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Do you have big problems teeing off the ball? Have you ever considered how detrimental bad tee position can be? Sometimes, its not the swing that's the problem. Quite often it can be the position you tee the ball up. We are going to look at some of the damaging effects of this and what you can do to ensure a smooth ride off of any tee you play off.

With the driver you are looking to promote an ascending blow to the ball. Accordingly, you want to tee the ball up higher than you would for any other club. There is often debate about how high exactly but the orthodox method is to have half the ball above the top of the driver. Some will say that you should have the entire ball above the club - for this it would be worth experimenting at the range. Its possible that a higher position is worth an extra 20 yards. I'm sure you wouldn't turn that down!

The fairway woods are used in a similar way to the driver. The ball should be on the inside left heel and approximately half the ball should be showing. You may want to lower it slightly if you are using a hybrid or higher fairway wood.

The irons are different in that you are looking to hit the ball just before the low point of the swing. This is what is known as 'hitting down on the ball'. When you connect the club face angle takes care of the loft of the ball. So to ensure you are in the correct position let the design of the club guide you. When you approach the ball lay the club down as it was designed and have the butt of the club pointing toward your belly button. You should notice that the longer the club the further toward your inside left heel the ball should be. As a guide the ball should be in the centre of your stance for your wedges, an inch further forward for 5,6,7 and another inch or so on for the long irons.

For the more consistent and confident amongst you alter the angle of your shots by moving the ball in your stance. Move it further forward to get more height and further back for a lower trajectory. This is only recommended for more advanced players who are looking to be a bit more creative in shaping their tee shots. However, take note of this as it gives you a guide to the effect ball position has on the flight of the golf ball.

Your overall aim is to find a consistent tee height and position. It then naturally follows that your tee shots will be more consistent. Go through these tips and experiment at the range. With the tee height you can then go away and mark your tees up for each club so you don't have to fiddle around on the tee when you're playing for real. You will gain more confidence and the tee shot will become a much more pleasurable experience.