For beginners, it is important to get the feel of teeing off in golf. “How to Tee Off in Golf for Beginners?” You might think that hitting the ball hard with the driver is the best way to go, but the pros know otherwise. They usually swing with 70–80% power and focus on accuracy rather than distance.

So, if you are starting out, it is better to focus on precision rather than brute strength. With lessons on accuracy and advice gleaned from Rory McIlroy’s flawless tee shot, this post will assist you in making those important tee shots. Stay tuned for some helpful tips if you are a beginner in golf and are unsure about how to tee off.

To ease the anxiety associated with “How to Tee Off in Golf for Beginners?” there are streamlined procedures. Observe these stages to enhance your golfing experience. Also read our article on how to fix reverse pivot in golf swing.

What Does Teeing Off Mean in Golf?

In golf, the act of making the first stroke on a hole, particularly from the teeing ground, is referred to as “teeing off.” At the teeing ground, which is indicated by tee markers, each golfer starts a hole. A tiny peg called a tee is used by the player to drive the ball into play to start play on a particular hole.

Your objective is to hit the ball down the fairway on your tee shot and, ideally, position it so that it will go toward the green on your next shots. The expression “teeing off” refers to the technique of using a tee, a small support that raises the ball above the ground for the first stroke.

How To Tee Off In Golf For Beginners?

These five steps combine power and accuracy to help you hit the perfect tee shot more frequently, improving your game.

Step 1: The Solid Setup

Start with your knees slightly bent to maintain a balanced stance. Ensure that your spine is tilted comfortably and that your arms are hanging freely. Shoulders, hips, knees, and toes must all stay parallel to the target line. Starting with the clubface pointed directly at the target will create a safe starting position.

Step 2: Seamless Backswing Integration

During the backswing, smoothly integrate your arm swing and body turn. Release the wrist in the correct way to get the club on the desired plane. For a well-coordinated and controlled backswing, one of the most important focal points is your left shoulder turning under your chin.

Step 3: The Top of the Backswing Checkpoint

As you reach the peak of your backswing, check that your hands are over your right shoulder. This is a clear indication that you are swinging on the correct plane, setting you up for a strong downswing. 

Step 4: Effective Downswing and Prehitting Position

Lower your hands and arms to almost hip height to begin the downswing before your upper body turns. This crucial move helps create the ideal prehitting position by placing the club on an inside track. This is your opportunity to strike the ball’s back with maximum force.

Step 5: Controlled Finish with In-to-In Swing Path

As you turn to your left, create space so that you can easily swing the club into the ball in the desired direction.  Allow the clubhead to return inside the target line during the hitting zone in order to produce the intended in-to-in swing path. A successful tee shot is set up and accuracy is increased by this controlled finish. 

For more details on correcting these steps, also read: What golf tees should I play from?

Step into a good stance 

A successful golf swing starts with establishing a good stance. Strive for a position where the width of your shoulders and the space between your feet are equal.  Although most golfers can follow this rule, there are some exceptions, such as those who are very tall and thin or have shorter legs. 

If you fit into any of the categories, try this failsafe exercise to adjust your position. Take the longest club in your bag, which is your driver, and go for a walk as usual. This is a very basic exercise that will lead you to a stance that works for your body and will provide you the ideal base for your golf swing. Think of it like taking a leisurely stroll down the street.

Proper weight distribution

Like a boxer shifting their weight for a powerful punch, planting your weight correctly is essential to producing maximum power in your golf swing. At the peak of your backswing, when you are shifting your weight onto your back foot, is the critical moment for weight transfer. When you begin your swing with a slight favoring of your weight toward the right side, the process goes more smoothly. 

Here’s a Simple Exercise to Grasp the Mechanics of Proper Weight Distribution:

Step 1: Balanced Starting Position

Start by taking an upright stance and equally distributing your weight across both feet. Place yourself so that your address is above the golf ball.

Step 2: Establish Your Natural Stride Length

After taking a few steps, stop without putting your feet in the air. For the best possible weight distribution during your golf swing, you must maintain this stride length, or your natural walking balance.

Step 3: Maintain Foot Position

Maintaining the same distance between your feet, turn to face the golf ball. This guarantees that your position is constant.

Step 4: Tilt Your Spine for Proper Weight Transfer

With your back foot bearing 60% of your weight, slant your spine away from the target. This motion simulates the proper weight distribution for a strong, steady golf swing.

