Plastic bottle caps used as a tee

[PinShark]

Looking for a ruling if this is legal? Some guys in our group use a plastic bottle cap when using the mats on par 3s. Our course has mats to rest some tee boxes during the season.

thanks for your assistance.

[davep043]

Look in Part 6 of the Equipment Rules for the answer:

https://www.usga.org/equipment-standards/equipment-rules-2019/equipment-rules/equipment-rules.html#!ruletype=er&section=rule&partnum=6&rulenum=2

 

I don't see anything that would prohibit the use of a bottle cap.

[antip]

Agree with Dave. One course on the coast, couple of hours away, has built some tees into a cliff face's natural caves and laid mat into the recess in the rock to hit off.  A normal tee is impractical, so such a plastic bottle cap, shaped a bit like a thimble, is perfect. Here's the view from the front of one of those 'teeing areas'.

 

[Sawgrass]

The fact that those collected cone-like rubber (winter) tees are endorsed in the Equipment Rules for "difficult turf conditions" also seems to support the idea that a bottle cap is fine.

 

1. Tees (Rule 6.2)

A tee is a device designed to raise the ball off the ground. A tee must not:

• be longer than 4 inches (101.6 mm);

• be designed or manufactured in such a way that it could indicate line of play;

• unduly influence the movement of the ball; or

• otherwise assist the player in making a stroke or in his play.

Note: As an exception for difficult turf conditions, tees tethered together or to an anchor may be used during the round provided that the player does not align the tees or tether in such a way that could indicate line of play or otherwise assist the player in making a stroke.

[limegreengent]

 

Bottle caps/tops are NOT allowed.

They fell the opening sentence of the specific Equipment rules regarding Tees :-
"A tee is a device designed to raise the ball off the ground"?

 

Bottle tops are not designed or manufactured for this purpose.

Edited September 17, 2020 by greenman

[Sawgrass]

2 minutes ago, greenman said:

 

Bottle caps/tops are NOT allowed.

They fell the opening sentence of the specific Equipment rules regarding Tees :-
"A tee is a device designed to raise the ball off the ground"?

 

 

I'm not sure if you're kidding or not, but if not, I suppose you think teeing your ball up on a skinny pile of sand, or tuft of grass, is also unacceptable.

[limegreengent]

 

 

 

Are you not familiar with 6.2.b(2) or are you kidding?

[Sawgrass]

Yes, I am familiar with 6.2b(2) and no, I'm not kidding.

[Mr. Bean]

Just to interfere this interesting duel I wish to add that according to Rule 6.2b(2) a player is allowed to build a pile from sticks to rest his ball on it for driving. The way I see it sticks are not 'designed to raise the ball off the ground' but they may be used for that purpose.

 

Plastic cap is just fine.

 

EDIT: 'Designed to raise the ball off the ground' does not determine who must be the designer and when the object has to be designed before use.

Edited September 17, 2020 by Mr. Bean

[SNIPERBBB]

There's a reason why the RBs are mum on the design specs of a "tee"

[limegreengent]

Are sticks natural Mr Bean?

Are Bottle tops natural Mr Bean?

 

Bottle tops may be NORMAL for an alcoholic ??? but they are not NATURAL as far as the rules are concerned.??

[SNIPERBBB]

2 minutes ago, greenman said:

Are sticks natural Mr Bean?

Are Bottle tops natural Mr Bean?

 

Bottle tops may be NORMAL for an alcoholic ??? but they are not NATURAL as far as the rules are concerned.??

Are plastic tees natural?

[KMeloney]

34 minutes ago, greenman said:

 

Bottle caps/tops are NOT allowed.

They fell the opening sentence of the specific Equipment rules regarding Tees :-
"A tee is a device designed to raise the ball off the ground"?

 

Bottle tops are not designed or manufactured for this purpose.

 

From the USGA website just now:

 

"An object used to raise a ball above the ground to play it from the teeing area. It must be no longer than 4 inches (101.6 mm) and conform with the Equipment Rules."

 

Where are you getting "designed" or "manufactured" from?

 

[davep043]

The question was asked in regards to teeing areas where an artificial mat is in use.  The rules do allow at least one specific exception for difficult turf conditions, and to me an artificial mat qualifies as a difficult turf condition.  Even though a bottle cap is NOT a natural material, and is NOT originally designed to elevate the golf ball above the ground surface, I'd suggest that its use should be allowed as an exception for difficult turf conditions.  There's nothing about its function that violates any of the other requirements of the Equipment Rules.

3 minutes ago, KMeloney said:

 

From the USGA website just now:

 

"An object used to raise a ball above the ground to play it from the teeing area. It must be no longer than 4 inches (101.6 mm) and conform with the Equipment Rules."

 

Where are you getting "designed" or "manufactured" from?

 

The "designed" terminology comes from the Equipment Rules referenced in the RoG.

[rogolf]

Somebody ask the USGA.  This has been discussed previously.

[Halebopp]

It might be worth pointing out that the difficult conditions allowance relates to tethering tees together, it isn't about the shape or style of tees.

 

I personally struggle to see a problem with a bottle cap unless a pile of sand is also illegal.

[Sawgrass]

17 minutes ago, Halebopp said:

It might be worth pointing out that the difficult conditions allowance relates to tethering tees together, it isn't about the shape or style of tees.

 

I personally struggle to see a problem with a bottle cap unless a pile of sand is also illegal.

I brought up the tethered tees since commonly they are plastic, and pretty much bottle-top shaped -- and since I know that the USGA has specifically allowed them for certain conditions.  (And I did so before the "designed" debate ensued.)  But yeah, I get your point.

[Mr. Bean]

1 hour ago, greenman said:

Are sticks natural Mr Bean?

Are Bottle tops natural Mr Bean?

