The humble wooden tee is so familiar that it's hard to imagine golf without it. Yet for much of golf's history, players teed the ball on small piles of sand. The story of the tee shows how small inventions can change the game.
Sand tees
For centuries, golfers built a small mound of damp sand to perch the ball on. Sand and water were kept in boxes near each teeing ground, and caddies or players formed the mound by hand or with moulds. The term "tee box" survives today. Read parts of a golf course explained.
Early inventions
From the late 19th century, inventors patented a variety of tees, including rubber tees and pegs. Some were impractical; others laid the groundwork for modern tees.
The wooden peg
In the early 20th century, simple wooden peg tees became popular and were mass-produced, gradually replacing sand. They were cleaner, quicker and easier to use.
Modern tees
- Wood and bamboo: traditional and biodegradable.
- Plastic: durable, with height guides and low-friction designs.
- Step and castle tees: fixed heights.
Read golf tees, ball markers and divot tools.
The rules
The rules allow tees up to 4 inches (101.6 mm) long, and a tee must not be designed to indicate the line of play or influence the ball's movement. Read conforming golf equipment.
Why the tee matters
The tee seems simple, but it changed golf. Before pegs, golfers built little piles of sand by hand on each teeing ground, often using wet sand from a box provided by the course. This was messy and slow. The peg tee gave a consistent height, was cheap and portable, and made the game faster and easier.
A timeline
| Era | Development |
|---|---|
| Early golf | The ball is teed on a small mound of earth or sand |
| 19th century | Sand boxes and water buckets are provided at teeing grounds |
| Late 19th century | The first patents for portable tees appear |
| Early 20th century | Wooden peg tees are introduced and gradually adopted |
| Mid 20th century | Wooden tees become universal |
| Late 20th century | Plastic tees, brush tees and tees with height markers appear |
| Today | Wood, bamboo, plastic and biodegradable materials |
Tee heights and the modern game
As drivers became larger, golfers began to tee the ball higher. Longer tees allow the ball to sit above the crown, which helps many golfers launch the ball high with less spin. Iron and hybrid shots still use low tees. Read how to hit a driver.
Sustainability
Billions of tees are used and broken every year. Many courses now encourage:
- Wooden or bamboo tees that break down naturally.
- Picking up broken plastic tees and disposing of them properly.
- Reusing intact tees.
Tees on the course
The word "tee" refers to both the peg and the teeing area. Teeing areas have also evolved: from simple flat spots near the previous green to the multiple, carefully levelled tee boxes of today, with markers in different colours for different lengths. Read which tees should I play? and golf tees, ball markers and divot tools.
Frequently asked questions
What did golfers use before tees?
Small piles of damp sand.
Why is it called a tee box?
Because sand for teeing was kept in boxes at each tee.
When did wooden tees become popular?
In the early 20th century.
How long can a golf tee be?
Up to 4 inches under the rules.
Why do golfers tee the ball?
To give a clean, consistent lie for the first shot on each hole.
What is the maximum tee length?
The rules set a maximum length for tees (currently four inches) and limit features that could indicate the line of play or influence the ball's movement.
The bottom line
From sand piles to wooden pegs, the tee's history reflects golf's practical evolution. For more history, read the history of the golf ball.