The 50% rule for tee height 

Use the 50% rule to determine the ideal tee height: make sure that half of the ball is above the clubface’s upper edge. By maintaining a constant tee height across all clubs, this encourages a shallow angle of attack for accurate shots. Regardless of the size of the club, align the top edge of the clubface with the middle of the ball for an infallible tee height.

Close the clubface at address

Closing the clubface at address is a useful tactic, particularly in situations where you want the ball to roll farther off the tee, like into a strong wind. For better results, practice this easy drill on the practice field: 

Step 1: Set Up the Clubs

To create a partially closed stance, place two clubs on the ground, one pointing slightly to the right and the other parallel to the ball-to-target line.

Step 2: Position the Clubhead

Without holding the ball, place the clubhead behind it.

Step 3: Adjust the Clubface

Keep the clubhead behind the ball and use your right thumb and forefinger to twist the clubface 3/8-inch (1 cm) counterclockwise. Form your grip as you normally would, but take care not to mess with the clubface position that has been adjusted.

Swing through the tees

Try the “Swing through the Tees” drill to see if your swing is going in the right direction. This exercise reduces sidespin, which can cause the ball to curve, so that your clubhead travels on the proper trajectory into and through impact—a critical component of accuracy. This is how you do it:

Prepare the corridor:

Create a tee corridor with a distance between each tee equal to two clubheads. Put a lone tee in the center.

Free Swing Through:

Swing your club around the hallway at will. The clubhead should have no trouble clipping the lone tee in the center. An incorrect swing path is indicated if the clubhead comes into contact with either line of tees.

Adjust and Repeat:

Practice your swing until you can pass the clubhead through the hallway without making contact with the tees. After you are successful, try the same deliberate swing with a ball on the tee. 

Keep it all together

Try this corrective exercise to address synchronization problems in the early stages of your swing between your arm-swing and body-turn:

Step 1: Set Up with the Driver

Take your driver and adopt your standard stance to start. Grasping the metal shaft with your hands, slide the club up through your fingers until the butt end rests against your navel.

Step 2: Controlled Backswing Movement

Exercise a deliberate backswing motion, focusing on the synchronization of your arm swing and body turn. Move the club away from the standard ball position, being careful to maintain the club’s butt end against your midriff. Keep the backswing to a minimum until your hands are barely past your right thigh. Maintaining synchronization is the main goal as you repeatedly perform this motion.

Turn and Swish drill

Focus on incorporating a pleasing combination of body-turn and arm-swing to promote a natural and balanced swing. The purpose of the “Turn and Swish” exercise is to deal with problems that result from an imbalance between these two important components.

Step 1: Embrace Full Arm Extension

Begin by standing and extending your arms.  Using your arms to swish the clubhead, emphasize the movement of your upper body as you swing the club around yourself. Your weight should naturally move to your left side and toward the target during the return swing.

Step 2: Incorporate the Lower Body

Repeat the same swing while standing over a ball, bending slightly so that the clubhead is two feet (60 cm) above the ground. Start integrating your lower body into the exercise. 

Step 3: Full Swing with Flexed Knees

Flex your knees and bend further away from the waist until the clubhead is flat on the ground. Recreate the sensations you experienced in the previous steps when swinging: a full body turn, efficient weight transfer, and a fluid swish of the clubhead. As you accelerate through the hitting area, pay attention to keeping these components in place.

Shake hands with your target

The goal of the “Shake Hands with Your Target” exercise is to encourage a proper and unrestricted release through impact.  To increase clubhead speed and achieve a smoother swing, take the following actions:

Step 1: Establish Posture Without a Club

Start out with your normal golf stance, but without a club. Keeping your left hand in your pocket, let your right arm hang naturally.

Step 2: Half-Swing Movements with Right Arm

Using your right arm, perform half-swing movements until you reach hip height on both sides of the swing. Swing your arm smoothly through the hitting zone, concentrating on the feeling of “shaking hands” with the target.

Step 3: Apply the Motion to the Driver

Now, use this sensation in your driver swings.  Swing slowly and stop as soon as your right arm touches the ground during the follow-through. Make sure your right hand is facing the intended recipient, prepared to “shake hands” in a symbolic manner. 

Use our Professional Golfer’s Coaching Advice to Improve the How To Tee Off In Golf For Beginners? Drills for Even More Accuracy.  

• Turn your back on the target to generate power

Try the “Turn Your Back on the Target” exercise to improve your driving and produce more power. This exercise concentrates on two essential ideas that can greatly enhance your backswing quality and, as a result, your driving ability as a whole.

