Jack Nicklaus was a well-known advocate for the putt, saying, “It’s an opportunity to give yourself a perfect lie. You only get that opportunity 18 times.”
But with all due respect to Jack’s advice, should you always drive the ball on a par-3? Aside from the likelihood of a better shot, is there really any performance benefit to putting the ball up on par-3s?
Let’s find out.
To tee or not to tee
We know that using a tee for a driver can impact performance. However, can it affect performance even with an iron?
Most golfers use a tee on a par-3 level most, if not all, of the time. Why? Did they see or hear what Jack Nicklaus said and take it to heart? For some, the answer may be yes. For others, their friends or their instructor told them to do it.
Were they right or wrong?
Raising the ball to a par-3 level has the indisputable benefit of cleaner contact. Better contact leads to more consistent results. Another perceived benefit is more distance, a byproduct of better contact.
I’ve always hit the ball on par-3s because that’s what I was told to do when I started playing golf. For me, the results seem more consistent. I feel there is more accuracy and more power when using a tee. However, I have encountered better players who prefer to hit the ball without a tee on a par-3. Their point is that their contact is more consistent off the tee versus off the tee.
Let’s see if there really is a difference.
Tee vs No Tee: The Test
This test was performed using a simple procedure:
- 15 testers using their 7-irons
- Five shots were fired from a bow and five shots from the ground. This process was repeated three times.
- Total 30 shots per tester
Before seeing any results, our assumption was that shots hit using a tee would likely have a significant carry distance advantage over shots hit from the ground.
It also seemed safe to assume that the launch conditions would change, especially the launch angle, which could result in a higher kick.
But what do the results really prove?
Off the tee or off the ground?: The results
After curating the results, we noticed some small differences between some variables. Some we predicted, some we didn’t. These changes, although slight, can be significant as even a small change in your performance can lead to missing a stroke or stroke.
Keep your distance
With this metric, we predicted that carry distance would increase as you are lifting the ball, thus providing cleaner contact, causing the ball to go further.
We were wrong. The results showed one yard dwindle in the carrying distance. What could have caused this?
Roll back
One notable metric was revs, which showed a 200rpm increase hitting from a peak, resulting in a shorter haul distance.
Also, total distance decreased by two yards while carry distance decreased by only one, meaning that total distance may be affected by increased backspin.
Increased backspin is usually not seen as a negative, so for players looking to stick the ball onto the par-3 green, hitting a tee shot may be preferable.
Departure angle / peak height / descent angle
Launch angle, tip height, and descent angle usually work off of each other. If one changes, the others change with it. Launch angle, tip height, and descent angle are often overlooked when looking at your shot data. Most golfers only care about how far the ball goes. not HOW reaches that end point.
This is a mistake. Launch angle, tip height and descent angle make a big difference on a par-3, because a higher shot with a steeper descent angle has a better chance of hitting and staying on the green.
Final thoughts
So was Jack Nicklaus right?
yes. And no.
These results can be seen as positive or negative, depending on the circumstances and your desired outcome. Some golfers may try to lower the height of their swing or may try to generate less spin. Others may want the ball to drop from the sky and land lightly with lots of spin. Or maybe there are times when both come into play during the same round. Whatever the case may be, we hope these results give you a better understanding of whether or not you should use a tee on a par-3.
Post Should you hard the ball on a par-3? Here’s what the data says appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
