Tee or no tee with irons on a Par 3?

[hckymeyer]

If you are reading this via the app there is a poll attached to this thread.

 

Saw a very interesting blog over on Flightscope today about using a tee on a par 3.  It's a great read and I'd highly encourage you guys to read it here.

 

http://flightscope.com/par-3-test-tee-no-tee/

 

Here's the breakdown of it though.  Should you use a tee with an iron on a par 3?  I'm guessing most of us do and most of us have never really thought about it.  The author, Jon Sherman, questions if there is a benefit.  He finds that for himself he has a wider dispersion when using a tee.  Basically a shot going left on grass will go lefter off a tee and vice versa.  So he did a small sample test using Flightscope to measure the results.  10 shots with a tee and 10 shots without.  He gained less than 2 yards of distance by using a tee, but his shots were 6 yards farther off line when using a tee.

 

He by no means is saying that nobody should use a tee on a par 3, but it's more just something to think about and also to experiment with proper tee height.  It's definitely go me thinking about my game and there are a couple par 3's on my course with shorter irons where I might start trying this and see what happens.

 

Thoughts?

[Severtheties]

No tee for me except maybe a long iron on a long par 3. Never really have either. Honestly, I couldn't tell you why other than if I hit a 7 iron with a slight fade 160 yards from the fairway and the pin is 160 yards, I want to hit that same shot (just as example).

[Jmikecpa]

Always use a tee.  It is the one time that you can create your own lie and angle so why not take advantage of that?

[evershady]

I use a tee. Basically you only have 18 opportunities to use a tee.

 

Sent from my SM-G930V using MyGolfSpy mobile app

[JudgeSmails]

I always have teed it for an iron very low, like basically sitting the bottom of the ball at the top of the grass....interesting question though, do I just do it by habit and not really need it?  Especially for say, 7 iron and lower

[Jonnythec]

Tee it up for sure. Eliminates me hitting it fat almost 100%

 

 

Sent from my iPhone while sitting at the 19th hole.

[Brjpool]

I wasn't using one but now I do because I found I was hitting a more consistent tee shot. I think just experiment and see what works for you

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[Kenny B]

I always use a tee.  If it was good enough for Jack, it's good enough for me.  It increases my chance of hitting the sweet spot, thus fewer fat/thin shots when trouble sits in front of me like most par 3's have.

[Liberty Ball Markers]

No tee for me, unless it's a long iron looking for a high fade.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[Hula Rock]

No tee,  I bump the grass with my iron and tee the ball on that.... 

[Severtheties]

No tee,  I bump the grass with my iron and tee the ball on that....

No tee for me, unless it's a long iron looking for a high fade.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

Phew....I was feeling quite lonely there for a minute. Certainly seems to be a case of whatever feels/looks the best to the player.

[Mr_Theoo]

I use a tee for anything longer than a wedge. I used to be no tee at all but found out I hit better shots with a tee.

[StrokerAce]

Intriguing.... the person in the article seems like he is particularly skilled; esp. if he is hitting is 7i 170.  That to me says: "good ball striker".  Which, in his case, I can see that there wouldn't be much noticeable difference between tee and non-tee.  

 

There is one thing I thought that a tee helped with though - assuming you have it at the right height, which is, it helps with making contact in the center of the clubface.  If you don't tee it up, and aren't a great (or even good) ball striker won't you hit the ball on the bottom grooves and miss the center of the club face?  (assuming you don't hit it "fat")  

Won't the tee help to ensure you get the ball more centered (at least horizontally) on the clubface when making contact?

[Liberty Ball Markers]

I just make sure the ball is on decent grass, and hit it like I'm in the fairway.

 

In my mind, that keeps things consistent - swing down on the ball, center face contact, peel a divot, follow through, watch it fly.

 

If I tee the ball up, it changes my swing (at least in my head), or I will always hit it fat.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[Kanoito]

Tee for me. Reduces the chances of skulking it. I rarely take a divot anyways.

[silver & black]

I always tee it on par 3's, but I keep it low, just off the ground.

[jaskanski]

In all honesty, it depends on the #iron and the shape of the hole and where you're trying to put it on the green. If I'm trying to reach an elevated plateau with a fade, I tend to hit the ball off the turf. If I need a high draw to a tight pin, I tend to tee it up. I'm a bit of a picker anyway (years of links golf for you) so I take little or no divot with the longer irons and prefer a narrow sole with zero bounce for this purpose. The shorter irons are a different proposal and the flight and trajectory will dictate if I need a tee or not. 

Play each shot as you see it and set up accordingly. My 2 cents

[JAGolfore]

I never did use a tee, I started to last year and I like it a lot more. Easier to make solid contact.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[wbealsd]

If the tee box is in rough shape, I'll put a tee in even with the ground just to make sure the ball's on level.  FWIW, I even tee pretty low when I use a driver.

[MattF]

Nicholas always said to use a tee whenever you can...if it's good enough for the Golden Bear, it's good enough for me.

[HighFade]

You couldn't get me to not use a tee. Always a perfect lie.

[PlaidJacket]

I'll take a Tee anytime. It's the only time I can create a perfect lie. So I'm taking it.

[revkev]

Grew up reading Golf My Way, Jack says, always use a tee!

 

I have however deviated from that under a certain condition. Mid iron, into the wind when I want to flight it down. That's assuming the teeing ground is good.

 

So for me it's a tee 90 percent of the time. I would dispute these findings as a general rule. The teeing ground at most courses is not perfect.

 

Sent from my VS986 using MyGolfSpy mobile app

[Kkaw1988]

I like the tee giving me exactly what I want as far as lie plus sometimes the tee box is so messed up if I'm playing on different courses because it might be cheaper or not the best weather. But to echo others why disagree with Jack!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[TSauer]

I always use a tee when I get the chance. Why not give myself as many advantages as I can? I'm also struggling hitting it from the ground, so there's that.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[jayjay0808]

I'm a little weird when it comes to this. I don't use a tee if I am in a round with my buddies but in tournaments I always use a tee but its tee'd very low

[null]

Absolutely always tee it. I make it so the ball looks like it's resting on the tips of the grass, but it's still on a tee

[Jiro]

Typically use a tee, just whatever leftover broken stub happens to be in the tee box. Keep it low.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[Kor.A.Door]

I need a maybe/sometimes button. it depends on how I am feeling that day, if I use a lofted club I tend not to use a tee, but in the longer clubs I will tend to use a tee, if I want to keep the long shot low I will not use a tee. I come in really steep with my short irons so if I tee those up I tend to hit it high on the face and come up really short. It really does depend on how I am swinging for the day. This probably makes no sense but in my mind it does.

[DiscipleofPenick]

Gotta use the tee, the pros do. Don't make the game harder than it has to be.

 

Sent from my SM-G935P using MyGolfSpy mobile app