How high should I swing the golf ball?

Welcome to another installment of the Fully Equipped Mailbag, a GOLF.com interactive series in which our resident dimplehead (aka, GOLF’s managing editor of equipment, Jonathan Wall) raises your questions about hard-hitting gear.
Is there a standard tee length for driver, fairway wood and hybrid? I just downloaded the game and saw golfers hitting it up and down during a round. – Trey, Lake Oswego, Ore.
Back in 2022, we did a tee length test that confirmed it was possible to gain 25 yards by simply lifting the ball up and touching the top of the face. That’s all. This test is done using a driver, which happens to be one club where a determined angle of attack produces more distance.
If you’ve never heard the term positive attack angle, it’s a great way to meet the ball with an upward impact, instead of driving the clubhead down. Increasing the dynamic loft can lead to an increase in activation and a lower rate of rotation. The result is more hangtime and increased carrying distance. (That’s assuming you’re using a driver optimized for your swing.)
If the goal is to swing higher with the driver, it makes sense that you would want the tee to be positioned higher to respond with a more precise angle of attack. In most cases, pulling the ball 1.5 inches from the turf will place the ball’s center of gravity near the top of the face at address.
The length varies depending on whether you play a driver with a deep or shallow face, so focus on finding the ball’s center near the top edge of the crown.
If you are currently hitting the ball with a downward angle of attack, going up the length of the tee can lead to scuff marks on the crown and the occasional pop. Chances are you’re going down and seeing a lot of swings in this case. Spin can be your friend, especially if you’re on the slower end of the speed spectrum, but it wouldn’t hurt to see if you can get the angle of attack moderate and increase the tee height for some extra yards off the tee.
As for the fairway wood, unless you’re playing a Mini Driver or something with an incredibly deep face, the general rule of thumb is about half an inch off the ground. If you see a tee cone sticking out of the ground, you’re in good shape. A neutral to slightly downward angle of attack down the fairway will produce the best results on the tee shot.
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Just remember, not all fairway woods are designed the same, so don’t think that half an inch is a hard and fast rule. Set your club down on the range and move the length of the tee until you get the best launch and spin conditions. That said, the tee height mentioned should work the majority fairway woods.
As for the mix, take Jack Nicklaus’ wise advice: “Air offers less resistance than dirt.” Since you may be inclined to try to hit the hybrid “off the deck” (off the tee), you should use the tee more often so the club can lift the ball into the air, even with a downward angle. to attack. Only the top of the tee should be visible – similar to how you would iron it – this time.
Changing the tee length is allowed during the round, but we wouldn’t advise you to make major changes unless you know what you’re doing. Find the best tee length for each of these clubs and swing.
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