Tee
The tee is the small peg on which the ball is placed at the start of the hole — and at the same time the name for the teeing area itself.
The double meaning shapes everyday golf. The accessory tee is a small peg made of wood or plastic, only a few centimetres long. You push it into the ground and place the ball on it. The area tee, in English the teeing ground, is the maintained teeing area of every hole, marked by the coloured tee markers. Every hole starts from the tee, and only within this area may you place the ball on the ground. Everywhere else, the basic rule applies: play the ball as it lies.
In practice, you set the height of the tee according to the club. One example: on the par 4, you push the tee in so deep that roughly the top half of the ball sits above the crown of the clubface of the driver lies. With a long iron or hybrid, you set it much lower, almost level with the ground. Within the markers and up to two club lengths behind them, you are free to choose where you tee up. If the tee breaks during the stroke, that does not matter: it counts neither as an obstruction nor does it give you any relief.
A common misconception: many believe the tee may be used anywhere on the course. In fact, teeing up is allowed only on the tee box. Placing the ball too high is also popular — this sends the ball steeply upward and loses distance. Anyone who accidentally plays from in front of the tee markers takes a two-stroke penalty in stroke play and must replay the stroke. And of course, the tee box is also home to the Tee Shot, the first stroke on every hole, which often decides how the rest of the hole plays out.
FAQ
Where exactly am I allowed to tee up the ball?
Only on the tee box of each hole, in the area between the two tee markers and up to two club lengths behind them. Anyone who accidentally plays from in front of the markers takes a two-stroke penalty in stroke play and must replay the stroke. Everywhere else on the course, the basic rule applies: play the ball as it lies.
How high should I place the ball on the tee?
That depends on the club. With the driver, roughly the top half of the ball should sit above the crown of the clubface, because you strike the ball on a slightly upward path. With a hybrid or long iron, you set the tee much lower, almost level with the ground — teed up too high, the ball shoots steeply upward and loses distance.
What happens if the ball falls off the tee?
As long as you have not yet made a stroke, you may simply place the ball back on the tee without penalty. If it falls during your swing and you swing anyway, the swing counts as a stroke — even if you miss the ball. So it is better to pause briefly and tee up again than to try to salvage a half swing.