Winter Golf Tees

[RobbyDuzak]

Hi everyone,

Im new here and just made a account today.

I have a question that I searched but couldnt find anwser to.

- Are rubber golf tee's legal? With all the different kinds of tee's out I would like to Know.

I have rubber,Brush and normal tees. I only play for fun with family,but would like to know for future use.

Thank you

[Rulesman]

Do you mean the rubber 'winter' tees connected by strings like these ?

http://www.gamolagolf.co.uk/acatalog/Jumbo_Winter_Rubber_Golf_Tees.html

If so, they are definitely legal in the R&A; jurisdiction. I (and other colleagues) have a ruling from them.

Colleagues in the US have told me that the USGA has declared them non-conforming.

If you mean simple single tees, then the material is irrelevant

[Alistair]

My understanding is that R&A; and USGA rules are now synchronized.

Rule 11 talks about the teeing ground:

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.

Note the reference to a tee " on the surface of the ground".

Appendix 4 defines a conforming 'tee':

A tee is a device designed to raise the ball off the ground. A tee must not:

• be longer than 4 inches (101.6 mm);

• be designed or manufactured in such a way that it could indicate line of play ;

• unduly influence the movement of the ball; or

• otherwise assist the player in making a stroke or in his play.

Rule 11 seems to permit the kind of rubber tee being referred to and nothing in Appendix 4 appears to prohibit.  Others may know better.

[Rulesman]

I have both rulings and they are recent. The stance of both bodies has not changed to the best of my knowledge.

My understanding of the R&A; Rules Dept view is that the connected tees are traditional and were widely used before the definition took its present form. But more importantly, each element (ie rubber tee) is a device in its own right and is the thing " designed to raise the ball off the ground"

The USGA Equipment Dept says the whole composition is the device and the string " could indicate l ine of play "

Although the words in the Rules of Golf are exactly the same (except for the odd spelling mistake by the USGA ), the interpretation in this case is different.

[Alistair]

The original question was only whether rubber tees are illegal and they clearly are not.

I can see the potential problem if several are joined together by string, though it's a little bizarre a) to imagine someone lining several up with  string to indicate line of play; b) to imagine that would really be much of a help if someone did.

Putters can have extensive alignment aids, but I understand that laying something on the ground is different.

[RobbyDuzak]

Originally Posted by Alistair

The original question was only whether rubber tees are illegal and they clearly are not.

I can see the potential problem if several are joined together by string, though it's a little bizarre a) to imagine someone lining several up with  string to indicate line of play; b) to imagine that would really be much of a help if someone did.

Putters can have extensive alignment aids, but I understand that laying something on the ground is different.

Hi Everyone, Sorry I havent been on. The rubber tee is not connected by a string. Just a Rubber tee. So is that legal, It just raises off ground.

Thank you all for help.

[Rulesman]

I can now confirm that the USGA have changed their view re tees tied together with string. 

From: Equipment Rules and Conformance.

"The USGA recently adopted the interpretation of the R&A (in an effort to eliminate differences to ensure a common set of Rules and interpretations)."

Edited January 27, 2018 by Rulesman