Anyone interested in a tee that you don't have to stick in the ground

[MiniBlueDragon]

It's not just slanted tee boxes, it's tee box divots, sand/seed mix patches, uneven mowing etc that would cause an issue with it balancing I'd say. Also what about grass height? If it sits *on* the grass there'd be a fair amount of height difference (on the very same tee box) between a freshly mown vs one day before the next mowing surface.

For me the lack of consistent height for each shot would irritate me; that's also why I moved away from Castle Tees.

On a positive note it's nice to see people trying to innovate so good luck! :)

[mrjackhunter]

Yes, I've done a pretty exhaustive patent search and filed for a patent.  Nothing quite like this out there.

[Phil McGleno]

Yes, I've done a pretty exhaustive patent search and filed for a patent.  Nothing quite like this out there.

There may be a reason for that.

[Club Rat]

@mrjackhunter after reading through the post.

Maybe also consider a method to make your product adjustable by using only the tripod to hold a regular tee.

Slide a regular tee into the middle of the tripod to a desired height.

With the tripod being a half inch tall, it would accommodate various tee lengths.

Club Rat

[cristphoto]

I'd guess it would have to be made from plastic or rubber and not wood. Then they would last longer.

[RayG]

How would that tee do on a slanted tee box, which is a far too common occurrence on public courses?  At least a peg in the ground can be inserted to support the ball in a more horizontal manner.  This wouldn't, unless you'd build some "adjustable" legs: good luck then to keep the price reasonable...

For a three legged tee to be THAT unlevel on a "slanted" tee box, that would have to be some slant. Sure, we've played on some that are domed a bit, cupped a bit and a little tilted, but none have ever been that bad. IT would be enough to not play there.

[Shorty]

I'd guess it would have to be made from plastic or rubber and not wood. Then they would last longer.

Yes, but carving them from wood would be easier to do and they'd certainly be cheaper.

[jamo]

I'm somewhat confused. The tees that golf mats have - the white rubber things - they sell those in stores You can buy them at different heights. I'll check my bag tomorrow, but I believe I've even got some tees that are thinner, lighter plastic that would see to serve the same purpose as the OP's product. There's also the problem of fabrication. Something like that couldn't be made out of wood, and to make it out of plastic or a firm rubber would be much more expensive than the more simple ones I mentioned.

[Golfingdad]

Hi group,

I am new here.  I am a small inventor who loves the game of golf. Since last summer, I have been working on a new golf tee invention.   It all started on a hot summer day during a round of golf.  It hadn’t rained in weeks and the ground was like concrete.   My golf buddies and I were routinely breaking our wooden tees just trying to force them into the ground.   When we succeeded,  the golf ball was usually teed up too high because our tees couldn’t penetrate the hard ground deep enough.   That’s when the idea came to me.   I wasn’t looking to come up with the latest golf invention.   I just had an image in my mind suddenly of a golf tee that was supported by three legs with little round feet. I went home and, being a woodworker, made a few prototypes out of wooden buttons with parts of cut up wooden teen stuck into them.   Anyway, I have applied for a patent and have some working drawings. I just need some feedback to see if anyone else likes this idea.   Here is a picture of it.

Anyway, let me know your honest opinion. Does this tee have merit?  Is it something you would try?

Thanks.

Jack

I suppose that it would be nice to have that option IF there was ever a scenario like you described where I couldn't get a regular tee into the ground.  But in my life, that has never happened.  Sure, sometimes its harder ground and its a little more difficult to get the tee in, but never impossible.

And it's not something I'd ever prefer over a regular tee because A) I have less control over tee height, and B) it's going flying and getting lost.

It's not something I would buy, but I wish you luck.

[Pretzel]

I suppose that it would be nice to have that option IF there was ever a scenario like you described where I couldn't get a regular tee into the ground.  But in my life, that has never happened.  Sure, sometimes its harder ground and its a little more difficult to get the tee in, but never impossible. And it's not something I'd ever prefer over a regular tee because A) I have less control over tee height, and B) it's going flying and getting lost. It's not something I would buy, but I wish you luck.

It happens frequently in Colorado. You'll break every tee in your bag if you don't find the right spot on certain tee boxes in the winter.

[mrjackhunter]

Thanks to everyone for your input.  Some of your concerrns are the same ones I have.   Today, I got my first prototypes in.  Here are the pics.

The three sizes are 1.5", 2.0" and 2.5".   Patch had expressed concern that they wouldn't fit in his pocket.   Turns out even the big one is not that bulky.

As far as the tee flying, I need to do more testing but I hit three drives from my yard and all the tees did was tip over. Of course someone

with a better swing may have different results.I know the wooden tees I made had more of a tendency to tumble than to fly.

Anyway, here is a peek at the prototypes.  The final product will be made by injection molding using some type of high impact plastic.

[Shorty]

To the OP:

Do not waste another minute or dollar on this project unless you are doing it for yourself for fun. Seriously.

The support prongs on the base are going to interfere with the club at address either physically or psychologically.

A vertical line from the outward extremity of the base means you can get your club close to the ball but you'll see the tee.

It's an interesting idea, but who wants something standing between their club and the ball? Many people like their club almost touching the ball at address.

[David in FL]

@mrjackhunter just a thought after reading through the post. Maybe also consider a method to make your product adjustable by using only the tripod to hold a regular tee. Slide a regular tee into the middle of the tripod to a desired height. With the tripod being a half inch tall, it would accommodate various tee lengths. Club Rat

Remembering that the only reason to even consider something like this is because you can't get regular a tee into the hard ground, where is the extra length of the tee going to go as you push it through the hole? ;-)

[mrjackhunter]

Thanks Shorty.  I appreciate your concern.  Here is a picture with golf balls.   I'm not sure how the legs will interfere.

[Shorty]

Not as worrisome as I thought, but a lot of people don't like seeing the tee.

I suppose, though, if you're unable to get a tee in the ground it could work.

What about teeing grounds that aren't flat, which is most? By that I mean longer grass and bumpy ground, not sloping tees.

[bradsul]

@Shorty to use tees like this before?  They're visible below the ball as well, I've not heard anyone make that complaint about them.  Well aside from having to use them to begin with, but that's another issue entirely!

OP I'm digging those, if you ever want a Canadian tester let me know! Though I can't do much until late March or April sadly.  Any thoughts on an iron version?

[jamo]

I still failing to realize how the OP product is better than something like this: Those white ones are cheap, familiar, ubiquitous, durable, they stick to the ground quite well. The advantages of yours are...? (I'm not trying to be a dick here, so I apologize if it's coming off that way. Either I'm missing something or this product is a futile effort.)

[billchao]

I still failing to realize how the OP product is better than something like this: Those white ones are cheap, familiar, ubiquitous, durable, they stick to the ground quite well. The advantages of yours are...? (I'm not trying to be a dick here, so I apologize if it's coming off that way. Either I'm missing something or this product is a futile effort.)

@mrjackhunter , this is pretty much what I said from the beginning. The rubber tees are durable, cheap, and you can cut them to custom lengths. They're easy to spot in the grass when they go flying, and you can even draw on them if that's your thing. I just don't see the need for an alternative product. Sure, people will probably buy it for novelty, but how can you sustain a business model from that? How much do they cost to make, and how much can you reasonably charge for it? If it's durable, people would only need to buy it once (I own exactly two of those 4 yards more tees, had them for years), so you'd have to get them in a lot of golf bags to make any money. It's a neat idea, but unfortunately I don't believe there is a market for it. I really hope you don't spend too much money on this idea.