What if they banned the golf tee?

[Grant Saunders]

Just flicked on the British Masters to here the commentator give the viewers a history on the evolution of the golf tee. He explained how the original concept began as using small mounds of sand which then led into the wooden and plastic tees used today.

This got me thinking as to how it would effect the game if rules were to stipulate no more using of golf tees and balls must be played from the turf. I would imagine that all these big headed, deep faced drivers would be rendered pretty much useless when players are no longer allowed to tee the ball 2 inches plus in the air. Even if the rule was to enable sand to be used still, it would take some skill to hit the ball cleanly with one of the large clubs.

Would players attempt to hit the driver off the ground or would they revert to 3 woods and long irons off the tee?

Would this be an effective way to nullify the distances achievable and thus protect the golf course from being reduced to pitch and putt?

[JSlonis]

It'll never happen.

[Adam Clayman]

Grant, besides the above conclusion your premise is off. Hitting big face drivers off the deck is not all that hard. Maybe it's not optimization but the ball still will go beyond 300 yards off the deck.

[Matt_Cohn]

I think people would learn how to construct little mounds and tufts of turf that would approximately make up for the lack of tee, though not entirely.

Can we still use wet sand?

What if the rules said you had to drop the ball on the teebox? Or that you could place it in the tee, but you may not alter the turf at all?

Adam, I can hit my driver off the deck easily and consistently, but it goes at least 30 yards shorter than it does from a tee. And on an uphill hole, I'd be screwed!

[Grant Saunders]

Adam. How much of that 300 yds is carry and how much roll?
Can you hit a high draw or shape shots as easily? Would you try it on a long carry or to cut the corner of a hole?
I feel a big problem is the length people are now able to carry a golf ball. If a golfers can hit a ball 325 yds and 290 of that is carry, you now need fairway bunkers 290 yds from the tee. If a player can hit the ball 325 yds and only 250 of this is carry the same bunker only needs to be 250 off the tee. The extra 75 yds roll is only useful if there is nothing but flat ground.

I seem to recall Tom Lehman winning the Open and using his driver off the deck on the 17th or 18th hole because there was ob left and he wanted to take his natural draw out of the equation. He was playing a taylor made titanium burner at the time which is much smaller and shallow faced than most of todays drivers.
Has anyone got any other examples of players not using tees with a driver?

[JESII]

The guys that actually matter in this whole distance debate would unfortunately have scientists build them clubs with one or two degrees more loft...better initial lift...and stick a shaft in them that optimizes their ball flight ...net result, Tiger might lose 10 yards...you and I would add 5 strokes to our handicaps...BUT...I think it is a good idea, I seriously do. It would identify the best ball strikers more clearly.

[Grant Saunders]

Matt.

Sure, wet sand if it is raining and already wet.

[Matt_Cohn]

Woody Austin at Southern Hills.

Oh wait, it went in the trees - right, of course.

Laura Davies everywhere.

[Joe Bausch]

I know one fellow that would be all for banning the golf tee, particular red ones.  That's Aaron Baddeley.  I mean, gosh, he came out on Sunday at Oakmont ready to win his first major and there is Tiger showing off his tri's and pec's.  How in the world could he concentrate with that red tee TW had on...

Oh, you meant banning wooden golf tees!

Never mind!
Emily Litella

[Joe Hancock]

Years of honing my skills as a teesmith, and now you fine fellows, currently employed, want to take away my livelihood and force me to develop a new career at this late stage of my life. Bastards....

 

Joe
Owner and Proprietor of Joe's Teesmithery, specializing in building custom tees and restoration of modern and classically designed wooden tees.

[Jim_Kennedy]

Grant,
Superintendents everywhere are lining up to lynch you as we speak.  

[Doug Ralston]

V J has done it even off the tee.

I still wanna know what his 9-wood [seeing him hit it 275yd] REALLY is!

Doug

[Grant Saunders]

Jim

The resurgance in the importance of ball striking and correct swing path means they would have to get to me through the teaching pros with the fat wallets.

[Jim_Kennedy]

Grant,
After I spend an extra couple of minutes per hole watching the group ahead fill divots on every tee box, and then spend a few more minutes watching them walk to their topped shots, and then spend a couple more minutes waiting for them to make the proper club selection/go through their whole routine again, I may offer to bring the rope to the party.  

[Peter Pallotta]

"Owner and Proprietor of Joe's Teesmithery, specializing in building custom tees and restoration of modern and classically designed wooden tees."

Joe,
it's amazing to me how many opportunities you get to promote your Teesmithery on this board.

And yet, business can't be going very well, can it?  I hope I'm wrong, but I'm guessing that all these new tee-restoration 'experts' are cutting into your business.

By the way, what do you charge for restoring a classic tee, includng the master plan?

Peter    

Jim Kennedy: Please remember to be kind. That foursome you'd be following could very likely include me!

[Joe Hancock]

Peter,

My business is under constant attack from conspiracy theories, such as the one stated above, to "freebies" given away at posh clubs that these miscreants belong to. Also, foreign built tees have driven the price of new tees down. On top of that, new materials such as corn starch and space age plastics have reduced the customers need for a teesmith. I don't know how much longer I can fend off this barrage of misfortunes.

But, don't worry about me. I have several irons in the fire, so to speak. As i am one of those entremanure type fellows, I am always involving myself with new opportunities. I may soon jump into the snack food business, as it seems every one of these posh clubs I visit has jars/bowls/cups full of all manner of tidbits for these miscreants to munch on...presumably to induce more beverage purchases. I have a couple ideas that I think will be "the winning putt", if you catch my drift.

 

[Tim Gavrich]

I actually find that if I dig up a little earth-tee and hit my 3 wood off of it, the contact is usually pretty solid and I can hit a low screamer into the wind.  People look at me funny when I do it, though  .

[Forrest Richardson]

Check this thread:

http://www.golfclubatlas.com/forums2/index.php?board=1;action=display;threadid=794

[Jim_Kennedy]

Peter,
I hope I wasn't being unkind, just jabbing at theory vs. reality.

[Tony Ristola]

I'd slam my new shallow faced driver into the ground to create a mound, and perch my ball on it. It's nothing new; that was a practice used about 25 years ago when the Taylor Made Original One hit the market. The idea was to take a little spin off the ball.

[Mike McGuire]

Woody Austin at Southern Hills.

Oh wait, it went in the trees - right, of course.

Perhaps Woody hit driver because he knew it wouldn't go left. Under pressure maybe not a bad idea?

[Brad Swanson]

The guys that actually matter in this whole distance debate would unfortunately have scientists build them clubs with one or two degrees more loft...better initial lift...and stick a shaft in them that optimizes their ball flight ...net result, Tiger might lose 10 yards...you and I would add 5 strokes to our handicaps...BUT...I think it is a good idea, I seriously do. It would identify the best ball strikers more clearly.

Would it ID the better ball strikers, or those with more time and jack to spend on the equipment optimization?

Cheers,
Brad

[TEPaul]

I completely agree with Jamie Slonis's Reply #1 and Jim Kennedy's Reply #10.

Grant, to those replies I would add that the manufacturers are probably taking out a contract hit on you as we speak and a mega-company like Weyerhauser will probably pay for about half the cost of that contract hit.

[JESII]

The guys that actually matter in this whole distance debate would unfortunately have scientists build them clubs with one or two degrees more loft...better initial lift...and stick a shaft in them that optimizes their ball flight ...net result, Tiger might lose 10 yards...you and I would add 5 strokes to our handicaps...BUT...I think it is a good idea, I seriously do. It would identify the best ball strikers more clearly.

Would it ID the better ball strikers, or those with more time and jack to spend on the equipment optimization?

Cheers,
Brad

Brad,

My first few words of that post were intended to say that the only ones that matter in the distance debate are the Tour players...and they don't have any trouble getting optimized[/i].

I know there are guys at all levels hitting the ball miles, but I don't think any of them are rendering courses obsolete by hitting it over fairway bunkers and shooting 75...