Your tee shot is the very first swing you take on every hole, the one that kicks everything off from the designated teeing area. This single shot dictates your strategy and sets the tone for everything that follows, whether you're facing a long par-5 or a tricky little par-3. We'll walk you through what a tee shot is, the clubs you'll use, and how to build a simple, repeatable swing that gets your ball in a great position for your next shot.
At its core, the tee shot is your opening move. It is unique because it's the only shot in golf where you have complete control over the lie of your ball. You get to place the ball on a small peg, called a golf tee, which lifts it off the ground. This advantage is designed to make hitting this first shot easier and allow for maximum distance, particularly on longer holes.
However, the tee shot is more than just a swing, it's a strategic decision. A well-placed tee shot down the middle of the fairway on a par-4 puts you in "Position A" for an easy approach to the green. A poor tee shot that veers into the trees or a hazard forces you into recovery mode immediately. This is why golfers spend so much time practice their work off the tee - it's the foundation upon which the rest of the hole is built.
Before you even think about your swing, you need to know where you're swinging from. This happens in the "teeing area," also known as the tee box. It's a designated rectangular space at the start of each hole.
Playing from the right set of tees for your ability level is important for enjoying the game. There's no shame in moving up to the white or even red tees if it helps you have more fun and play faster.
Having a golf bag full of clubs can be intimidating. Let’s simplify which one you should be reaching for on the tee.
The driver, also called the 1-wood, is the longest club in your bag and is designed for one thing: smashing the ball as far as possible. Its large head and low loft are perfect for tee shots on par-4s and par-5s, where the goal is to cover as much ground as you can. Hitting a great drive feels incredible and can turn a long, difficult hole into a much simpler one.
However, the "big stick" isn't always the smart play. If a hole has a narrow fairway lined with trees, water, or sand bunkers, the driver's lower accuracy can bring big trouble into play. Sometimes, a more conservative club is the better choice.
These clubs are your go-to alternatives when you need a blend of distance and control. A 3-wood or a hybrid club won't fly as far as a driver, but it is generally easier to hit straight. You might choose a fairway wood on a short par-4 where a driver would send you through the fairway, or on a long par-5 with a tight landing area. This is called smart course management - putting yourself in a good position for the second shot is often better than being 20 yards closer but in the rough.
On a par-3, the goal is to hit the ball onto the green in a single shot. Distance becomes less an inissue, and accuracy becomes everything. Here, your driver stays in the bag. You'll choose an iron based on the exact yardage to the pin. This could be anything from a 3-iron for a long par-3 to a pitching wedge on a short one. Because you are aiming directly for the green, this is perhaps the purest tee shot of all.
The golf swing can feel complicated, but at its heart, it's about a simple idea: the swing is a rotational action that moves around the body in a circle-like motion. Let's break down how to apply that to hitting your driver.
How you stand to the ball has a massive influence on everything else. Get this right, and you're already halfway there.
Think of your body like a spring. The backswing is how you coil that spring to create potential power. It’s a rotation, not a lift.
The goal is to turn your body away from the target while keeping your club moving on a rounded arc. As you take the club back, focus on turning your hips and shoulders together. Let your torso's rotation be what moves the club, not just your arms. Try to stay "centered" over the ball as you turn. Imagine you’re standing in a cylinder, you want to rotate inside it, not sway out of it. Turn until you feel your lead shoulder is tucked under your chin - that's a full turn for most a people.
Now it's time to unwind. The power in the golf swing comes from the proper sequence of movements, not raw strength.
The downswing should start from the ground up. Before your upper body takes over, make a slight-bump toward the target with your hips move that starts transferring weight to your lead side. This move is subtle, but makes an incredible difference. After that, simply unwind all the good rotation you built on the backswing. Let your hips and torso turn aggressively toward the target. Your arms will naturally follow, gaining speed because they are being pulled by the rotation of your bigger muscles. Let it go and trust the swing, you do not need to help or force the hit.
Your finish position is a direct reflection an the quality of your swing's balance and flow.
After impact, your arms should fully extend towards the target as your body continues to rotate. Don't stop your swing at the ball, keep everything turning until your chest is facing the flag. All your weight should have shifted onto your lead foot, and your trail foot's heel will be completely off the ground, with your toe simply balancing you. A powerful, graceful finishing position, where you can comfortably hold your balance until the ball lands, is the sign of a fantastic tee shot.
What it is: A ball that curves severely from left-to-right in the air (for a right-handed golfer). It's caused a by an "outside-to-inside" swing path combied with cutting across with an open the clubface.
The Fix: Check your setup. A "weaker" grip (with the lead hand turned too far under the club) and aiming your body too far left of your target are common culprits. Try to feel like you are swinging the club more "out to the right" (out toward first base if it were a baseball field) on your downswing to promote a more desirable inside-to-out path.
What it is: Hitting the top half of the ball, causing it to shoot along the ground.
The Fix: This a typical problem for beginners who can't help trying to "lift" the ball into the air. That lifting of the chest and head leads them to a loss in posture during the swing. You need to remember that the club's loft is designed to get the ball airborne. Instead your main job is to stay in your posture and trust the club will do the hard work for you. Let your body keep turning and rotate fully though the shot.
A great tee shot isn't just about hitting the ball as hard as you can. It comes from making a smart decision, choosing the right club for the situation on the hole in font of yo, and lastly putting a confident swing on the ball by focusing only on balance and good rotation. Mastering these elements aresuwhat lets you to consistently start each hole with a sense of control aand not a feelinf od doubt.
Building that clarity and having confident over the tee shot often just a case of simply having a solid plan. That’s precisely why we created Caddie AI. When you're standing on the tee unsure of the best way to tackle the hole in front ot, our app gives you a simple, yet inteligent shot strategy that you can rely on. By snapping a photo of your ball's lie or describing the hole’s layout, you can instantly turn your undertainty intot a decisive action plan. In just a couple a second's you get an anser tailored to toyou. Caddie gets rid of the guesswork that only serves to derail a players confidence before they can make thier shot so that that when you step up you only have to thonk about comiting to your swing without doub and make agood play.
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