William Lowell's Patent For The Modern Golf Tee

Golf is high-tech these days. Club design, swing analysis, ball construction, and even course maintenance all integrate the latest technological advances. As a result, it is easy to overlook that one of the most profound and lasting impacts on the sport came from a low-tech invention: the golf tee.

Tee it Up

Golf is an old game, dating back to the 15th century in Scotland. Originally, players would scoop up a small mound of dirt or sand and balance the ball on top before before taking their first swing. This was not only messy and time consuming, but also inconsistent, as the height and stability of the mound could vary greatly, affecting the quality of the shot.

In the late 1800s, golfers began experimenting with different portable, manufactured tee designs. Among the first was a design by two Scots that used a rubber plate with upright prongs and rested on top of the ground: