Fixing ball marks

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By Spudstarch

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  • 15 Replies
  1. Spudstarch

    Spudstarch
    Walnut Creek, CA

    I keep seeing different videos or diagrams explaining the correct way to fix a ball mark. What do you do?

  2. Bob T

    Bob T
    East Otis, MA

    I lift up on the ball mark but one of the green keepers pushes in the side of the mark into the center. I find this awkward!!

  3. Spudstarch

    Spudstarch
    Walnut Creek, CA

    Hmmm...

    Based on the lack of votes, I'm wondering if I should have added the options: "Neither. I don't repair ball marks" or "I don't know. My Caddie does that"

  4. andy r

    andy r
    Cheshire, CT

    I was taught to always fix my own plus one  on any green I hit .

    I don't understand why anyone would not fix a ball mark on a green , bad Karma if you ask me.

  5. Chris C

    Chris C
    Oak Hill, VA

    I think most conscientious golfers fix several on every green they play - their own and a couple of others just by accident or putting line. Others will often fix a few more on most greens after they hole out, waiting for others to finish play, because they can see them along the perimeter where they stand. For fairways, always use the divot mix on your cart unless the divot is your own, and still sprinkle some mix on it. Its a good practice to walk up the fairway from time to time on your approach with a canister of divot mix and just sprinkle old divots along the way. The exercise is good for you and you might as well be useful. Most clubs have multiple locations on the course to replenish empty canisters. Frankly, every cart should go through at least 4 canisters every round. It always freaks me out a little when I go play somewhere and I pick up a canister from a cart that has seed germinating in it. That tells you alot about the average member or player there - as well as the likely general condition of the course. Obviously, for those from colder climates that don't know, when you go on vacation to play in locales with Bermuda, you never replace the divots as they will never regrow - always mix.
  6. Blake B

    Blake B
    Harbor Springs, MI

    I'm a bit of a mixture of both. I lift from the low side first, push then pat flat. 

  7. Carl T

    Carl T
    Little Rock, AR

    There is only one correct way to repair ball marks, push in from the sides and then tamp down the center with your putter or your foot. Lifting up the center only damages the roots and makes recovery longer. Doing nothing would be better than doing it incorrectly IMHO.
  8. Allen L

    Allen L
    Clarington, OH

    I was taught to go around the outside and just give a twist slightly upward to loosen the soil back up.  Played a course a couple weeks ago near Birmingham where the starter gave every player a divot tool and asked if you knew how to use one.  Giving players a tool and instruction works, it was good to have a game where I only had to repair my own marks.  I wish more courses would get proactive in ball mark repairs.  Yes, ball marks are a pet peeve of mine along with players who can't be bothered raking out the bunkers.

  9. Todd T

    Todd T
    San Diego, CA

    Military
    Do something.. Prefer the correct way, but leaving it undone is pure laziness.. And I wish for missed greens for those lazy folks!
  10. Joe D

    Joe D
    Minooka, IL

    Allen L said:

    I was taught to go around the outside and just give a twist slightly upward to loosen the soil back up.  Played a course a couple weeks ago near Birmingham where the starter gave every player a divot tool and asked if you knew how to use one.  Giving players a tool and instruction works, it was good to have a game where I only had to repair my own marks.  I wish more courses would get proactive in ball mark repairs.  Yes, ball marks are a pet peeve of mine along with players who can't be bothered raking out the bunkers.

    I wish every course would do this.My pet peeve also fix your ball marks.

  11. John M

    John M
    Asheville, North Carolina

    Military

    Agreed 100%  Sometimes the greens where I play look like a 14 year old boy's face. 

  12. Rick D

    Rick D
    Weston, WI

    This is a pet peeve of mine, too. How many times have you hit a putt that's going in the hole and then hits something like an old ball mark that you didn't see and bounces off line. My boss is over 80, has bad knees and hips, but still repairs every ball mark he sees. If he can do that, you'd think the average, healthy person could make an attempt.

    Divots in fairways is another one. You'll see a big clod laying within a few feet of a huge divot, it's fresh and so you know some lazy so and so ahead of you just walked off. Last fall I was playing a match in a Ryder Cup style event. I'm a 2 and playing against a scratch, straight up. Lost 3&2, but the bogie that gave him the edge was a tee shot on a wind swept long par 3 that was just shy of the green and the ball ended up sitting down in a friggin hole. I could not get the club clean on the ball.

  13. Carl T

    Carl T
    Little Rock, AR

    Rick D said:

    This is a pet peeve of mine, too. How many times have you hit a putt that's going in the hole and then hits something like an old ball mark that you didn't see and bounces off line. My boss is over 80, has bad knees and hips, but still repairs every ball mark he sees. If he can do that, you'd think the average, healthy person could make an attempt.

    Divots in fairways is another one. You'll see a big clod laying within a few feet of a huge divot, it's fresh and so you know some lazy so and so ahead of you just walked off. Last fall I was playing a match in a Ryder Cup style event. I'm a 2 and playing against a scratch, straight up. Lost 3&2, but the bogie that gave him the edge was a tee shot on a wind swept long par 3 that was just shy of the green and the ball ended up sitting down in a friggin hole. I could not get the club clean on the ball.

    I feel your pain but replacing a divot in the fairway is almost always futile. The best thing is to use the sand seed mixture that most courses supply for divot repair. Of course if you are walking you want have this option available to use. What gets me are the slobs that have the mixture on their carts but never use it.
  14. Edward K

    Edward K
    Wesley Chapel, FL

    Military
    My dad taught me to fix my own, and also another one. I've had that habit for 35 years, and my friends don't understand!....LOL
  15. Steve S

    Steve S
    Tuckerton, NJ

    Glad you ask. I'm a supervisor at a muni county owned course in southern N.J. We have a lot of tourest visit the Jersey Shore for the summer. One round and never play again until next year. Why waste your time fixing ball marks seems to be their attitude. It kills the regulars that play every day. I really don't mind what method they use as long as they make an attempt. It really makes a difference after 30 thousand rounds.

    Play Well,

    Steve S.

  16. Robert O

    Robert O
    Holbrook, MA

    I do sides to center. It kills me how many players don't fix them. I always try to fix 2. I find at private courses people don't fix them.

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