Do Pros Use Tee With Irons? (Explained)

I love the game of golf, and it has never been more popular over the last couple of years. According to the Professional Golfer’s Association (PGA), there are around 27,000 golf professionals.

Each of these professionals has a different style and tendency when on the golf course. This is especially the case when it comes to using tees with irons. So do professional golfers use a tee with an iron?

Yes. While not all golf professionals will use a tee with an iron, most will. When they are on short par 3 holes, and they are going to start with a three-iron club, most will use a tee from the initial drive location without a tee. However, a tee will help them get more lift on the ball, and assist with getting an accurate shot, as well as distance overall. 

So in this article, let’s dive deeper to see the situations in which a pro golfer would use a tee with irons and then help you decide if that is something you should do as well. 

What Golf Tees Do Most Professionals Use?

If you play golf, you know that new technology is always making its way onto the market.

The new technology includes new tees, clubs, balls, and more. For tees, though, most professionals will keep it simple.

Classic wooden tees are the most popular type of tee in-use by professionals on the PGA Tour.

The classic wood tee with a 2-3/4 inches length will provide adequate lift for the ball with durability where the tee can be used multiple times.

Plastic Tees

Bamboo Tees

Wood Tees

Rubber Tees

Brush Tees

Zero-Friction Tees

4/6 Prong Head Tees

Overall the wood is the most popular.

Do PGA Pros Bring Their Own Wood Tees?

You would be in shock if you knew how many PGA Tour professionals use the free tees that they receive at each tournament.

When a professional plays in a PGA Tour tournament, most times, there are tees given out with sponsorship for the tour on them and such.

Some professionals will bring their own tees for use, but these free wood tees are the most common thing between the club and the ball for each professional.

As mentioned before, wood tees with a length of 2-3/4 inches are going to be in line and conform with PGA Tour regulations.

Do You Have to Hit Off a Tee?

When you drive the ball, you do not have to hit off a tee, but it is a great idea.

Tee height is going to have a direct impact on how well you are able to drive the ball. A distance killer would be not nailing the ball and getting mostly the tee when you hit. 

However, a skilled ball striker should be able to take the most advantage of teed-up shots and get a MAJOR advantage in distance and accuracy.

If you have the ball too high or too low on the tee, the carry distance is not going to be ideal.

So, how do you get your ball in the right location with the tee and height in play? In general, you want to have the ball on the tee to line up with a certain spot on your club.

Get the bottom of the ball to be level with the top of the face of your driver or iron, or whatever else you are using for the tee shot.

When you have it at this height, you are going to be able to hit the ball square most of the time. This will help to deliver the optimal trajectory off the tee and out into the distance.

When you have the ball too low on the tee, the problem is the risk you face with striking the top half of the ball. When you make contact with the ball, you want to hit it square.

If you strike the top half of the ball, it is not going to get the same air and trajectory forward.

Having the ball too low on the tee increases this risk. The ball is too high on the tee and has the opposite impact.

You do not want to get too much under the ball either, just popping it up in the air. When you do this, you will get a lot of height but very minimal distance.

How Do You Hit an Iron From a Tee?

You hit an iron from a tee the same way you hit a driver or any other fairway wood. My game tends to lean toward iron shots. For example, on a long par 3, or if the driver just isn’t working, I will quickly turn to my 2-iron. 

That said, you want to line up the tee so that the bottom of the ball is in line with the top of the face of your club. Don’t be afraid to target the ball when swinging. 

Achieving the best spin with an iron is all about proper contact with your golf balls. 

When you have the lining up correctly done, it is then you will be able to strike it and see the distance after. It is a great feeling to see the iron give the ball a rise off of a perfectly set tee.

Do Irons Go Further Off a Tee?

An iron will go further off a tee if you use the tee properly.

The whole idea is to be able to drive the center point of the golf club through the center of the ball. When you strike with optimal power and location, it will get the furthest distance.

Should You Use a Tee with an Iron?

Yes. This will give you the best chance for success at striking it a far length. Helping to elevate a ball with a tee and an iron will help the iron to hit the prime location of the ball.

In Conclusion

Tees are a great tool for pros, but not everyone uses one.

For your game, using a tee largely depends on your preference. You may even consider the firmness of the ground.

Using a tee can help you avoid poor shots and create more memorable shots that you can brag to your friends about. 

Personally, I skip using a tee (unless it’s a drive), but that is because I am just used to getting a better ball flight when I hit off the ground and create that perfect divot.