Best Golf Tees
Best Overall Golf Tees
Best Golf Tees for Beginners
Best Golf Tees for High Handicap
Best Unbreakable Golf Tee
Golf Tees Quick Guide
According to the USGA rules on devices and other equipment, tees 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.
As long as your golf tees fit the above parameters, you have full flexibility in terms of material, style, and design of your particular tees. From choosing your material to choosing your length; how can you be sure that you are finding the sweet spot of value and performance with your golf tee selection? That’s where our comprehensive golf tee review guide comes in, presenting you with our research and findings on the best golf tees in the market.
Best Material for Golf Tees
When selecting the material of your golf tees you should be on the lookout for two important factors: performance and durability. Each type of material has pros and cons, so we encourage golfers to keep a variety of tees with them on the course in order to find the best fit for their needs. Below we explore three of the most commonly used materials; wood, bamboo and plastic.
Wood Tees
Wooden tees are the most cost-efficient and commonly used by all skill levels of golfers, from beginners to seasoned pros. They are easily shaped, painted and personalized to your specific preferences. Although their stiffness is good for performance, they tend to break more easily than plastic golf tees.
Bamboo Tees
Bamboo golf tees are not only inexpensive but they are also environmentally friendly, making them an increasingly popular choice for golfers as well. They do not break as easily as wooden tees, providing a tremendous cost savings due to their reusability.
Plastic Tees
Plastic tees are more durable than wooden tees in that they won’t snap in half during a powerful drive, but golfers should still be mindful as they may bend over time. Although plastic tees are less environmentally friendly, they do reduce friction and resistance between the ball and the tee more than their wooden counterparts.
Best Length of Golf Tees
Understanding the height of your tee is equally as important as understanding the material. The most common tee lengths are 2.75, 3.25 and 4 inches. The length of your golf tee is ultimately a matter of personal preference and swing form.
As a general rule of thumb you want to tee the ball high enough so that at least half of the ball is above the club head when you address the ball with your woods, and with irons and hybrids the ball should be just slightly above the ground.
Once you’ve determined your preferred tee height, you can take advantage of some pretty innovative tees that can “save” the height for you.
Smaller Tees
When teeing off with a fairway wood, a hybrid club, or iron you will want to use the smallest tees. Anywhere from 1.5 – 2.75 inches is an optimal tee height for a clean strike.
Taller Tees
When using a driver off the tee you will want to use a 3.25 or 4 inch tee to achieve maximum height and distance. If you feel that your drives are not getting the maximum distance they could be, ensure that you are teeing the ball high enough to reduce the backspin.
Best Overall Golf Tees
It’s at this point you may be asking, ‘What are the best golf tees?’ In our opinion, the Pride Performance PTS (Professional Tee System) represents the best of the best. With five stars spanning 1,750 reviews on Amazon, many other golfers seem to agree.
These tees come in 5 different lengths organized by a proprietary color-coding system, taking the guesswork out of choosing which tee to use with each club. When you are able to easily choose the correct tee for every shot, it can help your performance by keeping your strokes consistent from hole to hole.
With the variety in lengths, you don’t have to worry about scrounging for another golfer’s abandoned short tee on a par three tee box.The Pride Performance PTS tees are engineered with special low-resistance heads that reduce the friction between the golf ball and tee, allowing you to make cleaner contact with every swing. It’s the small engineering details of these tees that add up to make a truly great golfing experience for those who use them.
They are available in a durable plastic material or standard hardwood and also utilize a four-prong tip to give the golf ball a steady platform. The only thing you have to do is remember to pick up your tee after you take your shot and one package of 30 tees can last you dozens of rounds.
Best Golf Tees for Beginners
For beginner golfers looking to get the most value out of their tees, look no further than the Wedge Guys Professional Bamboo Golf Tee. Praised as one of the best options on the market, these tees are more durable than wooden tees and are manufactured using a highly renewable resource, saving costs and the environment. Durability is important for beginner golfers since you may be breaking many tees while you train if you stick to traditional wooden tees.
As a beginner, you should always choose the option to use a tee when it is presented to you. Even though professional golfers might opt to hit from the turf, teeing up the ball will improve your chances of having a consistent shot since air will always offer less resistance. Since you will be using many tees, often, Bamboo tees are a great low-cost and high-durability option.
