Course Management · Tip
Use the Tee Box and the Wind to Find Fairways
Part of our course management programs for big numbers, picking targets, wind and weather. Build a program with it
Don't just tee up in the middle. Where you tee changes your angle. Teeing on the right has you aiming left, and the reverse. That can open up the fairway or take trees and hazards out of play. So tee up on the same side as the trouble and aim away from it. Use the wind too. Tee on the side it's coming from and aim into it. The wind will straighten the shot instead of blowing it off line.
Step by step
- See where the trouble is.
- Tee up on that side and aim away.
- Wind from the right? Tee right, aim into it.
- Wind from the left? Tee left, aim into it.
- From the fairway, use your trusted long club.
Why it works
The fairway is a fixed shape, but your line across it depends on where the ball starts. Teeing on the side of the trouble lets you aim away from it, so the whole fairway sits between you and the hazard. Wind pushes the ball sideways, so starting the ball into the wind lets it drift back toward the middle instead of carrying it further off line.
Common mistakes
- You tee up in the middle out of habit and never check the hole.Walk the tee box first and pick the side that gives you the widest safe angle.
- You tee on the side away from the trouble, which points you toward it.Tee on the same side as the trouble and aim away from it.
- You aim into the wind but change your swing to hold the ball against it.Keep your normal swing and let the wind do the work of bringing the ball back.
How you'll know it's working
- The ball finishes in the fairway more often, even when it starts a little off line.
- Your misses end up on the safe side of the hole instead of near the trouble.
- In a crosswind, the ball starts into the wind and drifts back toward your target.
Make it easier or harder
Easier: Practice on a wide hole with trouble on only one side and light wind.
Harder: Use it on a narrow hole with trouble on both sides and a gusty crosswind, and commit to one tee spot and aim.
Common questions
Which side of the tee box should I tee off from?
Tee on the same side as the main trouble and aim away from it. That gives you the most fairway to work with.
How do you play a driver in a crosswind?
Tee on the side the wind is coming from and aim into it. The wind then moves the ball back toward the fairway instead of away from it.
