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Iron Off The Tee vs. Iron In The Fairway

RealPretendPsychic said:
Almost nothing frustrates me more than playing it safe and taking a 5i off the tee only to get myself in trouble. What gives?! I have a huge target and I still can’t hit it! It’s like I’m hitting a completely different club than a 5i from the fairway.
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There’s one particular hole, the Par 4 10th at the course I play most often, that I have this same thing happen all the time. It’s one of the easier holes on the course. Very slight dogleg right, but wide open. Simple 4 iron to carry to the 150 marker, where it runs downhill slightly. Find the center of the fairway (or any part of it for that matter) with this shot and your looking at an easy wedge in. But of course, I always mess it up - draw it off the tee away from the direction of the green, chunk it off the tee, etc. Last time I played, I hit 4 iron, and ended up so bad I had a 6 iron into the green. Should be an easy par with a big green. That’s golf I guess.
 
I certainly cannot relate to those numbers even 40 years ago when my play was a "little" better than now. OTOH, I have no reason to doubt their veracity. In any event, the question was being able to hit an iron off the tee versus off the fairway, not necessarily the distance. As pointed out, longer is not better in a given circumstance. When I first got my ICON's, the 4i was unexpected and flighted well when hit well. I used it once off the tee on a tight fairway and it went further than my normal driver. At the same time, it was a complete train wreck even off a decent fairway lie three of four times.
 
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RealPretendPsychic said:
My 5i off the tee is 220-230 (when it cooperates) so it’s definitely the safe play on shorter holes when it takes trouble out of play. But I’m not talking just missing the fairway, we’re talking missed fairways by a mile and finding the trees. I don’t take my 3h or 4h often because they generally have a vendetta against me and refuse to go straight.
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You hit your 5 iron 220-230?
 
rollin said:
I admire and appreciate Jack as much as anyone. But just because something works for him does not mean it works for everyone.

He implies his logic but its just an opinion and never written in stone.

I agree wiyh the idea to give yourself a lie when you can. But i use it low just barely above the ground.

I was never a high tee player even with driver. There is no way im teeing an iron any higher than just above the ground. The idea imo is to just have a nice lie.
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I don't think Jack ever said to tee it high, but just to take advantage of the opportunity for a perfect lie.
 
I’m much better off the tee with my irons. I have noticed once problem for me from the fairway is I haven’t figured out how to play shots that are on any kind of slope which happens to me quite a bit.
 
rollin said:
I admire and appreciate Jack as much as anyone. But just because something works for him does not mean it works for everyone.

He implies his logic but its just an opinion and never written in stone.

I agree wiyh the idea to give yourself a lie when you can. But i use it low just barely above the ground.

I was never a high tee player even with driver. There is no way im teeing an iron any higher than just above the ground. The idea imo is to just have a nice lie.
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Jack didn't say tee it high, nor did any pro I've ever heard. When hitting an iron, the ball should be teed as if it's just touching the top of the grass. In other words, a perfect lie.
 
We have a hole at my home course that is a dogleg left with a lake that runs down most of the left side with trees past that and a bunker on that side of the green so the smart play is 200 yds or less to the corner. If you hit driver straight you may end up OB. So I hit a 4 or 5 depending on the tee location and always use a tee down at ground level.
 
I say use a tee. But like with hitting a 3W off a tee, you have to practice hitting irons off a tee. The key to hitting irons off a tee is to tee the ball low, like just enough to give you the absolute perfect lie, about 1/4 inch off the ground, not above the grass. People tend to tee the ball too high. Also play the ball in your stance in the exact same place you play it when you're on the fairway. Do not hit up on the ball.
 
I tend to hook my irons when teed up, no idea why just do. The last few rounds if there is decent grass on the tee box I just pick a fluffy spot and have not hooked one since.
 
imabadgolfer said:
Nothing pisses me off worse than playing the Smart/Safe shot, and screwin' it up with a bad swing.

Sent from my HD1905 using Tapatalk
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Every time and I do mean every time I try to play it safe it costs me. I’m much better off playing aggressive. No idea why, it is what it is.
 
jim54 said:
I tend to hook my irons when teed up, no idea why just do. The last few rounds if there is decent grass on the tee box I just pick a fluffy spot and have not hooked one since.
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Me too, and no idea why. I almost never hook an iron off the turf, but even teed at the shortest possible height, it's almost guaranteed.
 
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