Just as important as knowing how to hit this shot is knowing when to hit this shot. Having the ability to hit a tee shot from back in your stance will do you no good whatsoever if you consistently attempt this shot when it isn’t called for. Shot selection is a valuable skill in golf, so don’t take this part of the equation for granted.
To wrap up our discussion on the topic of tee shots played from back in your stance, let’s highlight a few points related to shot selection.
Only when necessary. This should not be your ‘default’ tee shot option. As mentioned earlier, you are going to give up some distance when you hit this kind of shot. SO, you don’t want to turn to this type of tee shot unless it is a necessary. For example, if you are playing a wide par five with plenty of fairway to work with, it would be silly to use this option. Instead, hit your standard driver shot and maximize your distance. As this is a control-based shot, it is going to be the right choice when maintaining control over your ball is the top priority. A common example of such a situation would be a short, narrow par four with hazards in play off the tee.
Only when it looks right. Sometimes, a shot just doesn’t ‘fit your eye’. You need to learn to listen to this gut instinct, and make adjustments to the shots you hit if necessary. To continue the example from the previous point, you might step up to a short, narrow par four and just not feel comfortable with this shot. And that’s okay. The last thing you want to do is force yourself to hit a shot that doesn’t feel comfortable. If you don’t think it will work, move on to another idea and use it instead.
Only when you’ve practiced. This one should be a no-brainer, but it isn’t, unfortunately. Plenty of golfers attempt to hit shots that they have never previously tried, which is simply a bad idea. Add this shot to your game on the range first and you will have much more success out on the course.
We hope you now have the motivation you need to work on hitting some tee shots from back in your stance. Should you hit all of your tee shots this way? Of course not. It is a good trick to have available from time to time, however, as you might be able to hit a narrow fairway that you usually miss. Keeping your ball in play might not be the exciting part of the game, but it goes a long way toward a better score. Good luck!
