Trevor Ng
In golf, a tee can refer to the small piece of wood or plastic that holds the ball off the ground so that the golfer can hit their tee shot, or it can refer to the area where the golfer hits their opening tee shot on any hole. The word tee is derived from the Old Scots 'teaz', of unknown origin, possibly Scandinavian. In the earliest days of golf, golfers crafted tees with their hands from little heaps of sand. The first patent for a tee is dated 1889 and was issued to Scotsmen William Bloxsom and Arthur Douglas for a tee that rested flat on the ground with a raised portion to prop up the ball. Today, the most common type of wood used to make tees is birch, but tees can also be made from other hardwoods or durable plastic.
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Golf tee history
The history of the golf tee dates back to the 1500s. For around 300 years, golfers would get sand wet and mould it into a small mound to elevate the ball slightly off the ground. This practice continued into the 19th century, with the first rules of golf from 1744 stating that the ball must be "teed" from the ground. Golfers were allowed to go within one club length of the previous hole and use elements from the ground to tee it up.
In 1875, Old Tom Morris of St Andrews created separate teeing areas, defining the "teeing ground". This was likely done to speed up play, as previously golfers had to wait for groups to tee off before they could play to the green.
As the game grew, there was a need to separate putting areas from teeing grounds. Golfers began to search for reusable tees, experimenting with materials like cork, paper, and rubber. The earliest known portable golf tee was invented in 1889 by Scotsmen William Bloxsom and Arthur Douglas. It was a small rubber slab with three vertical prongs or a hollow cylinder to hold the ball in place. This tee sat on top of the ground and was unstable in windy conditions.
In 1892, Percy Ellis of England patented the "Perfectum", the first tee to penetrate the ground. It featured a round rubber peg and an iron spike base to hold the ball in place. In 1897, Scottish inventor PM Matthews patented a similar tee called the "Vector", with a metal spike and a rubber cup.
In 1899, Dr George F Grant, an African-American dentist, patented the first wooden tee peg with a flexible rubber head. However, Grant did not market his invention, and it was not until the 1920s that wooden tees became common practice. Dr William Lowell popularised the use of wooden tees with his "Reddy Tee", a simple wooden peg with a flared top, which was promoted by professional golfers Walter Hagen and Joe Kirkwood, Sr. Today, tees are commonly made of wood or durable plastic and come in various colours and sizes.
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Golf tee materials
Golf tees are small devices used to prop up a golf ball for the first shot of each new hole during a game of golf. The word tee is derived from the Old Scots 'teaz', which may originate from Scandinavia.
In the early days of golf, golfers crafted tees with their hands from little heaps of sand, which was provided in boxes called tee boxes. The first patent for a tee, dated 1889, was issued to Scotsmen William Bloxsom and Arthur Douglas for a tee that rested flat on the ground with a raised portion to prop up the ball. The first tee to pierce the ground was a rubber-topped peg sold as the "Perfectum", patented in 1892 by Percy Ellis of England.
Conventional golf tees are generally made from wood or plastic. The primary wood used is cedar wood, specifically red cedar, an evergreen conifer grown in the eastern United States. Synthetic plastics such as polypropylene or high-density polyethylene (HDPE) are also used, with fillers added to control flexibility, reduce weight, and prevent breakage. Bamboo tees are becoming a material of choice for many golf manufacturers due to their biodegradability and increased durability compared to wooden tees.
There are also many biodegradable and recyclable tees available, which help reduce the number of trees cut down and lower costs for golf courses by reducing the need to deal with broken wooden tees. Some biodegradable tees are made from animal byproducts, corn derivatives, clay, or a combination of fertilizer and grass seed to improve their compatibility with the course. Rubber tees are commonly found at driving ranges due to their durability, although they can contribute waste if lost on the course.
The design of a golf tee has changed only slightly since its inception, with most golfers continuing to use heaps of sand due to tradition, habit, or rule concerns. Tees can vary in length, with a standard tee measuring 2.125" (5.4 cm) long, although both longer and shorter tees are permitted as long as they are no longer than 4 inches (101.6 mm) to be considered legal.
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Golf tee rules
Golf has come a long way since the days of tee boxes and little heaps of sand. Today, the rules around teeing in golf are standardised and strictly enforced.
Firstly, a tee in golf can refer to the area where you hit your opening tee shot on a hole, known as the teeing ground. Alternatively, it can refer to the small piece of equipment that holds the golf ball off the ground for the player to hit their tee shot.
The standard golf tee is 2.125" (5.4 cm) long, but tees can be longer or shorter. Tees can be made from wood or durable plastic, and there are also biodegradable and recyclable options. According to the R&A and USGA rules, a tee must not exceed 4 inches (101.6 mm) in length and must not be designed to indicate the line of play or influence the ball's movement. Tees tethered together or to an anchor may be used if the turf conditions are particularly difficult, provided they do not assist the player in making a stroke.
