Do You Use a Divot Repair Tool?

[LagShaft]

I use one all the time. I fix mine and at least 3-5 others when I find them on the green. 

I usually use this for my approach shot...who knew it had multiple uses.

[jkelley9]

Tees are not fine.

http://lakeviewcc.com/turfcare/etiquette/repairing_ball_marks.php

Thank you for this information. That read has been very helpful to me. As a new golfer that is playing a LOT now, I thought I was doing the right thing by repairing my divots. Turns out, I have been the guy that stabs with a tees and yanks upwards (for shame!). 

I have always wanted to pursue the correct etiquette with the game and I'm embarrassed that I have been doing this incorrectly. Especially since I take excellent care of my own lawn and know how difficult it can be to maintain... so I know a putting green with a bunch of hooligans running all over it has to be exponentially more difficult to maintain! 

As soon as I'm back in the country I'll be purchasing a "good" repair tool and using the proper technique for all holes I play.

Thanks again!

[bkuehn1952]

Always carry a pitch mark repair tool; it is the oldest thing in my bag other than some of the pennies I carry as stand-in ball markers.

It would be nice, if the type of repair tool is truly that great an issue, for the USGA to come out with a definitive guide/statement.  It is unclear to me where the photo of the various tools came from.  It certainly makes sense to me but is it universal in acceptance?

Similarly, one universal video and procedure (variation for type of green?) for repairs should be sanctioned.  Just in this one thread we have had variations, from Lee Trevino's method to various videos.

[MrDC]

Yes, I carry an old beat up brass thing, good tool.

[ghalfaire]

Yes I always repair my ball marks on the green.  I usually repair a one or two more if I see them.  I use a "greens fork" with two prongs to do the repair.  

I also always put sand/seed the course provides in my divot holes when I make one.  I used to put the divot back in the divot hole but a greens keeper told me that they usually die and it is better to put the sand/seed mix into the divot holes.

Just trying to be a good citizen and enjoy the game.

[stealthduffer]

Had a ballmark tool that my father had made for me but lost it a few years ago. Have several more from him but generally carry asimple brass one that I picked up years ago. Have several of the big ones with the marker in the middle but keep those with my other memorabilia instead of trying to use them. 

 

[Pendragon]

Tees are not fine.

http://lakeviewcc.com/turfcare/etiquette/repairing_ball_marks.php

Tees are perfectly fine if you know what you're doing. Your personal info says that you're a pro. Are you telling me that you couldn't properly repair a ball mark with a tee. Really?

 

[Natural Patrick]

Tees are perfectly fine if you know what you're doing. Your personal info says that you're a pro. Are you telling me that you couldn't properly repair a ball mark with a tee. Really?

 

Hmm, interesting.

[mvmac]

Tees are perfectly fine if you know what you're doing. Your personal info says that you're a pro. Are you telling me that you couldn't properly repair a ball mark with a tee. Really?

Did you read that article?

[flopster]

 

While Marshaling I love to take one of these to the greens and just knock out all the unrepaired pitch marks, It does a perfect job pushing everything back in place from 4 sides.

[iacas]

Tees are perfectly fine if you know what you're doing. Your personal info says that you're a pro. Are you telling me that you couldn't properly repair a ball mark with a tee. Really?

Could in a pinch? Sure. Prefer to? No. You didn't seem to read the article.

[Pendragon]

Could in a pinch? Sure. Prefer to? No. You didn't seem to read the article.

Actually, I did read it, and I watched the video as well. Then I looked at the video on the USGA webite, where it indicates that any sort of divot repair tool, including a tee, will work fine as long as the proper method of repair is utilized. In addition, the types of repair tools that you recommend might work best on your course, but perhaps not as well in other parts of the country.

I understand fully how important it is to repair balls marks correctly, and I've been doing that for about 55 years. You appear to be implying that your way is the only proper way to do it, and I would respectfully disagree with that. For me, how you do it is more important than what you do it with.  

[Pendragon]

Did you read that article?

Yes, I did, and watched the video as well. Everything in there made perfect sense as far as it went. I also watched the ball repair video at usga.org, and in that the type of repair tool doesn't appear to be a significant consideration. In the usga video, in fact, tees are among the types of repair devices that are shown as being acceptable to fix ball marks. So when iacas makes the absolute statement that "Tees are not fine", should I believe him or the USGA? 

I've played golf at a fairly high level for 55 years or so (and hold a course record), and I know the proper procedure to fix ball marks. I do it the same way that's shown in both the USGA video and the video supplied by iacas...but I use a tee to do it. I don't think that makes me a bad person. 

[Fourputt]

 

I've played golf at a fairly high level for 55 years or so (and hold a course record), and I know the proper procedure to fix ball marks. I do it the same way that's shown in both the USGA video and the video supplied by iacas...but I use a tee to do it. I don't think that makes me a bad person. 

 

A tee may work, however poorly, but if there is a better tool, instead of arguing against it, why not use it?  Whether you believe it or not, using a tee or any other tool with round tines does a significantly poorer job than a simple stamped tool with flat tines.  Any greenskeeper worth his salary will agree.  I watch a pro on TV jab a tee at his pitch mark  a half dozen times in 3 seconds and call it good.  Sorry, but there is no way that he is really doing a proper job of it.  The next guy on that line has to repair it all over again.

And holding a course record is meaningless to the topic.  I've known plenty of very good, very experienced players who did more damage than good in the way they "fixed" a pitch mark.

Edited October 11, 2015 by Fourputt

[Pendragon]

 

A tee may work, however poorly, but if there is a better tool, instead of arguing against it, why not use it?  Whether you believe it or not, using a tee or any other tool with round tines does a significantly poorer job than a simple stamped tool with flat tines.  Any greenskeeper worth his salary will agree.  I watch a pro on TV jab a tee at his pitch mark  a half dozen times in 3 seconds and call it good.  Sorry, but there is no way that he is really doing a proper job of it.  The next guy on that line has to repair it all over again.

And holding a course record is meaningless to the topic.  I've known plenty of very good, very experienced players who did more damage than good in the way they "fixed" a pitch mark.

There's no argument here, despite your trying to start one. When someone makes a blanket statement that tees are not acceptable for fixing ball marks, I reserve the right to disagree. And it looks like the USGA agrees with me. I agree that there are right and wrong ways to fix ball marks, but any number of various repair tools will get the job done correctly.  

[Pretzel]

There's no argument here, despite your trying to start one. When someone makes a blanket statement that tees are not acceptable for fixing ball marks, I reserve the right to disagree. And it looks like the USGA agrees with me. I agree that there are right and wrong ways to fix ball marks, but any number of various repair tools will get the job done correctly.  

You holding a course record means nothing. Tees can more readily damage the green than a proper tool. This makes it a very undesirable tool to use when other tools that are less damaging than a tee. 

[taxgolf]

It is some kind of obsesion to me to repair pitch marks. Sometimes so bad, I tend to loose concentration, searching for pm in stead of focussing on the put. I really, really hate it when I see unrepaired pm. More so, when I know there is a flight just for me who didn't do a thing. It is respectless. Respectless for the green keepers, respectless to other players. Once a golf pro was in a flight before me, giving a course lesson to new students. I noticed he didn't repair any nore told his students to do so. I addressed him afterwards. I think it is very bad. I normally use some sort of switchblade type repair divot tool. 

[colin007]

You can remove an oil filter using your hands and sandpaper, but why not just use the tool that was designed to do the job¿?