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Off the Tee

The tee shot sets up the hole. With a driver, the goal is to sweep the ball off the tee with an upward strike — and above all, find the short grass.

Golfer at the top of the backswing on the tee box at golden hour
Off the tee on an open hole: tee the ball high, aim at the widest part of the fairway, and make a smooth, balanced swing for distance.

Step by step

  1. Tee the ball so half of it sits above the crown of the driver.
  2. Widen your stance slightly past shoulder-width and play the ball inside your lead heel.
  3. Tilt your spine slightly away from the target so your trail shoulder is a touch lower.
  4. Make a smooth, full swing and try to catch the ball slightly on the upswing. Finish in balance.
  5. On tight holes, club down to a 3-wood or hybrid for control over distance.

Check yourself

  • You can hold your finish without stumbling — balance beats brute force.
  • Your tempo feels smooth, not violent.
  • You picked a specific target (a fairway bunker, tree, or chimney), not just 'somewhere out there'.

Common mistakes

  • Swinging out of your shoes for max distance and losing the fairway.
  • Teeing the ball too low, which encourages hitting down and popping it up.
  • Automatically reaching for driver on every hole regardless of trouble.
Go deeper: Driver form

A beginner refresher only — not professional instruction. See a PGA pro for swing changes.