Rubber Tees at the Range

[nevets88]

I often see people walking the range looking for rubber tees here, they tend to get stolen. I don't get why people don't bring their own, a bag of tees is just the cost of a couple of moderately priced coffees.

While I'm talking about tees, I don't see people employing the trick of getting variable tee heights with rubber tees much. You just need to stick like a piece of paper, say a little piece torn from the box that holds a three pack of balls, into the tee and then a normal tee will hold and you can move it up and down.

[Shindig]

45 minutes ago, nevets88 said:

I often see people walking the range looking for rubber tees here, they tend to get stolen. I don't get why people just bring their own, a bag of tees is just the cost of a couple of moderately priced coffees.

While I'm talking about tees, I don't see people employing the trick of getting variable tee heights with rubber tees much. You just need to stick like a piece of paper, say a little piece torn from the box that holds a three pack of balls, into the tee and then a normal tee will hold and you can move it up and down.

I assume you are asking why people don't just bring their own.  And I have so many unused use-on-grass tees that I'll probably never have to buy them ever again.  I think tees are genetically related to coat hangers and ball point pens and rabbits, as they seem to multiply effortlessly.  I just emptied my two golf bags of all but a few dozen tees and filled an old (and thoroughly rinsed!) salsa jar with the tees.  I have a lychee jelly jar that has been long since filled and sitting in my closet. 

I don't even know of any courses near me that have rubber tees in them by default -- because they'd be stolen.  Both of my golf bags have rubber tees in them so that I'll have them available at the range.  I have tried the "rubber tee base" that holds an actual tee, but I've had mixed results using it successfully to tee up a driver, partly because it's effectively still a fixed height.

I have a few variable height rubber tees, but they all have the cupped top, which ends up deforming in my bag and not lasting very long.  I like the idea, maybe one has a nicer interface.

What's this piece of paper trick?  I'd love to conveniently be able to tee up my driver at the rubber range to the right height.  I often don't hit driver at the range because I figure it's better to not hit driver than to practice with it at the wrong height (corrections welcome if I'm wrong on this).

[nevets88]

27 minutes ago, Shindig said:

I assume you are asking why people don't just bring their own.  And I have so many unused use-on-grass tees that I'll probably never have to buy them ever again.  I think tees are genetically related to coat hangers and ball point pens and rabbits, as they seem to multiply effortlessly.  I just emptied my two golf bags of all but a few dozen tees and filled an old (and thoroughly rinsed!) salsa jar with the tees.  I have a lychee jelly jar that has been long since filled and sitting in my closet. 

I don't even know of any courses near me that have rubber tees in them by default -- because they'd be stolen.  Both of my golf bags have rubber tees in them so that I'll have them available at the range.  I have tried the "rubber tee base" that holds an actual tee, but I've had mixed results using it successfully to tee up a driver, partly because it's effectively still a fixed height.

I have a few variable height rubber tees, but they all have the cupped top, which ends up deforming in my bag and not lasting very long.  I like the idea, maybe one has a nicer interface.

What's this piece of paper trick?  I'd love to conveniently be able to tee up my driver at the rubber range to the right height.  I often don't hit driver at the range because I figure it's better to not hit driver than to practice with it at the wrong height (corrections welcome if I'm wrong on this).

Yes, I meant don't, thanks, fixed.

Rip out the lip of a 3 ball box, fold it up and stick it in rubber tee. Then stick a regular tee in it and it'll hold. You could use a receipt, a business card, any kind of paper. I saw Rory McIlroy do this awhile back. Be prepared to have extra paper as it'll fly out, just put it in again.

[Shindig]

26 minutes ago, nevets88 said:

Yes, I meant don't, thanks, fixed.

Rip out the lip of a 3 ball box, fold it up and stick it in rubber tee. Then stick a regular tee in it and it'll hold. You could use a receipt, a business card, any kind of paper. I saw Rory McIlroy do this awhile back. Be prepared to have extra paper as it'll fly out, just put it in again.

Oh, rolling it, not putting it under the mat.  That makes sense.

Is that going to be different than one of these, height-wise?

 

The thought occurs to me that next time I go to a rubber range, I could use the above item and figure out what height of tee works with my preferred driver height for that and dig out (or purchase, if needed) a bunch of tees of that height and keep them with the tee.  Why that didn't occur to me a decade ago is beyond me.

Edited June 27, 2022 by Shindig
spelling (occurs)

[boogielicious]

I’ve brought my own before, but your idea is pretty good @nevets88

[nevets88]

18 minutes ago, Shindig said:

Oh, rolling it, not putting it under the mat.  That makes sense.

