Pitch mark maintainance

[Dr. Strangeclub]

Bravo! I even brought this up on another thread, ie, people repair ball marks incorrectly more often than not, so complaining about people not fixing their ball marks really misses the "mark". I suggested, tongue in cheek, but quasi-seriously, that there should be designated ball repairers, and that unless you had a club badge as a qualified repairer, you shouldn't mess with it and mess it up. Playing at a course should involve an agreement. The first time you play a course, you should be required to watch this video before you can tee it up! TWICE!

[ChappyEight]

You'd think it would be worthwhile for a club to post instructions w/ small graphics on their scorecards (or maybe a small insert). Sure, not everyone would read them, but I'll bet a lot would and it would save the course a lot of trouble in the long run.

[Par Fore]

On TGC, I remember seeing a thing with Gary Player a long time ago.....I believe he does the entire repair process with his putter.....thought that was pretty cool....

[James_Black]

You'd think it would be worthwhile for a club to post instructions w/ small graphics on their scorecards (or maybe a small insert). Sure, not everyone would read them, but I'll bet a lot would and it would save the course a lot of trouble in the long run.

they have a poster in the locker rooms at my home course on how to correctly repair a pitchmark.

[plugged]

they have a poster in the locker rooms at my home course on how to correctly repair a pitchmark

They oughta have everyone that plays golf sign an agreement that they will follow pace-of-play, and repair divots and ball marks.

[iacas]

dude needs to get a ball mark fixer...

Yeah. A tee isn't good - the holes it can make are too big.

http://lakeviewcc.com/turfcare/etiqu...rks.php?part=1 http://lakeviewcc.com/turfcare/etiqu...rks.php?part=2 http://lakeviewcc.com/turfcare/etiqu...rks.php?part=3 http://lakeviewcc.com/turfcare/video...ark_repair.php

[zeg]

This reminds me to ask once again: Anyone have any clue where to find tools like those on the far right of that image?

[Dad-2-3]

I'd like to bump this one up, and repeat the question of the poster above. I thought it was better than to create a new thread.

+1 here. I have looked just about every where and can't come up with any tool which would be acceptable. I'm about to make one myself at my bro-inlaws machine shop.

[jamo]

This reminds me to ask once again: Anyone have any clue where to find tools like those on the far right of that image?

To bad I didn't see this earlier, I was at a course handing those out for free. I use a Scotty Cameron one, and the design is terrible. It encourages lifting rather than pushing, but if you use it the right way I guess it is fine, but a little thick.

[Dr. Strangeclub]

Yeah. A tee isn't good - the holes it can make are too big.

My favorite is one like the one in the middle, to the right of the tee.

One sometimes sees the big fat plastic jobs free in the pro shop. REALLY awful! A tee is better! The next basket at the pro desk you see full of these greens-keeping atrocities-in-the-making, take them all and toss them in the recyclable plastic when you get home.

[B Keller]

Yeah. A tee isn't good - the holes it can make are too big.

I have one that looks like the third from the left that says PGA Partners Club on it. Good think I've never sued it I guess. Lost my good one and now use one like the ones marked OK....but our greens are usually pretty dry. Guess I need to find a replacement.

[tws1098]

Everyone is saying the tee (That even the guy in the video used) is not good. I disagree, I would rather have someone repair it the way he showed with a tee than leave it, or pull up the turf with a "proper" tool. I have never left big holes where the tee enters. If you only use the point it is smaller than the tools that are suggested and it's free. I am not trying to argue for the tee over the other tools, it has just been what I found to work, it's cheap (especially if you lose it), and I have seen plenty of good golfers use it properly.

Again I am not trying to argue that it is better than other tools, because it wasn't even designed for the purpose as the tools are, but am merely suggesting that if used properly it is a fine way to repair.

[Zeph]

It is not as good as using a proper tool, that is the point. Why would it matter what good golfers use? Pretty much the whole PGA Tour use tees, but that doesn't mean everyone else should.

I've never seen a tee that is slimmer than my divot tools, so you either got thicker divot tools or thinner tees. I agree that there are lots of poor tools out there, but that does not mean using a tee is better than a good tool.

[Dr. Strangeclub]

Everyone is saying the tee (That even the guy in the video used) is not good. I disagree, I would rather have someone repair it the way he showed with a tee than leave it, or pull up the turf with a "proper" tool.

I think a tee works reasonably well, too, especially one of the longer ones, at least when the greens aren't too dry and the mark not too big. (I sometimes forget to get mine out of the bag and will use a tee until I can remember to take one out.) For a large ball mark on a soft, wet green, the tee is pretty ineffective -- like serving beer with a teaspoon. I think the "too big a hole" point really only applies when the greens have a lot of clay content; on sandy or thatchy surfaces (ie, really good courses and really bad courses

), it wouldn't make any difference, but the tool is always faster and easier.

[Dr. Strangeclub]

Pretty much the whole PGA Tour use tees, but that doesn't mean everyone else should.

At LEAST half the time, when the leader is repairing a ball mark after consulting with the rules official and the camera zooms in to see the problem being remedied, the method used is precisely what the videos have complained about. But it doesn't matter, because an army of greens engineers will descend on the course after play and make the greens look like they'd never been played on. Most of us don't play at Augusta National and the ilk (although I see a lot of sandtrap members do). I often see touring pros repairing ball marks with all the skill of your average weekend golfer. It's really funny sometimes, though! Here he is, Fineshot McPounder, carefully lifting and dithering to make the area level and worrying it to death to make sure it won't screw up the putt, when all he has to do is take a few seconds and do the whole thing correctly and there would be no problem whatsoever!

Hmmm...come to think of it, every time I've seen them zero in on a ball mark problem, they do it wrong!

[BonoVox]

I always repair mine and get a sense of satisfaction. It feels good to hit the green, walk up on it, fix your pitch mark, mark your ball, clean your ball.........anyway just part of the satisfaction of hitting a GIR.

[RemyM]

This reminds me to ask once again: Anyone have any clue where to find tools like those on the far right of that image?

There is a high end course around me that gives them out. I've never seen them sold except in bulk.

[jcorfive]

I also love fixing pitch marks. It usually means I had a nice shot. I fix whatever other ones I can if the time allows. I really hate to see greens that are beat to death. Its not fun to putt on and it looks like crap.