Slicing and tee height question

PhilsFanDrew · September 4, 2011

Currently I have been battling a slice with my driver. I've seen some articles suggesting that a higher tee height would help because slicing is many times a cause of coming in too steep at the ball. My problem is when I tee the ball higher I pop up my drives. I have actually had more success teeing the ball lower. I have a much better trajectory off the driver and make better contact towards the middle and lower portion of my club face. When teeing higher more of the impact is being made on middle to top of the club face closer to the heel. If I am not slicing as much with a lower tee, does that mean my slice is not caused by too steep of a swing and is something else? I would like to tee the ball higher to get more distance. Any pointers that will help me do this without skying the ball? Thanks!

Yepyukon · September 4, 2011

You will find many different opinions on this matter. Personally, and this does not speak for all, I teed the ball higher for a bit and really lost control of my drives. I went back to teeing the ball lower and it just feels more comfortable to me (and I have hit more fairways of late). If you are slicing the ball, there are other things to check besides tee height. Are you playing the ball too far back in your stance (ie: not reaching your ideal extension of the club into impact). Is your grip becoming too weak so you are not rotating the club through impact? Are you trying to swing too upright through impact?

There are tons of things that could be causing this and if you are more comfortable teeing the ball lower, I would not suggest you change until you have exhausted other aspects.

PhilsFanDrew · September 4, 2011

[quote name='Yepyukon' timestamp='1315115842' post='3540638']
You will find many different opinions on this matter. Personally, and this does not speak for all, I teed the ball higher for a bit and really lost control of my drives. I went back to teeing the ball lower and it just feels more comfortable to me (and I have hit more fairways of late). If you are slicing the ball, there are other things to check besides tee height. Are you playing the ball too far back in your stance (ie: not reaching your ideal extension of the club into impact). Is your grip becoming too weak so you are not rotating the club through impact? Are you trying to swing too upright through impact?

There are tons of things that could be causing this and if you are more comfortable teeing the ball lower, I would not suggest you change until you have exhausted other aspects.
[/quote]

I play the ball forward in my stance right off the inside of my left heel. My grip with my left hand forms a "V" with the line of my index finger pointing towards my right shoulder. I think when I tee it lower and still slice its because I am not rotating the club through impact by turning my right hand and arm over into the finish. When I swing at about 70% I am usually able to turn my hand over and keep the ball relatively straight. I think my slicing problem is tempo and follow through related and not swing path or grip related. I will continue to tinker with the tee height at the range and whichever height I can hit 10 good drives in a row then I will stay with that height on the course.

vinny809 · September 4, 2011

How does the sole of your driver look like? In which directions does your tee marks on your driver sole point? That should tell you if you have a swing path problem or not.
Post a picture if you have one. Not to sound like a downer, but usually slice fixes as easy as tee height really doesn't work...Usually its a swing issue(s).

larrybud · September 4, 2011

[quote name='PhilsFanDrew' timestamp='1315110409' post='3540549']
Currently I have been battling a slice with my driver. I've seen some articles suggesting that a higher tee height would help because slicing is many times a cause of coming in too steep at the ball. My problem is when I tee the ball higher I pop up my drives. I have actually had more success teeing the ball lower. I have a much better trajectory off the driver and make better contact towards the middle and lower portion of my club face. When teeing higher more of the impact is being made on middle to top of the club face closer to the heel. If I am not slicing as much with a lower tee, does that mean my slice is not caused by too steep of a swing and is something else? I would like to tee the ball higher to get more distance. Any pointers that will help me do this without skying the ball? Thanks!
[/quote]

Well, you need to fix the angle of attack to be able to tee the ball higher, and you need to tee the ball higher to be able to hit the ball with a less steep angle of attack.

You pop up your drives BECAUSE you come in steep.

BTW, today's drivers are designed to be hit with contact above the middle of the club.

CryMeARiver · September 4, 2011

[quote name='larrybud' timestamp='1315146068' post='3540943']
[quote name='PhilsFanDrew' timestamp='1315110409' post='3540549']
Currently I have been battling a slice with my driver. I've seen some articles suggesting that a higher tee height would help because slicing is many times a cause of coming in too steep at the ball. My problem is when I tee the ball higher I pop up my drives. I have actually had more success teeing the ball lower. I have a much better trajectory off the driver and make better contact towards the middle and lower portion of my club face. When teeing higher more of the impact is being made on middle to top of the club face closer to the heel. If I am not slicing as much with a lower tee, does that mean my slice is not caused by too steep of a swing and is something else? I would like to tee the ball higher to get more distance. Any pointers that will help me do this without skying the ball? Thanks!
[/quote]

Well, you need to fix the angle of attack to be able to tee the ball higher, and you need to tee the ball higher to be able to hit the ball with a less steep angle of attack.

You pop up your drives BECAUSE you come in steep.

BTW, today's drivers are designed to be hit with contact above the middle of the club.
[/quote]

This is spot on. I've been having problems the last month slicing the driver when previously my problem was hooking. I realized I was hitting down on the ball. As soon as I started swinging up on the ball, I started hitting high, straight or slight draw drives. My power came back too.

DoctorLoomis · September 4, 2011

[quote name='larrybud' timestamp='1315146068' post='3540943']
[quote name='PhilsFanDrew' timestamp='1315110409' post='3540549']
Currently I have been battling a slice with my driver. I've seen some articles suggesting that a higher tee height would help because slicing is many times a cause of coming in too steep at the ball. My problem is when I tee the ball higher I pop up my drives. I have actually had more success teeing the ball lower. I have a much better trajectory off the driver and make better contact towards the middle and lower portion of my club face. When teeing higher more of the impact is being made on middle to top of the club face closer to the heel. If I am not slicing as much with a lower tee, does that mean my slice is not caused by too steep of a swing and is something else? I would like to tee the ball higher to get more distance. Any pointers that will help me do this without skying the ball? Thanks!
[/quote]

Well, you need to fix the angle of attack to be able to tee the ball higher, and you need to tee the ball higher to be able to hit the ball with a less steep angle of attack.

You pop up your drives BECAUSE you come in steep.

BTW, today's drivers are designed to be hit with contact above the middle of the club.
[/quote]

Larry, you are correct. I would like to also add that hitting down does NOT create nor even encourage a slice with the driver. Many golfers feel that if they hit down with the driver it creates or leads to a slice. This is simply not true. As a matter of fact, hitting down with the driver helps to create a RIGHTWARD swing path which is critical if one wants to draw the ball. To elaborate further, hitting UP helps create a LEFTWARD path that is a component of a slice. This video explains it in detail.........

[url="http://www.youtube.com/user/RadarGolfAcademy#p/u/3/DZtiFqa_S3o"]http://www.youtube.com/user/RadarGolfAcademy#p/u/3/DZtiFqa_S3o[/url]