Repairing Ball Marks

[johnny2balls]

Originally Posted by colin007

I'm sorry but I have to wholeheartedly disagree with that statement.

Even the guy in the video is using a tee and it seems anything but "barely adequate"

[Slice of Life]

I use a tee, and when I'm done you can't even tell there was a ball mark. Tees are fine...

[colin007]

I'll argue all day long that a tee is hardly adequate. I've been fixing ball marks with a tee for decades and they are as adequate as it gets.  In fact I'll argue that it's the best tool to use.  The tool companies will disagree because it's basically a free divot repair tool and they are in business to sell their own tools. I've tested most tools.  Now they are even making tool that resemble tee's. Callaway has one out.  They only have one prong instead of the old standart two. The one prong looks like a skinny tee but the problem with those is that they are too skinny. The two prong tool is good to fix marks the wrong way by sticking and pulling up but I don't find them as effective to fix the correct way. In fact I have found they actually do more damage to the green especially compared to a tee.

It's user error of you can't figure out how to do a better job with the repair tool than with a tee. It took they guy in the video 3x as long as it should have.

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by colin007

It's user error of you can't figure out how to do a better job with the repair tool than with a tee. It took they guy in the video 3x as long as it should have.

Definitely quicker to use a repair tool, but that doesn't make a tee inadequate. I spend most of the time near the green just standing around waiting anyway.

[trackster]

Originally Posted by colin007

It's user error of you can't figure out how to do a better job with the repair tool than with a tee. It took they guy in the video 3x as long as it should have.

It took 3x as long because it was a demonstration video.  Tees are fine for repairing ball marks.

[TJBam]

I also use a tee.  A divot repair tool is just one more thing to carry in your pocket.

[Infamous 273]

I was taught this method the first year I started golfing by a course superintendent. Tees > Repair tool, IMHO.

[colin007]

http://thesandtrap.com/t/63814/best-divot-repair-tool

[boil3rmak3r]

The majority of yall already know the proper way to do this, as you probably hit a lot more greens than I do.  But this is a mild rant. I have seen a lot of people stick their divot tool into the green and pull up aggressively, using it as a lever to "lift up" the part of the green that has been depressed by the ball.  This results in the roots of the grass breaking and is the improper way to fix a ball mark.  Days later you are left with a golf ball size brown mark on the green due to improper ball mark repair.  The sound of the roots breaking from across the green makes me cringe. Incorrect: prying up grass that is depressed and breaking roots. Correct: entering at an angle scrunching gross towards ball mark, and patting down. In case I haven't worded it nicely here is the correct way to do it:

I wouldn't guess that a majority of folks on this sight are even doing it correctly, let alone the masses of non-avid golfers who simply play once a month... I've been playing for almost 20 years and learned this last year when Breed did a demo on TGC. It's something so simple, but so rarely known. Maybe I'll suggest our head pro include a video like the one you posted in his next monthly email. I'd love to see fewer uneven, brown spots on our greens...

[Slice of Life]

I'll never fault someone for fixing a ball mark incorrectly. If they're a playing parter, I'll show them the correct way, but so many people just leave huge divots and ball marks without caring, that if someone is at least trying, it's hard to fault them.

[RonTheSavage]

Agree 100%

[champ198]

i always did it the wrong way also. wont from now on that i know the right way. thanks for the video.

[Golfingdad]

People's thoughts on this type of tool: (Whoops, sorry for the giant pic)

I've never used one like this, and in fact, I don't know that I'd ever even seen one like this.  But I was playing a club that was giving them away so I figured that they must prefer these, so I gave it a shot.  I was apparently not doing it right because it seemed like I was doing more harm than good some of the times.  I reverted back to my trusty 2 pronged ones after a few holes.

[14ledo81]

I am not sure how you would use that either.

Anyone???

[geauxforbroke]

[Golfingdad]

OK, thanks.  By his language, it sounds like it's not necessarily better than other tools used properly, but better because the other tools are so often used improperly.

[geauxforbroke]

OK, thanks.  By his language, it sounds like it's not necessarily better than other tools used properly, but better because the other tools are so often used improperly.

I would agree. It looks like the main difference from a design standpoint is the shorter, sharper prongs and the little surface below the thumb that pressed the ground down. But as you said, a traditional tool is still fine when used correctly.

[iacas]

I am not sure how you would use that either.

Anyone???

It does say "Just Push!" right on the tool! :D

OK, thanks.  By his language, it sounds like it's not necessarily better than other tools used properly, but better because the other tools are so often used improperly.

Yeah, that's basically it.