For the majority of golfers the first club out of the bag when they pull up to the 1st tee is the big bad driver. Those same golfers, the majority, usually end up saying something derogatory about the game or club after they hit their tee shot. In a friendly game your buddies might allow you to take “two” off the top, so you get a reprieve. My friends always tell me that “Bubba”(referring to that 2nd shot you took) always hits it good.
The truth is that you don’t need to always hit your driver off the tee on par 4’s or par 5’s. Everybody thinks that the bigger the club the longer it will go. That may be true for some players but not necessarily so for most. Here are 3 steps for better tee shots.
- Try using your 3-wood off the tee instead of your driver. The 3-wood usually goes much straighter than the diver and you don’t give up that much distance. Most of the time I start out using my 3-wood to build my confidence and relax my swing.
- Use the club you hit the straightest off the tee. My youngest son, who recently took up the game of golf, was struggling with his shots off the tee. He was using his driver and it was going everywhere but straight. I asked him what his favorite club was. The club that he hits the straightest was his 6 iron. I told him to use that off the tee and guess what, he started getting in fairway instead of the woods or somebody’s yard.
- Relax and don’t try to kill the ball. Most golfers try to swing as hard as they can when using their driver off the tee. This might be in an effort to try and impress the buddies but it usually results in errant shots. Take a couple of relaxed practice swings, go through your routine, give it a few waggles and then very deliberately and relaxed take your swing. You’ll be surprised and pleased with the results.
If you try these 3 steps for better tee shots then you will see an improvement in game. Your day will be more enjoyable and your score should be lower. It’s a whole lot easier to play out of the short grass than to waste your time looking for your ball in the woods.It should be cheaper too because you won’t have to keep buying so many balls. Have fun!
Golf is a Fickle Game. It’s a love/hate relationship. There are so many aspects to this wonderfully dreadful game.