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Understanding what equipment professional golfers use can help to inform your decision about the best golf gear to add to your bag this season.
So, with that in mind, what golf tees do pros use?
This article looks closely at the types of tees that professional players use and why they use them.
We also explain the best tees for beginner golfers and whether or not it’s worth replicating the pros when choosing the best tees for your game.
What Golf Tees Do Pros Use?
As with golf clubs and balls, professional golfers use a whole host of different tees out on the golf course, and a lot depends on their preferences.
That being said, most pros use some form of a wooden tee, as opposed to plastic.
The most used golf tees on the PGA Tour right now are Pride Professional Tee System, which comes in various lengths – from 1.5 – 4.0.*
Although professional golfers use them, they’re available at a great price point, making them a good option for recreational players.
Some professional golfers have switched to bamboo golf tees, as they offer more durability than wooden tees, given the number of balls they strike.
Green Swing has an excellent range of bamboo tees popular with pros.
So, read on to find out what you need to know about the tees that professional golfers use and why they use them.
Do pros use plastic or wooden tees?
Most professional golfers use hardwood tees.* It’s difficult to say precisely why professional players stick to wooden tees, but it’s likely due to tradition and the fact that they have been the tee of choice of golfers for generations.
It’s also fair to say that you can spend too much time thinking about the impact of a golf tee, as for most people, there’s not a huge difference between using a plastic or wooden tee.
For professional golfers, the most important thing is the tee’s size and height, and they will carry multiple packs of tees in their bag for this reason.
This is why Pride Professional Tee System tees are so popular with professional golfers, as they’re wooden tees with a simple color-coded system that makes it easy for professionals to pick out the right tees from their bag for every shot.
What Length Golf Tees Do Pros Use?
The length of the tee that a professional golfer uses depends on the shot they’re making and the club they’re using.
However, most professional players stick to 2.75” tees when it comes to the driver.***
Previously, the ideal tee length for a driver was said to be 2.15”, but because modern driver heads have significantly increased in size, so too have the length of the tees required to hit the perfect drive.
Professional players switch to tees measuring 1-1.5 inches when playing irons and fairway woods, depending on how they execute their golf swings.
So, you can use these tee lengths as a guide, but you should be mindful that every golfer is slightly different.
You should practice out on the range to discover the best tee length for your game and to ensure that you can execute your shots correctly.
What Tees Do Senior PGA Pros Use?
Senior PGA pros use the same length, style, and brand of tees as PGA Tour pros. After all, a tee doesn’t make a great difference to how you strike the ball, and tee selection isn’t as important as a ball or club selection.
That being said, you might have seen PGA seniors playing with colorful plastic tees at certain events.
This is to do with visibility, as colorful plastic tees are easier to find in the grass than white or brown wooden tees.
But ultimately, there isn’t much difference between the tees used by senior professionals and those on the standard PGA Tour.
So, you don’t need to worry about switching to different tees when you become a senior player!
Should Beginners Use the Same Tees as Pros?
There’s no reason beginner golfers shouldn’t use the same tees as professional players.
For instance, Pride Professional Tee System tees are widely available at pro shops and online and represent great value for money for anyone looking for an affordable bag of tees to get started with.
However, you don’t necessarily need to buy a bag of tees just because pros use them, and there are so many different tees that you can turn to if you’re starting.
When you’re new to golf, the cost is one of the biggest things to think about, so the last thing you want is to overspend on tees, which are likely to break anyway!
So, our advice is to head to a local golf retailer (or look online) for a generous bag of 100+ tees for $5 – $10.
You don’t need to worry about whether professionals play them, as they will serve you well when you’re just starting.
Then, when you hone your skills and start improving, you can think more about whether you prefer plastic or wooden tees and purchase them accordingly for your golf bag.
Can Pros Use Martini tees?
Yes, professional golfers can use Martini tees, and according to the company’s website, at least one PGA professional has played Martini on Tour. Several LPGA golfers also use the tees.
However, Martini hasn’t disclosed which players use their tees, even though they’ve been around on Tour since 2011.
If you’re unfamiliar with Martini tees, they’re named as such due to their unique design and the fact that they resemble a Martini glass.
This helps to cup the golf ball and can help players hit the ball straighter and longer, particularly if the “Martini Twist” is employed.
You can find Martini tees online at various golf retailers, and they’re a great option to add to the bag if you’re looking for a durable golf tee to play this season.
Do Golf Tees Make a Difference?
The most important thing to consider when choosing a golf tee is its length. If you use a golf tee that is too short or too long for the club and shot in question, it will almost certainly result in a duffed shot.
Generally, you need to play a longer tee (2.50 – 4.00) for a driver and a shorter tee (1.00 – 2.00) for fairway woods and irons.
Of course, you don’t need to buy different tees if you don’t want to – you can press longer tees further into the ground using irons or woods.
As every golfer is slightly different, it’s essential to spend some time on the range, working out the ideal length of tees for each club in your bag.
Then, you can order the correct length of tees for your game to ensure that you can hit the ball consistently off the tee.
Are Some Golf Tees Better than Others?
As with all golf equipment, some tees are undoubtedly better than others. Some wooden tees are flimsy and of low quality, while some plastic tees are also made from poor-quality plastics.
But generally, if you’re a beginner golfer, we wouldn’t recommend spending much time worrying about the tees you’re using.
Decide whether you’re more comfortable with wooden or plastic tees, and buy a few packs for a low price to get you started.
As you improve your game and get a better feel for your tee shots, you might wish to upgrade your tees, but this isn’t overly important when you’re just starting out!
So, grab a well-priced pack of golf tees and swing away without giving it too much thought!
Conclusion
The bottom line is that most professional golfers use a hardwood tee, and Pride Professional Tee System tees are one of the most popular brands with pros.
Some professionals are switching to bamboo tees for their improved durability, while others use plastic tees, although they’re not as common.
But if you’re starting in golf, don’t worry about which tees to play, as they don’t make a huge difference in how you strike the ball.
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