 

Bottle tops may be NORMAL for an alcoholic ??? but they are not NATURAL as far as the rules are concerned.??

It seems to me that you are simply trolling so I do not answer.

[HatsForBats]

Golf Digest, Bottle Cap as a tee 2007:

 

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/rules-violation-2

[chippa13]

Are we sure this 2007 article has not been superseded by new rules language since then?

Edited September 17, 2020 by chippa13

[Bushwood Country Club]

2 hours ago, greenman said:

Are sticks natural Mr Bean?

Are Bottle tops natural Mr Bean?

 

Bottle tops may be NORMAL for an alcoholic ??? but they are not NATURAL as far as the rules are concerned.??

Bruh,

27 posts and you are going after a long time member like that?  For real?  And btw, the bottle tops in question are likely from a soda bottle (plastic) - same material as a tee.  Not a whole lot of bottled beer on a  golf course.   But by ALL means, welcome to GolfWRX....

[davep043]

11 minutes ago, chippa13 said:

Are we sure this 2007 article has not been superseded by new rules language since then?

Everything the article quoted from the rules is still in place, although the definition of "tee" now has some additional constraints.  I haven't seen a Decision from the intervening years that would allow the bottle cap.  The only difference I see is that a first offense now gets the General Penalty, while the Rules in effect in 2007 required a DQ for the first offense.

[Sawgrass]

24 minutes ago, davep043 said:

Everything the article quoted from the rules is still in place, although the definition of "tee" now has some additional constraints.  I haven't seen a Decision from the intervening years that would allow the bottle cap.  The only difference I see is that a first offense now gets the General Penalty, while the Rules in effect in 2007 required a DQ for the first offense.

The articles phrase “any other object” from  11-1: “In teeing, if a player uses a non-conforming tee or > any other object to raise the ball off the ground, he is disqualified“ has certainly been changed in the 2016 version of 11-1 and doesn’t seem to appear in 2019’s rules either. 

[Sawgrass]

I presume we all know/accept that splitting a log transforms the log, a loose impediment, into a manufactured obstruction.

 

The plastic bottle caps I know of come attached to a lower plastic ring which stays in place below the top edge of the bottle. When you break the cap off the top of a bottle to use it as a tee, I submit that you have purposefully “manufactured” a tee.

[limegreengent]

Bushwood Country Club:

  I'M afraid you 've got the wrong end of the stick( natural one)?

I made a small joke about where you would find bottle tops- it was obviously a smaller joke than I thought.??. and went over people's heads.

No offence intended to any one.

 

I agree with Dave' s comments - the penalty had been softened- the Equipment definition etc appears unchanged .

The following rules publication - also dated - may be of some interest as it usethe same conditions/etc.

 

https://www.randa.org/News/2012/06/Teeing-the-Ball

 

 

Signing off.??

Edited September 17, 2020 by greenman

[rogolf]

1 hour ago, Sawgrass said:

I presume we all know/accept that splitting a log transforms the log, a loose impediment, into a manufactured obstruction.

 

The plastic bottle caps I know of come attached to a lower plastic ring which stays in place below the top edge of the bottle. When you break the cap off the top of a bottle to use it as a tee, I submit that you have purposefully “manufactured” a tee.

I don't agree with your splitting of a log conclusion, nor with your "manufacturing" a tee by removing the bottle cap from the bottle.

Perhaps you can check with your friends at the USGA and get back to us?

[Noles]

My old course had a tee box that sometimes was off of a mat.  It was a terrible mat.  I used to use sand from the divot mix container as a tee.  A guy tried to tell me it was against the rules.  I laughed.  Odd thing is, he was not a young, new golfer.  He was in his 60's and played since he was a kid.  I would have expected him to know the history of the game.

[Sawgrass]

23 minutes ago, rogolf said:

I don't agree with your splitting of a log conclusion, nor with your "manufacturing" a tee by removing the bottle cap from the bottle.

Perhaps you can check with your friends at the USGA and get back to us?

Are we in agreement that the rail in a split rail fence has become  “artificial” and therefore an obstruction (as long as it’s not a boundary or integral object) despite it certainly being considered a natural object in its pre-split condition?
 

And do we agree that simply moving natural stones to cover a cart path transforms them from impediments to a collective obstruction?

 

Prior to involving the USGA I’d like to focus on the detail of what “manufacturing” means to you (and me).  I’m also curious as to whether you think sanding down the height of a plastic cap can be “manufacturing” a tee, and if so why breaking off its bottom isn’t manufacturing it to use as a tee.

[rogolf]

8 minutes ago, Sawgrass said:

Are we in agreement that the rail in a split rail fence has become  “artificial” and therefore an obstruction (as long as it’s not a boundary or integral object) despite it certainly being considered a natural object in its pre-split condition?
 

And do we agree that simply moving natural stones to cover a cart path transforms them from impediments to a collective obstruction?

 

Prior to involving the USGA I’d like to focus on the detail of what “manufacturing” means to you (and me).  I’m also curious as to whether you think sanding down the height of a plastic cap can be “manufacturing” a tee, and if so why breaking off its bottom isn’t manufacturing it to use as a tee.

I agree on the split rail fence, not because the logs have been split, but because they've been used to build a fence, and the resulting fence is an obstruction.  Splitting of the logs in this instance is irrelevant, the fence would still be an obstruction even if whole logs were used.

The Equipment Rules say that a tee is a device designed to raise the ball off the ground.  A bottle cap was not designed to be a tee, and modification of a bottle cap, imo, does not change what it was designed to be - the top of a bottle to keep fluid in the bottle.

[Sawgrass]

We don’t see the implications of “designed” the same way (designed by me out of existing materials/bottle caps?).  I’ll ask the USGA for guidance.