Teeing Ground - Wikipedia

Area where play begins in a hole of golf

The teeing ground is the area where play begins in a hole of golf. The terms tee, tee box, and "teeing ground" are synonymous. The name derives from the physical device used to elevate a golf ball before striking it to commence play.

The boundaries of the teeing ground are defined by a pair of tee markers. The front, left and right sides of the tee are denoted by the outer edges of the tee markers, assuming the perspective of a player standing in the teeing ground and facing the hole. The teeing ground is two club-lengths in depth. Playing from outside the teeing area or from the wrong tee is a breach of the rules of golf.[1][2]

Most courses have different colour-coded sets of tee markers, which allow them to be played from a variety of different distances, often to suit players of different abilities. The foremost tee was traditionally designed to accommodate the shorter drives of women, and was referred to as the "ladies tee", with tee boxes of increasing difficulty being placed further back.[3][4]

Classic colour system

[edit]

British golf courses typically adopted a colour-coded system based on tee distance,[5] in descending distance order:

• White - club competitions or championship events, generally use is forbidden outside of competition events
• Yellow - standard men's tees, may be known as gold
• Red - traditionally the women's tees, the most forward available
• Blue or green - further-forward junior, beginner, senior, or winter tees to aid course management under soft ground

The colour-coded system is generally still existent in golf's native United Kingdom, but has somewhat diverged to new rationales internationally.

References

[edit]

1. ^ Ellwood, Jeremy (March 11, 2021). "Rules of Golf: The Teeing Area". Golf Monthly. Retrieved June 26, 2022.
2. ^ "Teeing ground". "Rules of Golf", United States Golf Association. Archived from the original on April 4, 2005. Retrieved April 5, 2005.
3. ^ "Handicapping". BBC Sport. 16 September 2005. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
4. ^ Bissett, Fergus (31 March 2022). "What Are Gender Neutral Tees?". Golf Monthly. Retrieved 27 June 2022.
5. ^ Handicapping. BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 January 2026.

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