Round vs. Rectangular tees

[Pete Buczkowski]

I've seen this topic brought up in passing numerous times on this board but never in any detail.  Some people are strong proponents of rectangular tees while they are few (if any) people in favor of round tees, sometimes degradingly referred to as "lily pads".  

Some questions:

- Did the majority of British and early American courses use rectangular tees?
- Is a course "tainted" if it doesn't use rectangular tees?
- Are some sites better suited to rounds tees than rectangular tees, or do most architects pick a shape and build all of their designs with that shape?  Are rectangular tees preferred at all times?
- Are there any courses that mix tee shapes?
- Does tee shape really matter, or is it just eye candy?  

These questions were spurred on by pics of a course that is "perfect", yet has round tees.  Any guesses?

Thanks,
Pete

[JESII]

Pete

I like this topic.

There is no strategic reason to use any particular shape tee, however there should be a consistency of shape and size throughout a golf course. Some holes will require more teeing ground than others; this might be because more than one set of markers are on that 'pad', or it is a par three where there is more damage done per player per usage, but the goal should be a consistency of shape and width that holds true on all 18 holes.

Just my opinion.

Jim

[Peter Galea]

My vote is for rectangular. They're called "tee boxes", not tee footballs or tee amoebas. "Oh, but they are not natural looking." What's natural about mowing grass down to 1/4 inch?

[A.G._Crockett]

As a practical matter, as distinguished from an artistic concern, I would think that the mowing time on a rectangular tee would be minimized somewhat.

(P.S. Pete B.-- Doesn't look like the weather really wants to cooperate with my plans to get to Finley over my Xmas trip to the Triangle; I'll postpone to spring break.)

[Brian_Gracely]

As a practical matter, as distinguished from an artistic concern, I would think that the mowing time on a rectangular tee would be minimized somewhat.

(P.S. Pete B.-- Doesn't look like the weather really wants to cooperate with my plans to get to Finley over my Xmas trip to the Triangle; I'll postpone to spring break.)

AG,

When were you planning to play at Finley?

[Mark Brown]

It changes with the times. In the 70s and 80s tech was in and all the tees on new courses had circular designs -- you could argue that nature doesn't have straight boxy lines. In the 90s when nostalgia and history drifted in because people didn't like the state of affairs we went forward to the past to model the classic courses that had boxy tees. In the coming decade who knows. The answer is blow'in in the wind... Maybe we'll go back to the long runway tees of RTJ.

[A.G._Crockett]

Brian,
I'm in Durham through next Monday (12/28), and was hoping to play a couple of times this week and Monday as well.  I'm playing at Hope Valley with some buddies tomorrow (Wed.), but then rain arrives on Thurs., then cold again by Monday.  I had promised Pete B. that I would take another look at Finley, which he loves and I don't, with an unbiased eye.  Looks like it'll have to wait until April when I'm back.

[Pete Buczkowski]

One advantage of the long runway tees is that there is plenty of room to vary the hole length for member play.  

I find the modern courses are a mix of boxy and round/oval tees - Strantz uses varying shapes for his tees at Royal New Kent and Tobacco Road, while the ones at Caledonia are more boxy than round.  Some of his tee designs lead to varying angles of play off the tee, which I like as a feature for member play.  The boxy tees usually don't have this feature - the architect has to build extra tees to accomplish this same result.

Did anybody think of the "bulletproof" modern course that uses round tees?  I've never heard it as a criticism of the course so that leads me to believe that the tee shape preference must be site-specific.

(P.S. Pete B.-- Doesn't look like the weather really wants to cooperate with my plans to get to Finley over my Xmas trip to the Triangle; I'll postpone to spring break.)

AG,  You are killin me man.  If you & Brian go out I might have to take a drive up there!    And I can accept the "bias" label - though its my feeling that anybody can be biased if they play enough rounds at their own home course.  Hopefully you will have nice weather during your visit w/ your family...you'll be able to get around Hillendale in 2 hours flat with that forecast!  I might find my way to Atlanta in the spring so hopefully we can get together again - let me know if your coaches' weekend brings you down this way.

