Get Teed Off

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Stepping up to the first tee, Average Joe Golfer surveys his surroundings. He has three of his closest buddies to his side, ready and waiting to laugh at his impending shank. In front of Joe is a 400-yard, straightforward par 4. Simple enough, except for the fact that the fairway narrows at the 150-yard marker. "Hmmm," Joe contemplates. "I just got this cool new triple titanium, double-steel dipped, gold-plated driver and I even got me a pack of them Pro Sixes or whatever they're called. Screw the three wood; let's see what this baby can do! I got this shot!"

Think, Joe, think. You don't "got this shot." Do you want to try and impress the boys with your driver, the same club you just got done hitting 250-yard bananas on the driving range with? Why not whip out the three wood, accept the fact that you may get snickered at (which is not as bad as having to send out the search crew to find your ball had you hit the driver) and hit your "power fade," as you like to call it, down there about 225 and give yourself a chance of having a single digit score on the first hole? Sound familiar?

Joe's scenario is one that is all too recognizable to golfers of all ability levels. From the pros to the Joes, club selection is one of golf's most critical elements. Some say to play smart, some say to play relaxed, and some say to "grip it and rip it." I say know your limitations; just because you see your pal smack his driver 275 down the middle on that first hole doesn't mean that you're going to drop one right on top of his. "A perfectly straight show with a BIG CLUB is a fluke," said Jack Nicklaus. Who knows, maybe lightning will strike a flying pig during winter in Hell, but changes are that you're going to have to send a search party out to find your ball.

The time you spend on the driving range before your round of golf is crucial in determining your club selections later in the day. Here you will get a feel for your tendencies (ball trajectory/shape of shot) that you will be working with, or battling, if you're stubborn, all day. Say you're hitting a slice on the range. While you're warming up, attempt to get it under control as best you can, but don't try to hit the dainty draw around the trees on the second hole; It's not going to work. If this is your case, you'll want to leave the driver, and maybe even the three wood, in the bag for this hole. Accept the fact that your ball is going to slice and try to make the most of it. Knock a little three or four iron down the fairway and take you chances with along iron approach shot and your short game. DON'T TAKE YOURSELF OUT OF A HOLE ON THE FIRST SHOT!!! Many players hit shots that in their minds they can pull off with ease. But in reality, unless they have an endless supply of mulligans, they're screwed from the start.

Someone once said that golf is hard enough as it is, so whenever you are given an opportunity to improve your lie, you should take it. People will illegally move their ball in the woods while no one is watching to improve their lie, but they won't do it on the tee-box. Why someone would not use a tee is absolutely baffling. This case is seen mostly on par 3's where the player drops his ball, positions it with his club, on top of a club of grass, and whacks away. Don't they realize that a club of grass is not a perfect lie? A lot can go wrong (ball could move, consistency of the grass, etc.) A tee is as consistent as it gets (and for the cheap golfers out there, you can find a half of tee to use; that's all you need for a par three.) There's not much that is held constant in golf, so use the tee to your advantage. TEE YOUR BALL UP.

Most golfers believe that the terms "par 4 and "par 5" are synonymous with "driver off the tee." NO! Arnold Palmer doesn't hit driver off of every par 4 and par 5 and he's over 70 years old, so why should you! Distance, you say? Arnie's playing a 7000-yard course and you're up there playing the 4500-yard girlie tees, so that's no excuse. DO WHATEVER YOU HAVE TO DO TO KEEP THE BALL IN THE SHORT GRASS!!! Senior PGA Tour golfer Lou Graham once said," If you try to fight the course, it will beat you." Whether this means hitting three woods or hitting a five iron off the tee, for the average player, finding a club that you can hit comfortable and reliably straight is essential. This will help to build your confidence, and eventually you'll be able to move up to the bigger clubs. Don't try to "drive for show" if your show includes invoking the five-minute ball search rule every hole. Trust me, you'll find that playing from the fairway makes golf a much easier game, and your score will reflect it.