Tees are arguably the most under-appreciated golf accessory. When looking to improve their game, most golf enthusiasts place a lot of emphasis on finding the right club, the right ball, the right shoes, and the right gloves. When it comes to the tee, most people just grab what they can find and start playing.

The one thing people tend to forget, or people that are new to the sport don’t know, is that the tee allows you to manipulate the ground so that you can make a better shot. A good tee helps you gain distance and be more accurate. Nonetheless, not all tees were created equal; some are better at the job than others.

This article will review the top 10 best golf tees on the market so you can know what to go for when looking to improve your overall game.

What Is a Golf Tee?

This is a small piece of golf equipment that features a broad, flattened head and a thin, sharpened shaft. Tees are typically made from plastic or wood. The thin part of the equipment is usually driven into the ground to allow the head to provide an even, elevated surface for the golf ball. Most tees measure about 2 ¾”, even though there are other sizes available. Golf tees also come in various colors.

Golf accessory manufacturers are continuously creating new tee designs in the bid to give their consumers an advantage over their rivals. This is why there are so many tee designs on the market today.

Another reason for looking into new designs is to adhere to current concerns. For example, manufacturers today are creating biodegradable tees in a bid to keep up with eco-friendly practices.

Features to Consider in Good Golf Tees

There are a variety of factors to consider when looking to purchase a golf tee. The most important ones include the following. We’ll break these down in more detail at the bottom of this guide.

Top 10 Best Golf Tees 2024

1. Best Overall Pick: ProActive Sports Martini

The Martini by ProActive Sports is another highly respected golf tee. These tees promise to take your game to the next level.

Design

The ProActive Sports Martini tees are designed to have a larger cup than regular tees. The reason for that design is so as to allow a tilt radius of up to 20 percent for people that desire to position the ball towards the direction of the hole.

As such, this allows an individual to get better at their game by making practice much easier. Tests on the product have revealed that Martini tees provide straighter and longer drives than regular wood tees. They come in various color choices, ranging from red, purple, blue and assorted colors.

USA Product

The Martini tee is designed and manufactured in the United States. This tee is not only one of the highest quality products in its category but is also legal to use in tournaments as per the USGA rules of golf.

This means that you can bring along Martini tees as part of your accessories during competition. These tees are a lot stronger than regular wooden tees thanks to their polymer resin blend, which means that they are very durable. Whereas wooden tees are expected to break consistently, these will last a long time before needing to be replaced.

Nonetheless, you only get 5 tees for the price, which is a little expensive even if they will last significantly longer than your average tee.

2. Best Wooden Tees: Pride Professional Tee System

Pride Professional is one of the most reputable companies in the industry. They have managed to acquire and maintain a reputation for manufacturing some of the highest quality tees in the industry to help you get the most satisfaction from your swings.

Design

Pride Professional’s tees are designed to be higher than most so as to allow you the highest launch angle. You can use these tees with 3, 4, or 5 woods as well as with any driver over 360c. Due to the superior quality of these tees, you should expect to achieve more quality hits as well as scores.

Pack Size

Regardless of whether you are a weekend warrior or a daily golfer, you can get the amount of tees that you require. You have the options of getting 20, 100 or 175 in a pack. The 2-pack set has 200 tees in total, 100 in each pack. As with most things, you get a lot more tees for your money with the larger packs, but you can also get a small pack first to see if they suit your needs.

3. Best Premium Option: GreenKeepers 4 Yards More Tees

One look at the GreenKeepers 4 Yards More tees, and you will notice that they are not your archetypical golf tees. This is because the GreenKeepers tees come in an unusual shape that is designed to help you achieve the longest drives possible.

Design

The unique shape of these tees might be one of the most original in the history of golf tees. GreenKeepers tees come with a flexible six-arm/prong tip that reduces spin and resistance. This makes the ball travel further when it is hit. The design also allows the club to make a fuller contact with the ball.