Pete  

[JESII]

Pete,

Would you consider the 3rd or the 12th at Royal New Kent in your comments about angles from the tee?  

Jim

[Pete Buczkowski]

Pete,

Would you consider the 3rd or the 12th at Royal New Kent in your comments about angles from the tee?  

Jim

Jim,

I would definitely include the 3rd hole at RNK, but not sure about the 12th.  I've never seen anything like the 3rd hole at RNK, I think its the best par 3 I've seen from Strantz (TR 6 is close behind).  How RNK #3 is the 17 handicap I'll never know.  Your shot selection is definitely influenced by the tee angle, and the hill in front of the green makes it blind for some tee locations but not others.  Very intriguing hole that can't be accurately depicted by the diagram, but here it is anyways:



I don't think the 12th has the same effect, since the two distinct portions of the green are essentially oval in nature and don't require different shots depending on the angle.  The right bunker carries a slight influence if the pin is in front, but not from the back.



BTW when I played there the pin was in the center, where the green is 7 paces wide!  

[JESII]

You could probably confirm this, but I would guess that the width of teeing ground on #3 is about 150 yards. Pretty amazing on a 150-210 yard par three. For #12, the picture does not show it real well, but the back left tee offers a significantly different view than the furthest right, probably 75 or 80 yards.

Jim

[Brian_Gracely]

Brian,
I'm in Durham through next Monday (12/28), and was hoping to play a couple of times this week and Monday as well.  I'm playing at Hope Valley with some buddies tomorrow (Wed.), but then rain arrives on Thurs., then cold again by Monday.  I had promised Pete B. that I would take another look at Finley, which he loves and I don't, with an unbiased eye.  Looks like it'll have to wait until April when I'm back.

You're right about the weather, it looks marginal (at best) after tomorrow...I'm playing at Pine Needles...so we'd have to hope for a weather miracle to pull off Finley.  Or....if the weather gets better we could skip Finley and go play Tobacco Road for $29, which might be more fun all-around

Give me a call, 919-434-3105, if the weather doesn't scare you off over the weekend.

[Pete Buczkowski]

You could probably confirm this, but I would guess that the width of teeing ground on #3 is about 150 yards. Pretty amazing on a 150-210 yard par three. For #12, the picture does not show it real well, but the back left tee offers a significantly different view than the furthest right, probably 75 or 80 yards.

Jim

Jim,

Yes, that 3rd hole has amazing "width" in those tee boxes - 150 yards does not seem a stretch.  I hit a few tee balls there and it plays much different depending on your angle.   From the right box you have to have the direction correct, while from the left boxes the distance is more important.

I agree that the 12th pic doesn't accurately show the width of that teeing ground, but I just don't think it influences play that much because of the shape of the target.  Consider the back pin.  Does it really matter if you are coming from 50 yards further left?  IMHO it doesn't.  In fact I would say its a bit of overkill on this hole, just because you already have a green 86 yards in depth that has two distinct pin areas.  So why do you need to change the tee angle as well - especially if it doesn't change the hole very much?

[Mike Hendren]

The Rules Of Golf define the teeing area as being rectangular.  Good enough for me.

Ever tried mowing a circle with a walk-behind?  The advent of the riding mower made circular tees possible.  

Seems like the squared tee is more efficient as the front and back corners of a curvilear tee cannot be utilized.  

Should squared tees be consistent with straight-edged fairways?  

I am also on record of liking the runway.  It enhances elasticity and has a psychological effect - at least on me.

Mike

[Doug Siebert]

Mike,

Where's that rule you are quoting?  Sounds to me like it is a reference to the rectangular area defined by the two tee markers extending back two clublengths.

[Donnie Beck]

I prefer rectangular tees although they take considerable more time to mow.