Question about teeing off

[ian]

Is it okay to use the grass/dirt right next to the tee to tee off if you want? I've seen it in a few tournament videos online and was just wondering what the ruling on the reason and ruling on that is. Could it be to save the tread on your shoes? Thanks.

[Cooper]

Is it okay to use the grass/dirt right next to the tee to tee off if you want? I've seen it in a few tournament videos online and was just wondering what the ruling on the reason and ruling on that is. Could it be to save the tread on your shoes? Thanks.

Lots of times when you see that it is as an alternate to teeing from a rubber flypad. Some players don't like the grip provided by flypads and prefer a natural surface, so to accommodate TDs will usually have a painted line from the front of the pad over to the right or left, marked on the other end by a flag. In many local tournaments you will only see this if the the teepad is unusually narrow.