Is that going to be different than one of these, height-wise?

 

The thought o ccurs to me that next time I go to a rubber range, I could use the above item and figure out what height of tee works with my preferred driver height for that and dig out (or purchase, if needed) a bunch of tees of that height and keep them with the tee.  Why that didn't occur to me a decade ago is beyond me.

5 minutes ago, boogielicious said:

I’ve brought my own before, but your idea is pretty good @nevets88

So I posted about this awhile back. It's definitely not my idea, I saw someone else do it and just copied it, lol. Obviously this won't work with those tall rubber ties, you'll have to snip it down.

 

[ChetlovesMer]

18 minutes ago, Shindig said:

 

The thought occurs to me that next time I go to a rubber range, I could use the above item and figure out what height of tee works with my preferred driver height for that and dig out (or purchase, if needed) a bunch of tees of that height and keep them with the tee.  Why that didn't occur to me a decade ago is beyond me.

I have been doing this for 15 years or so now. I don't like hitting off rubber tees or worse yet are the fixed tees that some driving ranges have. I purchased a 10 pack of the above item from Amazon a long time ago. I have 2 or 3 in my bag at any given time. 

[Shindig]

1 minute ago, ChetlovesMer said:

I have been doing this for 15 years or so now. I don't like hitting off rubber tees or worse yet are the fixed tees that some driving ranges have. I purchased a 10 pack of the above item from Amazon a long time ago. I have 2 or 3 in my bag at any given time. 

That's great to hear!  I have a follow-up question.  How do you deal with the variable thickness of mats?  I feel sometimes putting a tee that I'd be fine using on grass gives different heights when I used that.

(It's been a while since I've tried, so I might not be remembering the problem correctly)

[nevets88]

I also mark up my rubber tees with magic markers, I've been accused of stealing rubber tees, then I show them the unique coloring, it's my rubber tee. Mine!

[ChetlovesMer]

2 minutes ago, Shindig said:

How do you deal with the variable thickness of mats? 

I just use a different length tee if need be. Once in a while the mat will be at a thickness where I need to break the tip off a tee to get it to the right height, but that's pretty rare. Normally the 2-3/4" tees work just fine. 

[iacas]

Guys…

They have range tees, too, that lock into place quite nicely.

[RayG]

I found that the "provided" Black Rubber thing was either: too low for the driver and too high for the 3 Wood. I went out and got the multi tee set from Amazon. I still needed to trim about 1/8" off the longest one. No biggie. One was perfect for the 3 Wood. I also tried the one with the little insert that holds a normal tee. HOWEVER- The tees would then fly all over the place- usually flicked backwards toward the people walking along behind the line. Then I noticed that in several stalls they have little signs with pictures of various tees that "aren't allowed". They included those "claw" things as well as the tee holder version. 

 

As for "stealing" the provided ones to bring back, etc... After I did buy my set, I put my initials with permanent marker on them. Just in case someone was to give me a hard time for picking up the tee and putting it in my bag. This worked fine, although nobody really seemed to notice. <shrug>. Except- one day, I was doing my range work and took a little break for a smoke. (no smoking on the line- covered stalls, etc...). I went around behind the line down a few spaces where the door was open and sat on the little wall around a planting or something. I could look through and keep an eye on my stuff. Having a chat with one of the teachers I got to know, I noticed some guy waltz over to my stall, look around a bit, lean over and take the tee out of the mat. "WTF?". I finished up and walked over to where he was (2 stalls over), and just kind of stood there watching, okay- STARING. Far enough out of contact range, but close enough to be uncomfortable. "What's your problem?" "Oh, I'd like my tee back that you just took" "What?, I didn't take your f*cking tee.." "Really?- I tell you what, I will bring over my other tees that have my initials on them. Then you can take this one out and show me it doesn't have my initials on it and that I was wrong and we're all good." By the time I said "my other tees with initials on them", I could see that slight moment of panic in his eyes. "Uh... I didn't know there was anybody using it..." Of course, my bag was there, my jacket was on the chair, my street shoes were under the chair, and my driver was leaning against the little divider wall. "I'll take the tee now, thanks...". Leaned over and took my tee. 

[nevets88]

19 hours ago, iacas said:

Guys…

They have range tees, too, that lock into place quite nicely.

I totally missed this! Will get the practice and starter pack.

[DrvFrShow]

The range I go to has the low, med. high, and tall on a black triangle. While this did reduce theft... you'd think no one would steal them, right? *sigh* ... I hate people.