree?

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For me, I move my hands back a little at address when I want to hit one high with the driver.  I also make sure that my shoulders are set with the left a touch higher than normal.  Those things seem to produce a high ball flight with the driver for me.  Full disclosure:  I have no idea if this is good advice or not.  It works reliably for me but I don’t know if anyone who knows about the golf swing would suggest it or not.

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42 minutes ago, cgasucks said:

Ever thought of drawing or fading the ball around the tree?

I can shape it pretty well, I haven't got the hang of the 200 yard pretty straight and a last minute turn around a tree unfortunately.

 

So everyone so far is saying driver? For the high one. Appreciate it.

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1 minute ago, hammersia said:

I can shape it pretty well, I haven't got the hang of the 200 yard pretty straight and a last minute turn around a tree unfortunately.

 

So everyone so far is saying driver? For the high one. Appreciate it.

 

You gotta need more clubhead speed to make the ball go higher.  I know I can't and my clubhead speed isn't as fast as yours.

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I could have actually shown the hole come to think of it:

 

Past the treeline on the left is OB, the trees further up on the left are bigger and overhang, so even if you put your tee shot snuggly left of the big Cedar it's very very tight to the green (again right up on the left of the green the trees are very tall). Tee by the cars at the bottom:1st.jpg.029fd447031d6fb586efa93a2e8ae117.jpg

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12 minutes ago, hammersia said:

I could have actually shown the hole come to think of it:

 

Past the treeline on the left is OB, the trees further up on the left are bigger and overhang, so even if you put your tee shot snuggly left of the big Cedar it's very very tight to the green (again right up on the left of the green the trees are very tall). Tee by the cars at the bottom:1st.jpg.029fd447031d6fb586efa93a2e8ae117.jpg

Agree. Fade.

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I carry a 5 wood over a 3 right now, so that would be my goto. It's also not a long hole, so playing a shorter club up the fairway just past the tree would be fine for me as well. 

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56 minutes ago, hammersia said:

I've watched thousands of golfers (it's the first hole) play this hole over the past ten years, quite a few of them better than me, and I've not seen one hit a fade around that tree. It's not physically possible.

then you already have your answer. hit to a number that puts you with a clear shot to the green. simple. sometimes it's the little things. 

 

play for a par and move on 

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1 hour ago, hammersia said:

I've watched thousands of golfers (it's the first hole) play this hole over the past ten years, quite a few of them better than me, and I've not seen one hit a fade around that tree. It's not physically possible.


Time to cut it down then. 

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Big tee up , big shoulder tilt , handle in the middle of my stance ( as opposed to forward lean ) and pick it off the tee with a fade.  
 

the thing is.  Less than middle strike , or a double cross and you’re fooked.     
 

that being said. 12 degrees launch isn’t to the moon.  Are you unsure Its just not too far to carry ?  As in at 12 degrees how far does it need to carry to peak at the right moment? 

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Why not hit something that carries to the tree and rolls out past it? I'd be trying to hit a punched 5 iron that goes 200. 

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Yep. Happens a lot on older courses.  Mine was built in 69.  Snd on several holes it’s apparent to me that the trees are bigger than designed.  18 especially. We have a 10 yard wide chute to hit through from the back tee. Two huge trees on either  side of the front tee frame the shot.  I lost the club championship year before last due to hitting a twig on the right tree sending my ball dead right into the hazard.   Every thunderstorm that comes up , I pray for that trees death. And I love trees.  
 

we can’t talk our club into trimming them. Nobody cares if they don’t play from back there.  Most can hit under those branches.  Form the back tee to hit under them takes tigers best 2 iron stinger.  I mean who has that on command ?   

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3 hours ago, hammersia said:

I've watched thousands of golfers (it's the first hole) play this hole over the past ten years, quite a few of them better than me, and I've not seen one hit a fade around that tree. It's not physically possible.

 

Based on your pic, I don't see the big problem. I must not be looking at the tee box and the tree and the green. You should mark them on your pic. lol

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Tee the ball a little lower and more toward the front toe. Open your stance slightly, open the club face slightly, take your normal swing and picture your hands finishing high above your lead shoulder.  With a little practice you should be hitting a high fade with more spin loft.  Only drawback is that you will loose rollout, which might be welcomed if the ball doesn't fade.  Teeing high with more shoulder tilt works, but also will tend to promote a draw or hook if mishit.

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5 hours ago, BrianMcG said:

Learn to hit a fade. 

 

As a former veteran caddie, I will be bold and tell you what you need to do vs. what you want to do. Learn to hit a fade.

 

image.png.4512b0f036c08b47dd3deb1a52a1e8f4.png First, consider that this is a cedar tree. You didn't show us an actual picture of it, but chances are it has a conical canopy. Basically, it's wide near the ground line but tapers up in a rough triangle as it gets taller.

 

If this is the type of cedar tree you face, you may have quite a bit more flight space left to right than you think you do.

 

As for hitting a fade... again, this would fit the shape of the  hole better. And, you will be hitting a tee shot off of level ground, with the ball teed at whatever height you like. This is ideal conditions for hitting a golf shot.

 

You'll have to practice the shot, but it can be mastered. And, a 3W or hybrid may be easier to fade than a driver. Go with what works!

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It's a short hole.  I am hard-pressed to believe a club would maintain a huge difficult obstruction like oversized tree that dominates the width of the fairway, so no side shots or going under are options.  What do people do that don't have the power to cover the tree???  You've made it sound as though there is only one approach, over the top.  Thing is, MOST people do not have that power or control over their trajectory, so hitting the ball really high isn't an option.  What do they do then??

 

I sometimes face a Par 5 that has a huge tree in the middle of the fairway.  The tree isn't reachable off the tee, but it's in place on the second shot, for sure.  How close a person gets to the tree depends on the tees they play.  After the tree the fairway dog legs a bit left to the green.  I typically don't hit my driver as hard as I can, so where my ball lands, I normally have 170yds to the tree.  Most of the time I use 4i and hit a really sold punch shot when my ball starts dropping shot of tree branches, it hits and usually runs 20+yds, leaving me 7i-9i into the green. 

 

There's another Par 5 I really like.  A totally blind tee shot over thick trees and high thickets hiding a deep ravine/creek, need to cover 210+yds to reach the fairway.  I hit either Driver with a tail on it so ball lands and runs right down the fairway, or 2 iron straight or fade and usually find the opposite side of the fairway, maybe reach the rough, all depends on the wind as it's coming from the right.

 

Edit, I saw your hole image.  Easy, hit a controlled fade around the tree, using either driver, wood or in my case, a sweet 2 iron.  The fairway in the image is wider than the tree's widest part, so a fade is the ticket.

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2 hours ago, stingerfade said:

Looks like a 4/5 iron left of tree then 160ish in? 

 

That’s what I see.

 

OP, next time you play, please update this thread with an actual photo from the tee box. 

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