As mentioned before, tees are all built with different materials. Some break after just a couple of drives, while others are built to take as much punishment as possible before giving out. The GreenKeepers tees are in the latter group. One tee can give you as many as 100 drives, which means that they are built to last.

You will immediately notice the performance-enhancing capabilities of these tees once you hit your first drive. They are more expensive, however.

A pack contains only 4 tees, which can make the item feel pricey. But you need to remember that they are also among the most durable on the market, which means that you will not have to replace them as regularly as standard tees.

4. Wedge Guys PGA Approved Bamboo Golf Tees

Wedge Guys claim that their product is PGA approved and that using it will help you ‘putt like a champion.’

Design

Even though these tees are made out of bamboo, they are designed to be able to take a beating. The manufacturers claim that these tees have a tensile strength that rivals that of steel. That may be exaggeration but they are impressively durable. The tees come with a lacquer finish, which allows you to get a smoother shot without marking your clubface.

PGA and USGA Approval

The Wedge Guys tees are approved for use in the PGA. This particular company is considered as one of the leading brands in tees, especially for the durability of their products as well as being biodegradable. Therefore, if you are an environmentally conscious individual, these tees would be a good choice for you. You will also not be disappointed by their durability.

You get as many as 1000 tees in one package. This also means that you should be a wooden tee enthusiast before you make such a large purchase.

5. Best for Professionals: Zero Friction Tour 3-Prong Tees

Zero Friction is a company that has managed to get its name in the conversation of the best brands for golf accessories, which is not an easy feat to pull off. Zero Friction had the number one performance tee on the 2005 PGA tour. Since then, they have gone ahead to amass over 70 tour victories as part of the arsenal of top golfers. Therefore, the Tour 3-Prong tee is one of the favorites among professional golfers.

Design

If you are looking for a quality drive with as minimal resistance as possible during flight, the Zero Friction tee provides it. This tee is designed to occupy as little of the ball’s surface as possible. With less area being taken up by the tee, any contact you make with the ball will result in a straighter drive due to enhanced efficiency.

Variations

The Zero Friction Tour tee gives you quite the variety to choose from when it comes to colors and how many you would like. For colors, you can choose between blue, pink, and yellow and you can get between 10 and 40 in a pack.

6. JP Lann Step Down Tees

Design

These tees are designed to help out individuals with back problems that have a difficult time bending over. JP Lann Step Down Tees actually allow you to step on them so as to drive them into the ground. Their design helps individuals maintain the consistency of their shots.

Durability

The JP Lann Tees are made with quality in mind so they don’t break after a few drives. People who have used this particular brand of tees claim that they are less susceptible to breaking as compared to regular wood tees. What’s more, a pack can come with as many as 100 tees, thus ensuring that you do not have to replace them regularly.

Cost and Value

Being that wooden tees are the most susceptible to breaking, choosing to purchase these particular tees means that you should enjoy using wooden tees. If that’s the case, then you can expect great value for your money when you get JP Step Down Tees.

7. Brush T Golf Tees

The Brush T golf tees (pack of 3) is among the most unique tees on the market today. They are designed to reduce resistance so as to increase your distance when driving the ball.

Design

The Brush T golf tees features an oversized top. This design is meant to increase the tee’s longevity. Also, they are made from plastic, which means they don’t break easily and can be reused many times. Additionally, this brand of tees comes with a protective case, thus ensuring that you can help protect them from further wear and tear.

Reduced Resistance

As mentioned, the Brush T golf tees are designed to reduce resistance. Their design reduces the surface area of the ball that they cover. What this does is that it ensures that there is less friction as you drive your ball from the tee.

Moreover, this tee’s design also allows you to achieve better distance as well as a more consistent height per drive. When you combine all these factors, you will find that your swing will get better much faster.

As you can tell from their name, the Brush T golf tees only contains 3 tees in the package. For only 3 tees, the price is quite high. Nevertheless, this tee brand makes up for it in quality and material design. Professional or seasoned golfers are the main groups of golfers who should get the best value for their money from purchasing these tees.

