Tee it up for sure. I would also suggest using a tee on the range while practicing, especially since you are new to the game.

You will find that most players use a tee whenever they are on a tee box. Just don't tee an iron very high. As a new golfer you don't want to build in bad habits of trying to hit the ball on the upswing like you would do with a driver. You still wants that descending blow with your irons. Enjoy this great game, be patient, and have fun. Always a good idea to find a professional to guide you in your development.

Golf is about getting the best lie you can get within the rules. Putting a ball on a tee is too your advantage. Determining the height that works best is the key to the best results. If you watch the pros, you will see them using tees, as well. At 75 still using tees from the "tee" box, regardless of the club. =)

I think most players tee the ball up when using an iron to tee off on par 3s & short 4s.

To me this is a personal preference. Personally, I do not use a tee on par threes for irons 6 iron and below. 3-5 irons I tend to use a tee to reduce the turf interaction. I am little bit of a "digger" and I feel that "pickers" tend to use tees more than diggers do.

As a general rule you should only wear a tee under a golf shirt.
Personal choice, but I think most players tee it up for irons as well as drivers. No ground interaction to deal with equals more predictable result.

Always use a tee, it ensures a clean strike even if the tee is ground level (which in my opinion it should be).

I always use a tee in the tee box of a par 3s. It is the only time I have this opportunity so why not take advantage of that and give myself the best lie possible. I think it eliminates the chance of hitting it thin or fat by having a more sweeping swing; however, it is something I even practice at the range.

Happy that it's a pretty one sided opinion! Thanks for all your reponses too! I didn't expect this level of activity/support from here. Definitely going to use this forum :).

It's a good place to get the straight skinny on a lot of stuff.

Glad to have you on board. You will find this to be a very interesting and informative forum. We are golf enthusiasts, like yourself who have a love for the game.

Always tee the ball up as it is and advantage, thus why you can only do it on the tee box

I always tee it up to "attempt" to get a clean strike. Most pros on par 3's and short par 4's tee it up as well.

If I'm not mistaken, I once read none other than Jack Nicklaus was quoted as saying always take advantage of the chance to legally give yourself the best lie.

Great question - My thought was why not play the tee shot the same way you practice? For me I rarely practice an iron shot off a tee. For me the better answer is to give myself the best lie possible and that means using a tee.

Many have chimed in with "YES" use a tee. I whole heartedly second that sentiment. Use the advantanges the game gives you. Two things to keep in mind. The CG on an iron, especially game improvement irons, is very low on the club face. So, if you tee it up high, you will routinely find yourself coming up short. To that end, you should still be using a descending strike when using an iron from a tee. Practice it on the practice range to get used to it. Another advantage is finding what differing the height does to your ball. From a tee box, you have limited options as to where to tee from (one club length behind the tee box line). But, if you are in between clubs, it's sometimes easier to tee the ball a little higher and take a full swing with your longer club, knowing that it'll fly higher, shorter, and land softer, than trying to hit a 3/4 swing, etc. So, YES, use a tee. And YES, practice it to know how it affects your ball! Good luck!