What happens if I use a non-conforming tee or tee the ball wrong?

Yes, there's a penalty. If you make a stroke with a non-conforming tee or tee the ball in a way the Rules don't allow, you get the general penalty — two strokes in stroke play, loss of hole in match play. Do it again in the same round and you're disqualified.

What counts as a non-conforming tee

A conforming tee is simple: it must not be longer than 4 inches (101.6 mm), and it can't be designed to influence the movement of the ball — no brushes, no cups, no weird shapes that 'help' the flight. If your tee has a built-in alignment guide, a rubber brush top, or anything that could affect spin or launch, it's non-conforming. A plain wooden or plastic peg? Fine. The ground itself? Also fine — you can just set the ball on the grass or on sand the committee put there.

What 'teed incorrectly' actually means

The ball has to sit on a tee that's placed in or on the ground, or directly on the ground (including sand or natural material put there to set the ball). You can't balance the ball on a divot, a tuft of grass you pulled up, a bottle cap, or anything else that isn't the ground or a conforming tee. If the tee is stuck in the ground at a crazy angle and the ball perches on the side of the tee cup instead of the top, that's still 'on the tee' — but if the tee itself is non-conforming, the penalty applies regardless of how the ball sits.

How the penalty escalates

First breach in the round: general penalty. In stroke play that's two strokes added to your score for the hole. In match play you lose the hole. Second breach in the same round: disqualification. It doesn't matter if the second breach is on a different hole — once you've been penalized once for a non-conforming tee or wrong teeing, doing it again anywhere in that round gets you DQ'd. The committee can't waive this.

Exceptions that change the answer

• You realize the tee is non-conforming before making a stroke → You can switch to a conforming tee or play from the ground with no penalty — the breach only happens when you make a stroke at the ball.

Frequently asked questions

Is a broken tee still conforming?

If the tee was conforming when you started and it breaks during your swing or while setting the ball, that's fine — you didn't choose a non-conforming tee. But if you deliberately snap a tee to make it shorter than 4 inches, that's still a conforming tee as long as it doesn't influence ball flight.

Can I use a tee with a height marker line on it?

Yes. A simple line or marking to help you tee the ball at a consistent height doesn't influence the ball's movement — it's just a visual aid. That's conforming.

What if I tee the ball on a divot or a clump of grass?

That's not 'the ground' as the Rule defines it. The ground means the actual surface or sand/natural material the committee put there. A loose divot or pulled-up tuft isn't allowed — general penalty if you stroke it.

Does the penalty apply if my ball falls off the tee before I swing?

No. The penalty only applies when you make a stroke at a ball on a non-conforming tee or teed incorrectly. If the ball falls off and you haven't swung, just re-tee it properly — no penalty.

What if I borrow a tee from a playing partner and it turns out to be non-conforming?

You're responsible for your equipment. If you make a stroke with it, you get the penalty — even if you didn't know. Check your tees before you use them.