8. Best Budget Pick: AckBrands Measure Tees

Quite a number of people swear that the AckBrands MeasureTees are the best tees in the business.

Design

These tees are designed to help people learn or perfect their swings. The AckBrands MeasureTees feature a height control marker design that allows you to determine the exact tee height that is ideal for you. Once you figure out which height allows you the best results, you will get a consistently good swing.

Wood or Plastic

The AckBrands tees come in either wood or plastic form. This means that whatever your preferred style of tee you can enjoy the tees this brand create.

Cost and Value

Due to their ability to help you practice your swing more effectively, the AckBrands MeasureTees offer great value for money for beginners or novices. Additionally, a pack of these tees can contain 30 plastic tees or 100 wooden tees, which is great value for money.

9. Callaway Performance

Callaway Performance tees are some of the most renowned tees in the industry. This is because the parent company, Callaway, is known for consistently producing high-quality golf accessories.

Design

Callaway Performance tees are made from some of the most durable plastic known to man. Their design also works to reduce side spin and friction, thereby enhancing the quality of your swing.

Impact Ribs

These golf tees have a design element known as ‘impact ribs,’ which allows you to exercise a stronger swing without damaging the tee.

Cost and Value

Callaway Performance tees contains only 3 tees while it costs about the same as a pack of 20 tees of some other brands. Nonetheless, the superior quality and craftsmanship of these tees make the cost worth it.

10. VersaGolf Premium Bamboo Golf Tees

Most of the golf tees out there are made out of plastic. As you can tell from its name, the VersaGolf tee is made out of bamboo.

Even though some people claim that bamboo tees are not as hardy as their plastic counterparts, the reality is that bamboo tees have some of the best drives and resistance-free rolls out there. They’re also bio-degradable, which means they’re more eco-friendly.

Design

Bamboo tees are more than just another type of wooden tee. VersaGolf bamboo tees are crafted from a specific type of bamboo that makes them up to 7 times stronger than ordinary wooden tees. As such, these tees are designed for longevity, meaning that they can take a beating an you can make a ton of drives of each tee before needing another one.

Another enticing thing about VersaGolf is that they do not hold back when it comes to the number of tees they include in a single package. You can get as many as 250 tees in one pack. The VersaGolf bamboo tees are great value for this reason.

Guide to Buying the Best Golf Tees

Why Use a Golf Tee?

A golf tee is used for the initial drive on every hole of a course. The elevation offered by the tee means the ball can be struck further and harder because the club can make a fuller contact on the ball. Therefore, golf tees are an essential part of any golfer’s equipment so they can start each hole with the best possible drive.

History of the Golf Tee

Players used to just tee their balls from mounds of dirt, but golfing accessories have come a long way since then. Fun fact, the dirt was kept in a box near the tee-off zone, hence the term “tee box” used today.

Two Scotsmen, Arthur Douglas and William Bloxsom are recognized as being the first individuals to use actual tees. Their patent is dated 1889, and its design specifications describe it as a small rubber plate with elevated ball support in the form of a hollow cylinder or upright prongs.

Dr. Grant is the one credited as the inventor of the wooden golf tee in 1991 by the United States Golf Association. Grant, however, did not manufacture or market his invention.

That honor went to another dentist instead, Dr. William Lowell from New Jersey, who went on to patent and sold the tee that eventually became the standard tee that we all know and love. Dr. Lowell named it the ‘Reddy Tee,’ and it was easy and cheap to produce en masse.

The rest, as they say, is history. Tees have come a long way with new designs emerging every day. Nevertheless, most of them still bear a strong resemblance to the Reddy Tee.

Guide to Materials Used to Make Golf Tees

The most common materials used to make tees include:

Plastic

Plastic tees are usurping wood tees to become the most popular types of tees on the market today. Even though they come in the same designs and sizes as wooden tees, plastic tees have the advantage of being more durable, which makes them a great choice to avoid having to repurchase your supply every so often. They often cost more but last longer.

