- Insufficient light, coupled with insufficient size, are the two most common problems with tees – and the two factors are physiologically linked.
- Everyone remembers from grade school biology that green plants produce the energy necessary for growth through photosynthesis. To maintain a dense and attractive surface, the turf grass on tees must grow faster than it is worn out.
- Tees that are too small for the traffic they receive can’t recover quickly enough.
- Turfgrass grown on tees that receive insufficient light grows much more slowly due to reduced photosynthetic activity. Predictably, small, shaded tees generally are found in extremely poor condition.
- It also should be remembered that the same trees that limit the light to a tee are often close enough to compete aggressively with the turf for nutrients and moisture.
- The USGA Green Section recommends that tees receive eight hours of direct sunlight per day. This doesn’t mean that it’s impossible to have a good teeing surface with less than eight hours of light.
- A large tee with multiple entrance and exit points and limited iron play can perform well with less than eight hours.
- Turfgrass selection can make a tremendous difference. Bent- grasses and ryegrasses are far more shade-tolerant than bermudagrasses.
Source: USGA Green Section