Bamboo tees are also easier on your more costly equipment. Their gentle, yet strong and water-resistant material is less likely to mark up your club face or jam mower blades. These tees are the perfect balance of functionality and durability.
One package contains 250 biodegradable tees, perfect for beginner golfers looking to save money and the environment. The Wedge Guys also offer an 30-day, 100% satisfaction guarantee with every purchase, so you can buy with full confidence that your new tees will exceed your expectations.
Best Golf Tees for High Handicap
A classic choice, the Pride Professional ProLength Plus 3.25 inch Wood Tee remains one of the best wood golf tees for any golfer, but especially those looking to lower their high handicap. Playing golf is all about confidence and consistency, and these tees provide both. High handicappers can benefit from consistently using tees since having the ball sitting up on the tee makes it easier for the vast majority of golfers to play the tee shot.
Made of 100% natural hardwood, these Pride tees feature extra durability and reduced breaking after impact. Their proprietary color-coding system is utilized by professional golfers around the globe so they know how far to place their tee into the ground, setting up the perfect shot every time. Being able to play and practice with consistency over time will help you to lower your handicap. These tees are perfect for drivers over 360cc.
The Pride tee’s popularity comes as no surprise due to their flexibility of use with a variety of clubs and their ability to reduce resistance. High-handicappers can use these tees on every hole to lower their handicap and get a boost in confidence from seeing the golf ball sitting up so nicely on a tee.
Best Unbreakable Golf Tee
The Green Keepers 4 Yards More Golf Tee are plastic tees that feature an innovative and dynamic 6-prong crown that flexes with the force of your drive. This new technology reduces friction for more accurate drives when compared against a basic hollowed-out tee top.
Not only does this tee help golfers achieve longer, straighter drives, it also offers the best in durability, with a guaranteed 100 shots off the same tee. Although the unit cost for these tees is higher than others, their durability is good for both your budget and the environment.
These tees are also visually appealing with their futuristic, high-tech appearance. Using plastic tees also enhances the beauty and appearance of the golf course itself due to the elimination of unsightly broken tees that can cause damage to expensive equipment such as lawn mowers.
FAQs about Golf Tees
How can I organize my golf tees?
For easy access to your golf tees, you can use this Tee Keeper Golf Tee holder. This accessory gives you quick and easy access to six golf tees which are included with your purchase.
The tees that are provided are 3.25’’ but the accessory can hold various types of tees and tee lengths. The snap hook easily attaches to the outside of your golf bag, eliminating the need for rummaging around in multiple pockets to find your perfect tee.
What tees should I use for practice on a driving range mat?
If you are looking to practice your swing using a driving range mat, you may need a specific type of tee. Look no further than the Bizbon Rubber Golf Tees for Driving Range Mats.
Made of a high-quality rubber, these reusable tees are durable and will not break like their wooden counterparts. The variety pack comes with two tees in three different sizes – 1.5’’, 2.5’’ and 3.5’’.
The tees have an extra wide base for enhanced stability and can be used not only indoors but outdoors as well.
What tees do professional golfers use?
Surprisingly, many professional golfers use the free tees that are provided to them at a given tournament. Whether you are looking to keep it simple like the pros, or experiment with your tee choice, the most important factor is ensuring consistent usage of the golf tee.
Does the height of the tee affect driving distance?
Yes, your tee height should take into consideration the goal of your swing as it will affect the driving distance of the ball.
- Tee high: Use a tall tee height when your goal is to get as much distance as you can. Teeing the ball too low increases the backspin on the ball, meaning less distance, especially when playing into wind. For best results, ensure that you are hitting up on your golf balls by making contact with the ball as you are on your way to following through with your swing.
- Tee low: High tees are great for distance but sacrifice accuracy. If you need to improve your accuracy use a shorter tee height.
Why do I break so many tees?
With large metal clubs swinging at wood at speeds of ~100mph, tee breakage is inevitable. You may notice that as the seasons shift into summer you break more tees as there is no give in the soil. PRO TIP – Do not place the tee very far into the ground. You want it to pop out upon impact instead of breaking.