Step 1: Turn Your Back on the Target

Turning your back on the target consciously will start your backswing. This promotes a complete rotation of your shoulders, enabling a more efficient shift of weight to your right side. It also aids in lining up the club correctly at the top of your backswing.

Step 2: Point the Club at the Target

As you reach the top of your backswing, purposefully aim the clubhead straight at the target. This is a very helpful adjustment for golfers who have trouble with slicing drives. You can prevent sliced shots by making sure the club points directly at the target, in contrast to the typical tendency to point the club left.

Coaching Tip:

Turning your back on the target and aiming the club in its direction encourage correct body rotation, which is necessary for producing power. Additionally, it makes sure the club is swinging in the proper direction, allowing you to execute a free and precise downswing through impact. In the end, this leads to faster clubhead speed and stronger ball contact. 

Synchronize your arm-swing with your body-turn

Try the following drill to address the common problem of losing coordination between your arm-swing and body-turn, particularly if you are having trouble with a sliced drive:

Step 1: Make a Normal Backswing

Grab your driver and make a standard backswing motion. Focus on the crucial split second at the peak of your backswing.

Step 2: Delay Body Unwinding

Prior to your shoulders and upper body relaxing, concentrate on starting the downswing from the top of your backswing by using your hands and arms to swing the club down to hip height. This deliberate pause guarantees that your arms and hands and your body move in unison.

Coaching Tip:

The secret is to avoid unwinding too early in the downswing with your shoulders and upper body, which is a common problem that results in a sliced drive. You get rid of the urge to toss the club off course by first bringing it down with your hands and arms. Better synchronization is encouraged by this exercise, which results in better timing and more forceful ball striking.

Practice Pause

Try the “Practice Pause” exercise to improve your driver swing’s fluidity and to encourage a more firm strike. The goal of this drill is to practice staying calm and not getting too aggressive when switching from the backswing to the downswing.

Step 1: Complete Backswing with Pause

Start a standard backswing and drive the club all the way up. But now, include a quick pause that should not last longer than a few hundredth of a second. 

Step 2: Cultivate a “Lazy” Downswing

When you begin to wane, intentionally cultivate an attitude of “laziness.” This downward movement can be understood as the result of gravity, which will allow for a more gradual and smooth transition. This exercise helps you maintain better control and make a more solid impact with the ball by breaking the habit of rushing the downswing.

Coaching Tip:

You can promote a more seamless transition by adding a pause and purposefully becoming more at ease during the downswing. This can lead to more consistent use of the driver overall, better timing, and improved ball contact.

Lift Your Heel for a Fuller Turn

If your flexibility is an impediment to achieving a fuller turn, you might want to incorporate the “Lift Your Heel” technique to improve your swing. This modification enables a more thorough backswing, lengthening your swing and increasing the force of your shots.

Step 1: Initiate the Backswing

Start your backswing the way you usually would. Continue moving forward until your shoulders and hips appear unwilling to move any farther.

Step 2: Lift the Left Heel

Lift your left heel off the ground as soon as you feel that your hips and shoulders are at their maximum. This helps to release the right side, which opens up the possibility of a longer turn.

Coaching Tip:

For golfers who struggle with flexibility, lifting the left heel can be especially helpful as it gives them the extra space they need to make a more complete backswing. This ultimately leads to longer swing lengths and more power production in your shots. During your practice sessions, try out this technique to determine the best balance for your swing. 

Turn Your Left Shoulder

Aim for a minimum 90-degree turn on your backswing with the “Turn Your Left Shoulder” exercise. In order to achieve an efficient backswing and produce power with your driver, this drill focuses on mental imagery and body movement.

Step 1: Assume Your Normal Address Position

Start by assuming your standard address position, but be mindful of your right shoulder’s position.

Step 2: Turn Your Left Shoulder at the Top of the Backswing

Focus on bringing your left shoulder into alignment with your right shoulder as you approach the peak of your backswing. This move makes it easier to shift weight to the right side, which enhances the power and effectiveness of the swing.

Step 3: Plant Your Heel for the Downswing

Make sure your heel is back on the ground to begin the downswing. As a result, your weight can move toward the target in the proper direction.

Coaching Tip:

To achieve the required backswing for power, mental imagery is helpful. In this example, mental imagery focuses on the left shoulder mirroring the address position of the right shoulder. You create the foundation for a strong, balanced golf swing by using these motions. You can improve your overall performance and your swing mechanics by practicing this drill.

Choke Down on Your Driver

The “Choke Down on Your Driver” drill can help encourage straighter drives without compromising distance. This method pushes you to play your driver more positionally. Here’s how to carry out the exercise: 

Step 1: Start with Your Normal Grip and Address Position

Take your driver and take up your usual grip and address position first.

