Why Does My Golf Tee Go Backwards? 2 Surprising Reasons Why

Picture this: You’re the last to hit in your foursome and absolutely smash a drive down the middle of the fairway. You look down and see the tee no longer there.

A mild panic comes as you frantically search around the teebox for your tee as the other 3 golfers are already heading out towards their next shot.

After about 30 seconds, you finally find it about 10 feet behind where you teed up at.

There are several factors on why the tee goes backwards, but the primary reason is because of the slight descent angle at impact driving the tee forwards into the ground and causing the tee to spring backwards and fly backwards.

2 Reasons a Golf Tee Flies Backwards

Golf Tee flies backwards due to Descending Angle of Attack

The ideal angle of attack with a driver is a level angle or slight ascending angle at impact. The reason for this is increased carry distance which leads to farther drives. Most golfers (myself included) have a descending angle at impact which is leaving yards on the table.

The golf tee gets pushed forward and down into the ground by the descending angle. Once the clubhead passes the tee, the tee will spring back and often fly backwards. Fred Couples’ tee flies backwards after most of his drives.

This demonstrates in slow motion of the tee springing backwards after impact.

Plastic Tee Consistently Flying Backwards

If you find yourself constantly finding your plastic golf tee 5-10 feet behind you, it most likely has little to do with your swing.

Plastic tees are very durable and flexible, and this allows for the tee to bend forward at impact and will “whiplash” back after the club is through the impact zone and done making contact with the tee.

Dr. Noel Rousseau has a perfect video showing the plastic tee whiplash effect and the 2 common occurrences with a plastic tee after impact.

The first swing is the most common result with a plastic tee. The tee gets pushed into the ground by the driver, and springs back when the driver is done making contact with the club.

The tee actually goes forward in the second swing and the reason why is listed below.

2 Reasons a Golf Tee Flies Forwards

Soft Ground Causing Tee to Fly Forwards

From the Dr. Noel Rousseau video above, the second swing shows the tee being pushed forward through impact and actually being uprooted shortly after contact with the driver.

Instead of getting the spring-like effect causing the tee to fly backwards, the soft ground gives way to the forces of the driver and the tee completely comes out of the ground and flips end over end.

This causes the tee to flip up straight in the air or go slightly forward.

Golf Tee Flies Forwards Due to Ascending Angle of Attack

An ascending angle of attack at impact is why you see the golf tee fly forward for bombers like Rory McIlroy (check out the 2 swings at 3:52. This is a great video explaining the power behind Rory’s swing!).

The club moving upward at impact “unroots” the tee at impact causing the tee to flip end over end, with momentum shooting the tee forwards.

GOLF TEE FLIGHT DIRECTION FAQS

Should your tee go backwards?

Depending on your swing and the ground conditions, the tee may go forwards or backwards. I wouldn’t worry about the direction the tee flies and worry more about the ball flight.
Great drivers of the ball like Freddy Couples had the tee fly backwards while Rory and Tiger’s tee fly forwards. The ball flight will tell you more about your swing than the golf tee ever will.