We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Rules question on the tee box

D

dizzyg12

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 26, 2013
Messages
1,529
Reaction score
516
Handicap
14
So one of the guys I was paired with yesterday never used a tee on the tee box. I know that's fine, but what about altering the ground before he "teed" it up. Meaning he would take his heel usually and press into the ground and creating a small hump that he then teed the ball up on. Now I know the tee box is the only area where you can place the ball anywhere you want it, but If you're putting it on the ground as opposed to a tee, can you change the conditions of the ground? That seems to be similar to improving your lie by rolling the ball over in the rough.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I believe that's what they did in the old days. It's fine. Not sure the course super would appreciate it though.
 
I have seen this before, and as I understand it, that is fine on the tee box only.
 
Borss said:
I believe that's what they did in the old days. It's fine. Not sure the course super would appreciate it though.
Click to expand...

Yeah I can imagine they wouldn't be happy with that. That's true - we didn't have super advanced technology with the epoch tees in the old days. But rules do change so who knows.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I do it on par 3s if I'm hitting a short iron. I don't need a tee, but I want to get a little above the grass. So I'll bounce the club off the ground to make a little bump.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk
 
Laura Davies does this.
 
From how "the surface of the ground" is defined ("whether or not caused by the player"), it looks like this is OK)

11-1. Teeing

When a player is putting a ball into play from the teeing ground, it must be played from within the teeing ground and from the surface of the ground or from a conforming tee (see Appendix IV) in or on the surface of the ground.

For the purposes of this Rule, the surface of the ground includes an irregularity of surface (whether or not created by the player) and sand or other natural substance (whether or not placed by the player).

If a player makes a stroke at a ball on a non-conforming tee, or at a ball teed in a manner not permitted by this Rule, he is disqualified.

A player may stand outside the teeing ground to play a ball within it.


 
Good to know! Thanks guys!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I have never seen this. I know they use to use little piles of sand as tees but that was a long time ago
 
It is indeed perfectly legal, as is pressing things down.
 
Yeah I just saw on TV a few weeks ago Laurie Davies doing it with her driver like Emart said.
 
My Dad doesn't use a tee, just fluffs the grass up a little.
 
Borss said:
I believe that's what they did in the old days. It's fine. Not sure the course super would appreciate it though.
Click to expand...

It is ok to do. Laura Davies still does it on the LPGA.
 
Laura Davies is the best example. I scored for her group when she was at Kingsmill this year so I get to see the technique up close. When using the driver she used her wedge to dig up a tuft of grass then fold over the top to make a flt spot for the ball. On the par 3s she would use the wedge to make a much smaller tee. f

2015-05-18t14-37-01.366z--1280x720_0.jpg
 
cnosil said:
Laura Davies is the best example. I scored for her group when she was at Kingsmill this year so I get to see the technique up close. When using the driver she used her wedge to dig up a tuft of grass then fold over the top to make a flt spot for the ball. On the par 3s she would use the wedge to make a much smaller tee. f

2015-05-18t14-37-01.366z--1280x720_0.jpg
Click to expand...

Wow that's a good picture! I never knew people did that.

I would find that incredibly tough to get a consistent ball height.

Whatever works I guess!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Perfectly legal. Laura Davies takes it to the extreme.

On the tee box, you can also pull up weeds/grass from the ground. Also the only place you can do this.
 
staticline said:
Perfectly legal. Laura Davies takes it to the extreme.

On the tee box, you can also pull up weeds/grass from the ground. Also the only place you can do this.
Click to expand...

One thing to note: Laura Davies has also been filmed playing a tee shot with a ball placed on a pencil, and this is no longer allowed. One of the stipulations for a conforming tee is that it must intended for the purpose of teeing a golf ball. Since a pencil is not so intended, it is not legal to use as a tee.
 
i seem to remember henrik stenson and woody austin doing something similar when they were hitting driver off the (modified) deck a few years ago.
 
c.a.eleric said:
i seem to remember henrik stenson and woody austin doing something similar when they were hitting driver off the (modified) deck a few years ago.
Click to expand...

Henrik Stenson knows what a driver is? :alien:
 
Is there an actual benefit to "teeing" it this way? Curious if would impart different spin/results compared to hitting off a traditional tee.

Ont of the golf digest instruction manuals I have says to do this, to hit a certain type of shot..... can't remember what it is however.
 
Found it!
71433d2d9f2645e5dfc8f65b23922045.jpg
 
I don't touch the ground, but I fluff the grass up a bit to make a tee. I do this when the ground is too hard to stick a tee into.
 
Mark Crossfield thumps the ground to make a bit of a platform on a lot of his non-driver tee shots in his YouTube vlogs, as do other people he plays with (including Andy Sullivan). They don't make anything as substantial as Davies though.

If I'm hitting a wedge or short iron tee shot I usually place the ball on a nice spot rather than using a tee. I feel like hitting a short club off a bit of a tee can result in a different flight and yardage than I'm expecting so unless I'm trying to hit something higher than usual I'll play off the turf.
 
I think ill continue to use a tee...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top