May 2024 - Tee Marker Facts
• The tee markers ( or tee blocks ) define the teeing area. That area is a line between the front
edges of the two markers; the lines back from the outside edges of the tee markers and two
club lengths deep.
• The tee shot must be played with a ball that is in the teeing area ( i.e. is touching or is above any
part of the teeing area.) A penalty, or form of penalty, will be incurred if the first stroke on each
hole is not taken from the teeing area:
- in Stroke Play it is the general penalty (two penalty strokes) and if the mistake is not
corrected before the start of the next hole then you are disqualified.
- in Match Play there is no penalty other than the fact that your opponent may cancel
the stroke, in which case you must play again from inside the teeing area.
• A penalty will be incurred if a player improves the conditions affecting the stroke by moving any
tee marker before playing from the teeing area. However, once the ball is at rest outside the
teeing area (after the tee shot) then the tee marker is treated as a regular moveable obstruction.
This always applies to all other tee markers for holes that are not then being played
• There is no penalty if a player moves a tee marker by tripping over it; in anger or lifting it for no
apparent reason. However it should be replaced, as it will affect other players in the field
• If a player moves a tee marker because he or she thinks it should be in a different position, or
deliberately destroys it, the committee may choose to DQ the player for serious misconduct
• If one or both tee markers are missing, and the player cannot get help from the committee in a
reasonable time, a reasonable estimate of the correct location is permitted.
