Golf, with its meticulously groomed greens and high-tech clubs, is considered a modern game where enthusiasts eagerly golf tee off on lush courses. However, its origins are as ancient and earthy as they come. The tools that seem obvious today, like the plastic tees, weren’t even thought of for the first 300-odd years of the sport.  So, what did golfers use to perch up the ball?  Back in the day, “teeing off” meant rolling your sleeves and getting your hands dirty (quite literally). In this piece, we’ll dive into the history to explore the fascinating evolution of the humble golf tee off before the advent of the plastic tees we take for granted today.

Swinging Through History: The Dirt on Golfing Tees

The game of golf has been around for centuries, and over time, it has evolved significantly. From its early days in Scotland to its current popularity all over the world, golf has seen many changes and advancements. One of these significant changes is the evolution of golfing tees.  During the early years of the sport, golfers had to use skill and the dirt under their feet to create a small mound of soil to prop up their ball. Worse, they had to repeat the process before every swing.  So, on a regular day, golfers were spotted building mini sand castles, dusting sand off their hands, and then getting in position to tee off. Now, imagine that on an alternate shot game! It was messy and time-consuming. Where did golfers get sand from? Well, some golf courses kept boxes of wet sand, while others required players to wet their hands and dig out some from a dry sandbox. Regardless of the player’s option, there was always some dirt involved. Let’s not forget the struggle of keeping the ball steady on a small mound of sand while trying to hit it.  So began the quest for a better and more efficient tool that would save time and reduce the effort required. Bonus points if it could be reused.

The First Attempt at Rubber Tees

The first attempt at an artificial tee was a rubber plate that laid flat on the ground and had upright prongs to balance the ball on top. Two Scots, Arthur Douglas and William Bloxsom, invented this design of the world’s first patented artificial golf tee. Although the rubber tee was better than using sand, it failed to hold the ball in place when the winds picked up. 

Putting Iron and Rubber Together

England’s Percy Ellis invented a new design, the “Perfectum”, which was patented in 1892. It was a combination of an iron spike base and circular rubber pegs, envisioned to provide stability and make it easier to place the ball on top. The rubber pegs would hold the ball in place while the spike dug into the ground for better support.  Fast forward to five years, another Scottish inventor, PM Mathews, came up with an improvised version of the Perfectum, known as the “Vector.” The Vector golf tee sported a metal spike and a rubber cup, which held the ball in place. However, both these tees were still not widely accepted as they required additional maintenance and often broke after a few uses.

The Wonder of Wood and Rubber

In 1899, Dr. George Franklin Grant, Harvard’s second American African dentist, patented a unique wooden tee. It was carrot-shaped and had a non-concave rubber top. But this wooden tee design wasn’t Grant’s only attempt at bettering the game of golf. He made several prototypes for his personal use and also shared them with friends and family. Despite his ingenuity, Dr. Grant never really took advantage of his invention commercially.

The “Reddy Tee” Took it Home.

Although Grant’s wooden tee design wasn’t available to the masses, his invention made the idea of using wood pretty common. And it wasn’t long before a more practical wooden tee made its way to the market. In 1921, William Lowell patented the Reddy tee, which was an entirely wooden innovation. It looked like a long nail with a slightly concave top for the ball. The Reddy tee dug into the ground easily and could hold its position without much movement, making it a game-changer. Quick Fact: The Reddy tee wasn’t always red. Dr. William Lowell’s first five thousand tees were stained green. He switched to red because he wanted the tee to stand out more. 

The Tees We Use Today

Today’s golfer has a few golf tee off options to pick from. The two most commonly used are:

• Wooden Tees
• Plastic Tees

Wooden golf tees are the classics that are still a top favourite among professionals. They are easier on the pocket and are more environmentally friendly. On the downside, however, they break too easily, and if they aren’t coloured, you can lose them too fast. Some players also complain that a wooden tee can restrict the ball’s speed. Plastic golf tees, conversely, are more flexible and long-lasting. The zero-friction model is the most popular among plastic tees, and it gives golfers more speed and distance on their swing. But are they good for the environment? No! Environmentally aware golfers are turning toward greener bamboo tees. Besides being good for the planet, bamboo tees are 1.5 times stronger than their wooden counterparts. It means players (even beginners) can reuse them a few times before they snap. Did we mention they are also highly cost-effective?  If you haven’t tried a bamboo tee, you should add it to your golfing gear now!

No Golf with a Golf Tee!

Golf tee off have come a long way since the days of dirt and sand. From rubber and wood to plastic and bamboo, golfers have a wide range of tees to choose from today. These humble little sticks have made playing golf more comfortable, faster, and more fun. And with the constant evolution in technology, one can only imagine what kind of tee we’ll be using next! So, the next time you tee off, take a moment to thank these little but mighty inventions for making your game of golf possible.