First, let me get in your head for a second. I want you to bring this mind-set to every tee: Think of your tee shot as just a simple problem to solve. Figure out what you need to do to get the ball in the fairway—and ideally put it in a spot that gives you the best angle to the pin. That’s it. If you think of it like that, your best option for what to hit off the tee should be apparent. That could mean clubbing down from a driver or 3-wood to a more reliable club like a 5-wood or hybrid. You need to alleviate some of that first-tee anxiety or 18th-hole pressure by grabbing a club and playing a shot you have some confidence in. Don’t forget that.
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OK, back to the challenges of the first hole versus the last. My advice is to treat them similarly. Unless there’s a compelling reason to do anything other than hitting the drive you’re used to, don’t do it. Your go-to tee shot is the same for both of these situations in most cases. For me, it’s a little squeeze cut with my driver. I like this option for you, too. Here’s a look at mine.
Now here’s how to execute it. Tee the ball a little lower than normal, set up with your entire body slightly open in relation to where you want the ball to finish (below). Then, swing along your body line. That’s it. There’s no extra manipulation during the swing to get the ball to start lower than normal and then fade back toward your target.
You’ll notice that by aligning your whole body left, the ball position moves a little farther forward. That’s good. It promotes a slightly out-to-in path, pre-setting a fade. Why tee it lower? Keeping trajectory down reduces sidespin and makes the shot easier to control. It will get on the ground quicker and stay in play. That’s all you need to make these two menacing tee shots a lot less scary. When you put it all together, this is what it looks like.
Jason Baile, one of Golf Digest’s 50 Best Teachers in America, is director of instruction at Jupiter Hills Club in Tequesta, Fla.
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