How many tees does the average golfer go through in his or her lifetime? And what does that add up to in dollars? Isn't it sort of a waste to continually buy something that you smash to pieces after one or two uses? This is the sort of thinking that led a man named Jason Crouse to the invention of the Brush-T. The Brush-T is a reusable golf tee that uses fixed toothbrush-like bristles to support your golf ball when you tee off. The bristles flex rather than snap like ordinary tees at the point of club impact, thus leaving them unharmed and ready to go again.

Not only is the Brush-T reusable, it also supposedly improves distance and accuracy. The idea is that one hundred percent of the club's energy goes to the ball rather than being deflected by snapping the tee. This reduction in deflection theoretically results in yardage gain and decreased sidespin, which improves accuracy. Also, since the bristles are at a fixed length, the golfer gains the advantage of hitting from a constant height, giving him or her the benefit of consistency. It also eliminates those ugly tee-marks on the bottom of your driver.

But enough reading from the side of the box, how does it hit? Great. The Brush-T does let you hit cleaner. We got some good distance with reduced fade, plus it stayed put, letting us tee up several times in a row. Repeated tests went the same: twenty to thirty awesome hits with good swings, but a few sodbusters would eventually pop the head off of the stem. If you've been playing a while and already have a consistent, predictable stroke, then these tees are definitely for you. If you are picking up the sticks for the first time and still have an undisciplined swing that tends to kick up a lot of dirt, then you might want to wait a bit before investing in the Brush-T.

The Brush-T is an idea that definitely works, and works well. The bristles support that ball solidly even after several hits. Experienced golfers will like the height consistency and reduced deflection, and beginners will like not replacing tee after tee on the range. Just keep your club up. And for you extreme traditionalists and sticklers for the rules, they are approved by the USGA and Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews. The Brush-T is available in three different sizes: a 3 Wood, a taller Driver, and an even taller Extreme for oversized drivers. For about five bucks you can get a box of three anywhere golf equipment is sold or online at BrushT.com.