Wood Tees

Wood is still the most common material used to make tees. Wooden tees come in all shapes, sizes, and colors.  The drawback to wooden tees, however, is that they are prone to breaking. Although they are expected to break and therefore come in large pack sizes, they do also end up littering the gold course. The upside to these tees is that they tend to be cheaper than their plastic counterparts and some golfers prefer their traditional appeal.

Bamboo Tees

Bamboo is also becoming increasingly popular in the manufacture of tees. This is because bamboo is easier to curve while being cheaper and more durable than wooden tees.

Rubber Tees

Tees made of rubber are specifically designed for hitting off driving range mats. As such, if you are unfortunate enough to be in a range that only has mats, then these are what you need. The advantage of rubber tees is that they do not break and once you buy them you’re set.

Guide to Different Tee Styles

With clubs and balls enjoying major improvements in design due to technological advancements, golf tees have been left in the dark for longer; however, that is no longer the case as tees are changing as well. In the past, you used to get a wood tee, and that was it. Today, there are different styles of tees, which include:

Standard Wooden Tees

As mentioned, these are what you should expect in a golfer’s bag most of the time. The wooden tee features a small cup at the top and a narrow shaft. This is the classic golf tee available in all sizes.

Friction-Free Tees

These are typically plastic tees that feature prongs at the top, which hold the ball. Friction-free tees, as you can tell from their name, are designed to reduce resistance. This allows you to achieve greater distances with your shots.

Brush Tees

These are a rare breed among tees as they are a fairly new design. They are typically made from plastic and come in various sizes. The distinct thing about them is that they have brushes at the top which stabilize the ball as it takes flight. Using brush tees has been shown to enhance shot accuracy as well as distance.

Anti-Slice Tees

These are a type of plastic tees that feature a cup at the back which supports the ball. This design has been shown to be effective at reducing the spin that causes slices and hooks. This is because, instead of hitting the ball, you hit the cup, which then transfer the energy to the ball.

Getting the Best Golf Tee for You

People often overlook the importance of quality when it comes to tees. Additionally, you also want to ensure that your tee conforms to standard regulations, such as having no indicators, not being longer than 4 inches, and designed in a way that it affects its direction of movement.

The purpose of a tee is simple; to elevate the ball. Even though that sounds basic, you also want to ensure that your tee is not as susceptible to friction as many basic tees as that will compromise lift and distance.

This is why we recommend pronged tees as they reduce the surface area of the ball that is in contact with the tee, which helps reduce friction. However, they sacrifice balance so as to achieve that feat. This means that the 3-pronged tees are more suitable for seasoned golfers. Beginners will be better off working with 4 or 5-pronged tees as they are more stable in addition to reducing friction significantly.

You also want your tee to be made of durable material, as this will ensure that you do not keep going back to the store for replacements. As mentioned, wooden tees are the most susceptible to breaking. Breaking a tee upon impact not only destroys your accessory but also affects the direction and distance of your ball. We recommend for beginners to look for durable plastic tees as there’s a good chance that you will break a lot of wood tees.

You should also consider value for your money, especially when dealing with similar tees from different brands. If the tees are of similar quality, check out the number of pieces that come with the package. Obviously, you want a package that contains a good number of tees, as that will ensure that you do not keep having to buy more.

You may also want to think about the color that you go for. As mentioned, green tees will be a pain to find in the grass. Therefore, do not go for green tees, and opt for a more conspicuous color instead.

If you are looking to enhance your aim and balance and distance is not of priority right now, then we would recommend going for a tee with a wide top. And if you are practicing on a mat, then you will want to go for a golf tee with a sturdy base that can grip the mat.

Final Thoughts

Most people do not know that golf tees have such diversity and range to them. Nonetheless, in the bid to get even the slightest competitive edge, golf accessories manufacturers are leaving no stone unturned. The right tee should help enhance your game. we hope this guide has been of help.