Do Driving Ranges Have Tees? 

Most players don’t pay much attention to the tees they use; however, tees really make a difference in the accuracy of your shot. Tees are a significant part of the game but if you go to a driving range will they have tees? 

Most driving ranges have tees so you can practice and improve your golfing skills as accurately as possible. Other more casual driving ranges (such as TopGolf) don’t have tees. 

Now I know that some people will say that TopGolf isn’t a real driving range and that would be accurate as the balls they use aren’t normal golf balls and since you aren’t playing on the ground then it isn’t exactly as you would normally play golf. 

However, some people consider it a driving range so I wanted to mention it. 

Practicing golf using a tee is the only stroke on the golf course where you are in control of the lie of your ball. A tee fully exposes the ball so that it can be struck cleanly by any golf club. 

A clean stroke is an essential skill to master, so let’s delve deeper into how you can make use of the golf tee on your next driving range practice day. 

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What Is A Golf Tee?  

Before I go into more about using a tee on the driving range I want to get the basics out of the way. So if you are an experienced golfer feel free to skip to the next section. 

What exactly is a golf tee? 

Simply put, a golf tee is a small piece of equipment that raises the golf ball a few inches off the ground when playing the first stroke of a hole from the teeing ground.

The tee is thin and can be made from rubber, plastic, or wood. It is typically two or three inches in height, and the golf ball sits on it in a stable and stationary position. 

The tee is placed on the ground and pushed down into the turf on the teeing ground, with a portion of the tee above ground. The golf ball is then placed atop the golf tee prior to playing the stroke.

According to golf rules, the golf tee may only be used on the teeing ground, although the use of a tee is not a requirement. Fortunately, how high the tee lifts the ball off the ground is up to you. 

However, keep in mind that the length of the tee plays a key role in lifting the ball. And it also depends on various factors, such as the club being used for the stroke.

You have the option of setting up your tee as low or as high as you want it, so theoretically, you can hit the ball higher or lower as needed. Thankfully, you can buy hundreds of standard golf tees for just a few dollars, and indeed that is how most golfers purchase them. 

However, if you want, there are some specialty tees available. These can help you navigate course conditions so that you get at least one good shot on each hole for a favorable result.

Lastly, there are some premium driving ranges these days that come equipped with auto-tee technology. This technology helps golfers not to change stance between shots, allowing you to gradually adjust until you hit your sweet spot.

How To Use A Tee At The Driving Range

It’s pretty easy to get stuck in a routine when you’re at the range. It can be easy to hit the same shots over and over again using the same tee heights. 

For example, some golfers will almost always use the highest tee if they have a habit of hitting the ground before the ball.

The best way to avoid getting stuck in this loop is to use different tees. If you’ve been using a high tee for your shots, try using the low tee to recreate a cushioned lie in medium rough. Or you can use no tee at all to work on getting some height into your chips.

The driving range provides plenty of elements, so make sure you make use of all of them. For example, you can try hitting the ball at an angle to replicate trying to navigate a tree in the way on the golf course.

What Are The Best Golf Tees? 

So now that you know how important the golf tee is, what are the best golf tees? I’ve already established that golf tees come in a variety of materials, all with advantages and disadvantages. 

Which golf tee is the best for you really varies depending on your swing style and your style of play. Most people prefer using rubber or plastic tees. 

Some prefer wood tees as they are more environmentally friendly. And if you’re a player that strikes your drives purely on the upswing, a wood tee can last just as long as some plastic tees.

Typically the materials used in golf tees are:

● Rubber

● Bamboo

● Wood

● Plastic

Additionally, the most common tee styles you are likely to bump into include:

● Anti-slice

● Zero friction

● Standard

● Brush

What To Look For In A Golf Tee 

So what do you need to look for in the perfect golf tee for you? First things first, you need to determine the material you want for your tee. 

Is it plastic, wood, or rubber? Wood, for example, is the original material used for golf tees and probably the most common.

Although typically stiff, wood is an excellent material and good for performance. However, golf tees made from wood tend to break more easily. 

So if you’re looking for durability in your tee, wood might not be a good option for you. Plastic, on the other hand, is more durable, but they do tend to bend.  

Remember that material make-up is not the only difference you’ll notice in golf tees. Some tees come with colored rings that help keep your golf ball at the same height on every tee. Others have more sophisticated measurement systems. 

Some golf tees come painted in various colors, while others are entirely unpainted. Lastly, some golf tees are all about maximizing your performance, while others tend to highlight your creative side.

Things to look for in a golf tee:

1. Height

Height is the first thing you should look for in a golf tee. Why? Because not all golf tees can be used with all clubs. 

So let’s say you plan to tee off with a large-head driver; it’s best to use a four-inch tee. This will leave you enough room for the big clubhead to get under the ball.

If you’re using a medium-head driver, a 3 ¼ inch tee would probably be best, and for small head drivers, a 2 ¾ -inch tee would be more helpful. If you want to tee off with a fairway wood or a hybrid, you would probably do well with a 2 ¼  inch tee. And if you’re teeing off with irons, a 1 ½ inch tee is the most desirable.

2. Friction

Another thing to consider when buying tees is the amount of friction that the ball receives. This is important because a lower friction means longer distances. 

Of course, the distance is also impacted by things like your swing. However, achieving low friction tees could also be used to your advantage.

Tips For Using Golf Tees 

If you’re a beginner at golf, you might not think there is much technique to using your golf tee. But you can make the best use of your tees if you understand a few key points. 

For example, you’ll get more yardage out of your tee shot by teeing it up higher.

Whereas if you tee the ball lower, this will take some distance away from your shot. But on the upside, when you tee the ball up lower, you will likely have a more accurate shot than you would with a high tee. 

Additionally, if you have a narrow fairway, you might be better off teeing the ball up lower.

If let’s say, there’s no clear-cut benefit of using either a low or high tee, you might want to just split the distance and tee up your ball in the middle range. 

If you’re an older golfer and find bending over frequently challenging, you can use a golf tee and ball setter. These will allow you to plunge the tee into the ground without having to bend over, thus avoiding back injuries and backaches. 

Ultimately you’ll have more energy available for striking the golf ball.

Lastly, if you want to save yourself some time, you can buy a golf tee dispenser, which is a small container that you can attach to your bag. The golf dispenser dispenses tees for you as needed. 

Most golfers prefer this to carrying a pocket full of tees that can be annoying to find or move around, not to mention the stabbing that can occur as you walk.

Final Thoughts

Looking for an ideal golf tee is a reasonably straightforward process. Most driving ranges have golf tees that make for perfect practice. 

Just keep in mind the course conditions you may encounter on the course and try to replicate them if you’re on the driving range. Use different types of tees, taking special care to change the height of your tee frequently.