You're Correct!

Now heres a fundamental too many golfers take for granted. The typical attitude: As long as the ball is raised off the ground and stationary on its peg, whats the difference?

As it turns out, the difference can be huge. As in dozens of yards gained or sacrificed, or a gentle fade instead of a wild slice. Theres a reason they call golf “a game of inches.” Tee height matters, and it matters a lot.

As a general rule, youll get best results by teeing the ball so that half appears above the clubs crown. (A rule thats only true with the driver, FYI.) This helps create a path that catches the ball on the upswing, or at least a relatively level approach angle. That means a moderate to high launch angle and medium to high trajectory, both keys to maxing out your carry distance.

At this height, youre also positioned to strike the ball ever so slightly above the center of the clubface – considered the optimal contact spot with modern drivers. If you err, its best to err a little on the high side.

Teeing the ball at the proper height also helps you avoid several common pitfalls. Tee it too low, for example, and youll hit the ball with a descending blow and produce a high, spinning shot which lacks distance. Youll also force yourself into an overly “upright” swing, a leading cause of slices.

Tee it too high and you might sweep underneath the ball, sending it straight up and etching your club with a dreaded “beauty mark.” You may develop a swing thats too “flat” and suffer from hooks.

As always in golf, the tee-height rule comes with a couple of caveats. First, the ideal tee height for your swing or driver may be a little higher or lower than recommended. Try a variety of tee levels on the range to find your optimum height. Also, adjusting tee height can help when trying to keep the ball low into the wind (tee it lower), or when you need extra lift playing down-breeze (tee it higher).

For the most part, though, its best to be consistent with this overlooked fundamental.

Nailing tee height every time is one way to hit longer, more accurate drives. Weve got a wealth of tips on the topic, including these favorites:

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It makes sense to align the balls equator with the clubs sweet spot. But the drivers unique properties (extra length, low loft, large clubface area, top-to-bottom bulge) merit a taller tee height. For many golfers, centering ball with clubface promotes a downward attack angle and pop-up drives.

See the previous incorrect answer. This is simply too low to produce the desired results.

Nope – too high. Youll either swing the clubhead beneath the ball and catch it on the crown, make an exaggerated upward pass and launch it straight into the sky, or flatten your swing and send the shot dead left.