Golf for Beginners - How to Tee Up a Golf Ball

Just starting out in the game of golf and wondering what tee you should buy and how to use it. There are some simple steps to take and a few considerations in choosing the right one. In this article I will take you through these steps and fully explain how to make the correct choice.

Some new golfers will try to put the tee in the ground first then place the ball on top. I cannot say this is wrong, but I can suggest a better, easier and more correct way. I explain how important proper tee placement is to my juniors when I run my clinics.

First take a tee in your hand and place it between your index finger and your middle finger. Make sure the point of the tee is facing the ground and the domed top is resting on your fingers. Now place the ball in your hand, making sure it is resting on the top of the tee. Close your hand so your thumb is now over the ball and resting on your fingers. In this place your hand working in unison with the ball now gives you extra leverage to make the tee insert into the ground with some ease.

At this point you are not finished, there are certain things you need awareness of. 90 degrees to the ground is how your tee aligns, not leaning left or right at an obvious angle. If your tee is leaning to far one way or the other, when you strike the ball, you may cause side spin on your ball that will change the flight path to an unwanted hook or slice. Being perpendicular to the ground and striking the ball correctly, you will get the desired top spin, giving you a straighter flight path. So please, as a new comer, take the time to stand behind your tee and make sure it looks straight up and down.

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What length of tee is a good question you need to ask? There are many different lengths and is confusing. Club choice and the shot you are making will tell you the length of tee you need. For example, a small tee is for an iron shot. The process is the same as above, with one change. You place your thumb on the top of the ball instead of covering it. This is because when inserting the tee you are pushing down, so the back of your fingers just touch the ground. This will give you a height that allows your club to strike the ball properly, without going underneath it, causing you to sky the ball.

A driver as a beginner has one simple rule. When the driver is resting on the ground, the golf ball should sit so half of the ball is above the club face.