{"id":2710,"date":"2026-11-04T00:35:34","date_gmt":"2026-11-03T23:35:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/best-golf-tips.com\/?p=2710"},"modified":"2026-11-09T22:55:52","modified_gmt":"2026-11-09T21:55:52","slug":"golf-tee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/best-golf-tips.com\/en\/guides\/golf-tee\/","title":{"rendered":"Golf Tee Height: How High to Tee It for Each Club"},"content":{"rendered":"

The tee is the smallest piece of equipment in your bag, yet it plays a major role in your tee shot. If it\u2019s too high, the ball soars; if it\u2019s too low, it doesn\u2019t get off the ground. Here\u2019s the correct height for each club, what the rules say, and the three mistakes that cost you the most strokes.<\/p>\n

What is a tee in golf?<\/h2>\n

A tee is a small support, made of wood, plastic, or bamboo, that is stuck into the ground to raise the ball. It may only be used at the tee box of each hole, on the teeing area<\/strong> marked by two colored markers. Elsewhere on the course, whether on the fairway or in the rough, the ball is played as it lies.<\/p>\n

By extension, the word also refers to the tee box itself: we say \u201chead to the 1st tee\u201d or \u201cplay from the yellow tees.\u201d The tee colors are explained in a video in our lesson on the starting balls and colors<\/a>.<\/p>\n

At what height should you place your tee depending on the club?<\/h2>\n
\"Chart
The key reference point: when using a driver, half of the ball extends above the top of the clubhead.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Club<\/td>\nRecommended height<\/td>\nVisual cue<\/td>\nTee to use<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Driver<\/td>\nHigh<\/td>\nThe ball is halfway above the top of the head<\/td>\nLong tee (70 to 83 mm)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fairway Woods<\/td>\nBass<\/td>\nThe ball had barely left the grass; it was about 1 cm<\/td>\nShort tee (38 to 54 mm)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Hybrid<\/td>\nBass<\/td>\nLike wood, or almost level with the grass<\/td>\nShort tee<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Irons (set of 3)<\/td>\nVery low<\/td>\nTee almost completely pushed in, a few millimeters<\/td>\nShort tee<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

With the driver: half the ball above your head<\/h3>\n

The driver is the only club you swing up slightly after the lowest point of your swing. The ball should therefore be positioned high: place the clubhead behind it, and half of the ball should extend above the top of the clubhead. This setup helps you strike the ball in the center of the clubface\u2014or slightly above it\u2014where the ball flies with the least spin and the most distance. It goes hand in hand with positioning the ball toward your front foot; the exact reference point is explained in the lesson on The ball position when using a driver<\/a>.<\/p>\n

With the fairway wood and the hybrid: barely off the ground<\/h3>\n

These clubs have a small head and a low face. A ball that\u2019s too high would go under the face. Lift it just enough to get the perfect lie\u2014about one centimeter\u2014and hit it with a sweeping motion, without trying to lift it. To avoid topping the hybrid, a simple exercise is to aim for a tee placed in front of the ball<\/a>.<\/p>\n

With irons: almost at ground level<\/h3>\n

On a par-3 hole, using a tee isn\u2019t required, but it provides a perfect lie. When hitting with an iron, you strike the ball on the way down before it hits the ground; therefore, the tee must be almost completely driven into the ground so that the ball sits as it would on an ideal fairway. If the tee is too high, the clubface will pass under the ball, resulting in a high, short shot.<\/p>\n

What the Rules of Golf Say About the Tee<\/h2>\n