Brush Tees are a unique take on a classic piece of golf equipment that has rarely seen change or innovation since the debut of the wooden tee in 1899. In the early days of golf, players would reach into a provided box of sand at the beginning of each hole, and form a small mound to rest their ball on. 

The term “tee box” was derived from these boxes. Over 200 years have passed since the dawn of the wooden tee, and in the last 20 years some manufacturers have been trying to improve the tee using modern technology.

Unique Qualities Of The Brush-T

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“Brush-T” is a California based company that introduced the bristle tee design to the golf world back in 2000. Since then, many different companies have introduced golf tees featuring similar bristle technology, but Brush-T remains the top dog in this field.

The Brush-T is fundamentally designed differently than a traditional golf tee. While the majority of golf tees feature the same profile, the Brush-T can be broken down into two different sections. The bottom half is reminiscent of a traditional golf tee, a plastic spike that drives into the turf with a slight taper and a point on the end. The upper half is where these tees really deviate from traditional design.

The bottom spike portion runs into a flat, disc-shaped base. This base stops the tee from going into the ground any further, and rests flush with the grass.

Attached to the base are clusters of synthetic bristles that ascend vertically, similar to a paint brush.

The bristles form a cylindrical pillar, and have a slight concave shape at the top where the golf ball rests – similar to that of a traditional golf tee.

These synthetic bristles are strong enough when bunched tightly together to support the weight of the golf ball, yet flexible enough to bend as the clubhead drives through them. The idea behind the bristles is that the flexibility they provide will offer less resistance with the golf club through the swing than with a wooden or plastic tee.

Pros And Cons Of Brush Tees

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Let’s start by taking a look at some of the advantages that the Brush-T provides when compared with a traditional golf tee. First, their larger size makes them difficult to lose and less likely to be left behind on the course. 

They are also virtually unbreakable, as the plastic portion stays lodged in the ground while the flexible bristles come into contact with the club.

For these reasons, golfers can use the same Brush-T over and over for many rounds before the bristles eventually lose rigidity.

Wooden golf tees break regularly, and plastic ones will develop bends and warps long before a Brush-T shows signs of wear.

Some golfers are very particular about their clubs, and will not use traditional golf tees because of the slight mark that they tend to leave behind on the clubface of woods. This is especially true with drivers featuring black club faces, as minuscule marks from contact with the lip of the tee begin to develop, causing small marks.

These marks are much smaller and less noticeable than those made from regular ball contact, but they drive some golfers crazy nonetheless. This is not an issue with the Brush-T as the bristles are flexible, providing far less resistance when contacted by the club face – leaving no mark behind.

The Brush-T also allows for consistent, repeatable ball height off the tee, as the bristles are fixed, and they always rest in the grass in the same place. Many new golfers struggle to maintain a consistent tee height as they learn the game of golf, and having the ball at the same height every time means one less factor for them to worry about.

This uniformity in tee height is also one of the reasons other golfers choose to stay away from bristle-style tees.

Teeing the ball up at different heights allows golfers to hit different golf shots as they work their way around the golf course. On a windy day for example, a golfer may choose to tee the ball lower, and play it further towards the back foot if teeing-off into the wind. This setup allows for a lower ball flight, allowing the ball to fly further as it will be less influenced by the head wind. Conversely, a golfer may choose to tee the ball up higher with a tailwind behind them, launching the ball on a higher trajectory and allowing the wind to carry it further down the fairway.

The Brush-T is also quite a bit pricier than other tees on the market, costing between $7 and $10 for a three pack. Wood, plastic, and even bamboo tees all cost far less, and can be purchased in packs of 100 for under $10. Tees are also provided free of charge by many golf courses, and many golfers choose to just load a handful in their bags any time they start to run low.

Here at Tell Me More Golf, our experts have found the most beneficial application of bristle style tees to be at the driving range. Bristle tees stay put after each shot, provided the golfer doesn’t catch the ball fat and dig the tee out of the ground. For this reason, one Brush-T can be placed into the ground and used over and over. This saves the time and hassle of re-teeing over and over between shots, as well as looking for tees that fly away during shots.

Brush-T Marketing

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Brush-T golf offers four different models that each come standard with different bristle lengths. From shortest to longest, there are “3 Wood,” “Driver,” “Oversize,” and “XLT” variations. While the first three seem self-explanatory, XLT stands for “Xtra Long Tee” and provides the tallest ball height of any tee made by Brush-T.

As far as the way they market their products, Brush-T claims to deliver “Dramatically longer, straighter drives” to golfers of all skill levels. They go on to explain that the nylon “cup” that the ball rests on provides minimal deflection and resistance with the golf club. This concept is highlighted by their very un-scientific sounding formula and slogan “Club + Ball – Friction = Greater Distance.”

They also claim that their tees can mitigate “up to 2% of left or right deflection,” and thus provide better accuracy. Brush-T does not go on to elaborate or clarify this claim on their website, and this accuracy claim is a secondary feature to their distance claim – which is their main marketing angle. It should be noted that these claims have not been universally accepted, and refuted by some.

Are Brush Tees Legal?

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There are many different companies that manufacture bristle style brush tees, and not all of them conform to the official rules of golf. Back in 2000, Brush-T submitted their brush tee to the United States Golf Association design for an official ruling on whether it conformed to the rules of golf or not. 

It was determined that the design does not violate the USGA rules of golf, provided they conform to the standard maximum length requirements.

There are, however, other brush tee styles and designs that do not conform to the USGA rules of golf. Most of these non-conforming tees fall under the “Anti-Slice Tee” category, as they are designed to intentionally alter the ball’s movement in hopes of combatting the side spin that causes the ball to slice. 

The specific language in the rule states that to be considered legal, a golf tee “must not unduly influence the movement of the ball.”

TellMeMoreGolf.com – Frequently Asked Questions

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Are brush tees allowed?

Some brush tees are legal according to the USGA rules of golf, and others are not. Brush-T is a brand that has been producing USGA approved brush tees since 2000. Anti-Slice brush tees and other designs intended to alter the movement of the golf ball are considered illegal golf tees.

Why do pros use wooden tees?

Professional golfers play a variety of different shots of different tee boxes throughout a round, varying their ball flights and trajectories as required by the course. Teeing the ball up at different heights allows them to flight the ball higher or lower as needed. Unlike brush tees, traditional wooden tees are adjustable, and are used by most professionals on the PGA Tour.

Can you use brush tees in golf?

As long as they are not of the “Anti-Slice” variety, brush tees are permissible to use in any round of golf. Brush tees can be used in tournaments, and even in a PGA Tour event if a professional golfer wished.

Does the type of tee make a difference?

While manufacturers claim their brush tees can increase driving distance, and even accuracy, these claims have not been proven. The team at Tell Me More Golf encourages curious golfers to test different tee options with a launch monitor to determine if any style has a discernable impact on their tee shots.

Conclusion: Research by Tellmemoregolf.com

Golfers are always on the hunt for any kind of golf accessories that can help their game, and many wonder if brush style tees are right for their game. While the claims of added distance by manufacturers have not been thoroughly substantiated, many golfers benefit from the consistent tee height offered by brush tees.