Trevor Ng
Golf is a sport that thrives on innovation, and inventors are constantly looking for ways to improve the game, whether it's through new materials, technologies, or equipment. One such innovation is the golf tee, which has been the subject of several patents over the years. The golf tee is a simple yet essential piece of equipment that supports and elevates the golf ball before a player takes their shot. While golfers are not required to use a tee, the majority opt to do so as it offers an advantage for drive shots. This article will explore the history of golf tee patents and the process of patenting golf inventions.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of first patent | 1889 or 1899 |
| Inventor of the first patent | William Bloxsom and Arthur Douglas (two Scotsmen) or George F. Grant (an African-American dentist) |
| Material | Wood, plastic, or rubber |
| Purpose | To support and elevate a stationary ball prior to striking with a club |
| Benefits over sand tees | Uniform height, less uncertainty, less annoyance and discomfort |
| Maximum length | 4 inches (101.6 mm) |
| Marketing | Poorly marketed by Grant, successfully marketed by Reddy Tee (William Lowell, Sr.) in the 1920s |
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What You'll Learn
Golf tee patents: history
The history of golf tee patents goes back to the late 1800s, when golfers sought more consistent and convenient alternatives to the traditional sand tees. Sand tees, which were conical mounds of wet sand used to elevate the golf ball, were often messy and time-consuming to create.
In 1889, William Bloxsom and Arthur Douglas of Scotland received British Patent No. 12,941 for an "Improved Golf Tee or Rest." Their design featured a flat, wedge-shaped base with several prongs at the narrow end to hold the golf ball. However, this tee did not pierce the ground and had a significantly different shape and design compared to the modern golf tee.
In 1899, George F. Grant, a dentist and one of the first Black golfers in post-American Civil War America, obtained patent #638,920 from the United States Patent Office. Grant's invention, also known as the Reddy Tee, was a wooden peg that was driven into the ground, with a concave platform at the flared top to securely hold the golf ball. This design addressed the issues of inconsistent ball elevation and the inconvenience of shaping sand tees.
Despite receiving the patent, Grant did not actively market or manufacture his invention. Instead, it was Dr. William Lowell Sr., another dentist, who brought the golf tee to the mainstream. Lowell patented his design, known as the Reddy Tee, in 1925 (U.S. Patent #1,670,627). He collaborated with the Spalding Company for its manufacture and promotion, signing Walter Hagen in 1922 to use the Reddy Tee during an exhibition tour. This led to the widespread adoption of the basic golf tee design we know today.
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George F. Grant's patent
On December 12, 1899, Dr. George F. Grant, a dentist and the first African-American faculty member at Harvard, received a patent for "an improved golf tee" from the United States Patent Office. The patent, US638920A, was for a golf-tee with a tapering base portion that could be driven into the ground point first, and a flexible tubular head that embraced the upper tapering portion of the base.
Grant's invention aimed to address the inconvenience and discomfort associated with the traditional method of forming a conical mound of sand to support the golf ball when driving off. His design ensured that the ball was uniformly elevated above the ground at each drive, providing a simple, cheap, and effective solution. The tee was constructed in a way that did not interfere with the swing or carry-through of the club when making a stroke.
Grant's tee was a wooden peg that was pushed into the ground, with a flexible rubber tubing at the top to balance the golf ball. This design differed from earlier golf tees, such as the one patented by William Bloxsom and Arthur Douglas in 1889, which did not pierce the ground and had a different shape. Grant's design included the "big three" elements that became standard in early 20th-century tees: wood, piercing the ground, and a peg for the ball to sit on.
Despite receiving a patent for his invention, Grant did not achieve commercial success or widespread recognition. He lacked marketing skills and did not aggressively promote his product. Instead, it was Dr. William Lowell's "Reddy Tee," patented in 1927, that took off and set the standard for the basic golf tee design we know today. Lowell, a fellow dental practitioner, used white birch for his tees and enlisted PGA legend Walter Hagen to use them during an exhibition tour, generating $100,000 in sales that year.
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Tee setting devices
Golf tees have been patented since the late 19th century, with the first patent issued for a golf tee by the British Patent Office in 1889, invented by two Scotsmen, William Bloxsom and Arthur Douglas. The patent by George F. Grant, dated December 12, 1899, for an "improved golf tee" was not the first patent for a golf tee, as there were earlier inventors who experimented with various types of tees.
Golf Tee Insertion Depth Marking System:
This device includes a measurement tool and a marking tool. The marking tool has a housing with two surfaces, bores extending into the housing, and windows providing openings into the bores. The windows are positioned at various distances from the first surface, allowing a marking pen to be inserted to mark the shaft of the golf tee and indicate the desired insertion depth. The measurement tool helps determine the height of the striking face of the golf club, which is then used to select the appropriate window for marking the tee.