Step 2: Choke Down on the Club

Slide your hands 1-4 inches (3-4 cm) closer to the clubhead to change your grip. Make sure the end of the grip of the club is visible above your left hand. We refer to this modification as “choking down” on the club.

Coaching Tip:

Limiting the driver’s movement encourages a more regulated and symmetrical swing. It promotes concentrating on accuracy as opposed to just distance. Golfers that place more importance on finding the fairway than getting the longest distance off the tee may find special benefit from this drill. Try varying this grip adjustment during your practice sessions to see how it affects your drives’ accuracy and consistency.

Create a box at the top of your swing

Use the “Create a Box at the Top of Your Swing” drill to determine the optimal position at the top of your backswing for a more controlled downswing. The relationship between your right arm, hands, club shaft, and upper body is highlighted in this exercise.

Step 1: Swing Normally

Swing your driver normally to start. Even though you have shortened the club’s shaft length, reducing the arc and overall swing length, concentrate on feeling more control. It is important to avoid thinking that you are drastically altering your swing.

Step 2: Freeze at the Top and Check the Box

When you reach the peak of your backswing, swing your driver and stay there. Examine your right shoulder now. You should see that the club’s shaft forms a box with your right forearm at a right angle. Three sides of the box should be completed by your right upper arm and right forearm making a right angle at the same time. This posture includes the ideal degree of wrist flexion. 

Coaching Tip:

With the right angles that lead to a successful downswing, this drill helps you establish a clear position at the top of your backswing. You can improve your overall swing mechanics and develop a more steady and controlled golf swing by practicing this position.

If You Slice, Strengthen Your Grip

Consider using the following actions to strengthen your grip in order to correct a slice and encourage more solid strikes:

Step 1: Adjust Your Left Hand Grip

• Maintain your standard grip on your driver.
• With your right hand no longer gripping the club, remove it and use it to steady the grip by holding the bottom of it.
• To rotate your grip to the right and reveal three knuckles on the back of your left hand, loosen your grip with your left hand.
• Make sure your left thumb is pointing straight down and rests just to the right of the grip’s center.
• Now, your left thumb and forefinger should point in the direction of your right shoulder, forming a V.

Step 2: Adjust Your Right Hand Grip

• Grasp the club with your right hand so that the V faces your right shoulder.
• At this point, your right hand should show only one knuckle and your left hand should show three knuckles.

Coaching Tip:

You can lessen the chance of sliced drives by making sure the clubface is square at impact by tightening your grip as mentioned. This modification can increase the force of your strikes and give the impression of a stronger grip. For players who want to get farther off the tee, a firmer grip may be helpful. To increase your drives’ accuracy and consistency, practice using this stronger grip. 

If you hook, bring your grip back to neutral

Take into consideration shifting your grip to a more neutral position by doing the following actions to address a persistent hook and encourage straighter tee shots:

Step 1: Assess Your Left Hand Grip

• As with a tee shot, form your grip around the driver.
• Holding the bottom of the grip with your right hand for stability, remove your right hand from the club.
• You might be able to see four knuckles on your left hand if your grip is too tight.
• In order to see two or two and a half knuckles on the back of your left hand, rotate your left hand grip to the left.

Step 2: Adjust Your Right Hand Grip

• Make sure you can see two knuckles on your right hand as you bring your right hand back onto the grip.
• Instead of placing your right thumb to the right, place it more on top of the grip.

Coaching Tip:

The clubface should remain neutral as you become accustomed to the modified hand positions, which will facilitate hitting straight tee shots. This adjustment helps eliminate an overly strong grip by reducing the likelihood of a hook and preventing the clubface from closing excessively at impact. To improve your drives’ accuracy and consistency, practice using this neutral grip.

Conclusion- How To Tee Off In Golf For Beginners?

To sum up, learning how to tee off properly is a crucial first step for novice golfers who want to advance to become proficient players.

Beginners can build a strong foundation for a more successful and pleasurable game of golf by concentrating on proper stance, swing sequence, and crucial advice like grip and tee height adjustment Recall that striking hard is only one aspect of it; another is striking the ideal mix between force and accuracy.

Apply these fundamental ideas, take confident strides off the tee, and relish the satisfying process of raising your golf game. Apply these fundamental ideas, take confident strides off the tee, and relish the satisfying process of raising your golf game.

Frequently Asked Questions – How To Tee Off In Golf For Beginners?