Who invented the modern golf tee?

George Grant invented an early modern golf tee. In 1899, the Boston dentist and Harvard professor patented a tee made from a wooden peg fitted with a small rubber cup or sleeve to support the ball.

Grant’s invention improved on the older practice of building a small mound of sand for every drive. His tee gave golfers a more consistent ball position and launch, but he did not market it widely, so it remained relatively obscure.

William Lowell later patented and commercialized the better-known Reddy Tee in the 1920s. That tee helped popularize the disposable wooden peg used today, which is why Lowell is sometimes mistakenly credited as the original inventor. The distinction is important: Grant developed an early patented tee, while Lowell made the design commercially successful.

Grant was also notable as Harvard University’s first African-American faculty member. His work in dentistry, teaching, and golf equipment made him an unusual figure in the sport’s history.