Golf Ball Teeing Tongs:
This invention comprises a pair of levers, spring-hinged at one end, with free ends designed to hold a golf ball and tee. It includes adjustable pressure disks and swing arms that move in concert, exerting a clamping force to securely grip the ball and tee. This allows for precise positioning of the ball on the tee, after which the spring pressure is released to lift the adjustable pressure disk and release the ball.
Golf Tool Device:
This device can be attached to or incorporated into a golf club's grip. It features a housing and a tool assembly with a base jaw and a gripper jaw connected by a spring. The gripper jaw can be selectively switched between two modes: one where it moves freely with the spring, and another where it is secured in a position away from the base jaw. This device likely assists in positioning the tee or ball, providing stability and control during the setup.
These tee setting devices showcase the innovation in the golfing industry, aiming to enhance the consistency, accuracy, and convenience of tee placement, ultimately improving the overall golfing experience.
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Golf tee insertion depth marking
Golf tee insertion depth markers are devices that help golfers maintain a consistent tee height by marking the shaft of a golf tee at a certain height. They are designed to ensure that the golf tee is inserted into the ground at the desired depth consistently. Maintaining a constant golf ball height from one hole to the next is an important factor in maintaining a consistent swing path.
The markers are designed to be adjustable to accommodate different club sizes and types, as the desired tee height may vary depending on these factors. Some markers have a housing with a first and second surface, with bores extending from the first surface and windows in the second surface that provide openings into the bores. The bores are sized to receive the shaft of a golf tee, and the windows are sized to receive the tip of a marking pen to mark the shaft. Other markers have a reservoir with a fluid container and a cover with openings to receive the shaft of a golf tee. An ink-impregnated sponge with wells sized to receive the shaft of the tee is placed in the fluid container, and the shaft is marked with ink when inserted through the openings.
The process of using a golf tee insertion depth marker typically involves placing the first surface of the marker on the ground, positioning the golf club head adjacent to the marker, marking the stem portion of the marker at the height of the upper edge of the striking face of the golf club, and then marking the shaft of the golf tee at the corresponding height. This ensures that the golf tee is inserted into the ground at the desired depth, resulting in the golf ball being positioned at the optimum height when placed on the tee.
Golf tee insertion depth markers provide a simple solution to the challenge of maintaining consistent tee heights, which is an important factor in achieving success in the game of golf. By using these markers, golfers can minimize variables that may contribute to errors and develop a more consistent swing pattern.
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Golf tees: biodegradable and recyclable
Golf tees are an essential piece of equipment for most golfers. They are used to support the golf ball and raise it above the ground. While golfers are not required to use a tee, the majority do as it offers less resistance than the ground.
The first patent for a golf tee was issued by the British Patent Office in 1889 to two Scotsmen, William Bloxsom and Arthur Douglas. Their tee was a completely different shape and design from the modern tee, as it did not pierce the ground. In 1899, George Franklin Grant, a dentist and the first African-American faculty member at Harvard, received a patent for "an improved golf tee" from the United States Patent Office. Grant's tee was a wooden peg that was pushed into the ground, with a concave platform at the flared top to hold the ball.
Today, there are various types of golf tees available, including wooden and plastic tees. Traditional wooden golf tees are often used once or twice and then left in the ground, which can damage lawnmower blades and the environment as they do not biodegrade quickly. Plastic tees are even worse for the environment as they do not biodegrade at all.
Luckily, there are now many eco-friendly and sustainable golf tees available that are biodegradable and recyclable. These tees are made from materials such as bamboo, corn, biomaterial, coffee waste, and recycled car bumper bars. Bamboo tees are a popular option as they are more long-lasting and tougher than wooden tees, and bamboo is a more sustainable resource as it has a rapid rate of growth compared to trees. Some companies even offer to plant a tree for every box of bamboo tees sold. Biodegradable tees made from corn are also a good option, with some companies planning to offer them in biodegradable bags starting in 2025. For golfers looking to reduce their environmental impact, switching to biodegradable and recyclable tees is an easy way to make a difference.
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Frequently asked questions
The first patent for the golf tee was marked in 1899 by George F. Grant, an African-American dentist and one of the first Black golfers in post-American Civil War America.
Dr. Grant found the method of teeing up a ball and pinching damp sand into a launching pad both inconsistent and tiresome. He wanted to create a simple, cheap, and effective tee that would support the ball and raise it above the ground.
Grant's tee was a wooden peg that the golfer pushed into the ground, with a rubber sleeve to support the ball.
The first patent issued for a golf tee was issued 10 years before Grant's, by the British Patent Office, to two Scotsmen, William Bloxsom and Arthur Douglas. Their tee did not pierce the ground and was a completely different shape and design. The first known tee to pierce the ground was a rubber-topped peg sold commercially as the "Perfectum." This was patented in 1892 by Percy Ellis of England.
Golfers are not required to use a tee on tee shots, but the majority do. According to the official Rules of Golf, a tee "must not be longer than 4 inches (101.6 mm) and it must not be designed or manufactured in such a way that it could indicate the line of play or influence the movement of the ball."