In the game itself, teeing the ball is normally only allowed for the first shot of a hole, called the tee shot, and is illegal for any other shot. However, local or seasonal rules may permit or require teeing for other shots, such as under "winter rules" to protect the turf. If a player accidentally tees off with the wrong ball, they incur a penalty and must correct their mistake by playing the correct ball from the tee box.
The rules vary depending on whether it is a match or stroke play. In match play, the opponent can choose to cancel the stroke, in which case the player must play again from within the teeing area without a penalty. If the opponent does not cancel the stroke, play continues without a penalty. In stroke play, the player must correct the mistake by playing again from inside the teeing area and incurs a two-stroke penalty.
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Golf tee types
Golf tees are used to support and elevate a stationary ball before striking it with a club. The type of tee used can impact the feel, distance, and trajectory of the drive.
The earliest golf tees were crafted by golfers themselves using heaps of sand. In the late 19th century, the first golf tee patent was issued to Scotsmen William Bloxsom and Arthur Douglas for a tee that rested flat on the ground with a raised portion to prop up the ball. The first tee to pierce the ground was a rubber-topped peg sold as the "Perfectum", patented in 1892 by Percy Ellis of England. In 1899, Dr. George Franklin Grant, an African-American dentist, obtained a patent for a tee consisting of a wooden cone with a rubber sleeve to support the ball, but it was never marketed.
Today, golf tees are typically made from wood, bamboo, plastic, or rubber. The classic golf tee is wooden, which is affordable, easy to find, and biodegradable. However, wooden tees break easily. Plastic tees are more durable but create environmental issues when they break. Bamboo tees are becoming increasingly popular due to their biodegradability and increased durability compared to wooden tees. Rubber tees are commonly found at driving ranges due to their durability and ability to be used repeatedly. Tees also come in various lengths, with longer tees providing the ability to strike balls with higher trajectories, resulting in improved height and distance.
There are several types of tees available on the market, including standard tees, brush tees, and zero friction tees. Standard tees are the most basic type, commonly made of wood, and range in length from 2.25 to 4 inches. Brush tees feature soft bristles on top of a plastic bottom to reduce friction between the tee and the ball. Zero friction tees are similar to standard tees but are designed to minimise friction.
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Golf tee usage
Historical Tee Usage
Historically, golfers crafted tees from small heaps of sand, which was provided in boxes known as "tee boxes". This practice dates back to at least the 18th century and was mentioned in the first rules of golf in 1744, which stipulated that "Your Tee must be upon the Ground". Caddies often used sand from the bottom of the hole to create the tee, leading to hole deterioration. This prompted the provision of sandboxes, which can still be found on some old courses.
The Evolution of Manufactured Tees
The first patent for a golf tee dates back to 1889, credited to Scotsmen William Bloxsom and Arthur Douglas. Their design featured a flat base with a raised portion to support the ball. In 1892, Percy Ellis of England invented the first tee to pierce the ground, a rubber-topped peg sold as the "Perfectum".
In 1896, the first United States patent for a golf tee was issued to Glaswegian David Dalziel. His design consisted of a rubber tee with a flat base and a slightly concave top, used in combination with an artificial ground surface. However, it was the ""Reddy Tee", invented by American dentist William Lowell in the 1920s, that became the first widely adopted commercial golf tee. The "Reddy Tee" was a simple wooden peg with a flared red top, making it easily visible in the grass.
Modern Tee Usage
Today, golf tees are typically made from wood or durable plastic, with birch being the most common type of wood used. Tees are usually around 2.125 inches long, although both longer and shorter tees are permitted as long as they do not exceed the maximum legal length of 4 inches. Biodegradable and recyclable tees are also available, offering an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional wooden tees.
Golfers use tees to support and elevate the ball prior to striking it with a club. Tees are normally used for the first stroke of each hole, also known as the ""tee shot". While teeing up is advantageous for drive shots, players may choose to play their tee shots without a tee, resulting in a lower trajectory.
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Frequently asked questions
A tee in golf is a small wooden or plastic support that holds the golf ball off the ground so that it can be hit.
Tees can be made of wood, durable plastic, or rubber. The most common type of wood used to make tees is birch, but other hardwoods are also used.
In the 19th century, golfers crafted tees with their hands from little heaps of sand. The first patent for a tee was issued to Scotsmen William Bloxsom and Arthur Douglas in 1889. The first commercial tee, the Reddy Tee, was invented in the 1920s by Dr. William Lowell, Sr.
Tees are used to elevate the golf ball before it is struck with a club. Tees are typically used for the first stroke of each hole, as they give an advantage for drive shots.
According to the R&A and USGA rules, a tee must not be longer than 4 inches (101.6 mm) and it must not influence the movement of the ball or aid the golf stroke.
