Pisses Me Off

[Wood]

I went to play 9 last night (37 wooohoooo!), and was just flat pissed off walking around this beautiful course, with beautiful greens, and fixed 2-3 friggin ball marks for every one of mine I created and fixed. Maybe it's just how I learned from my club pro early, or because my high school golf coach pounded it in to our heads, but I COULD NOT IMAGINE WALKING BY MY BALL MARK AND NOT FIXING IT BEFORE I PUTT. Some of these were deep, and in no way could have been missed by the hack-monkey-piece-of-crap idiot that created it, and then putted from beside it.

Sorry, had to vent.

[cdriver]

This is a universal problem. I play at least 7 or 8 different courses here regularly varying from CC members only to public goat tracks and no one repairs their ball marks. Even amongst the better players I play with, their technique for fixing them is worse than leaving them in some cases. At my home course, I will probably average 5 ball marks I repair per hole.

I don't know what the mindset is for the people who do not repair their own, do they feel entitled because the paid greens fees or monthly dues to leave a mess for others? Or were they just brought up to be inconsiderate?

Along the same lines, I have had a lot of bunker shots made much harder because they landed in an unraked trap. I had one the other night where my ball was resting in the bottom of a heelprint so deep that the top of the ball was level with the top of the sand. Needless to say, I got it out but nowhere near the hole. It was just hit and hope.

If I ran a course, I probably wouldn't have any patrons left because if I saw someone abusing my course, I would run them off, period.

[ragontona]

I've gotten used to it. With the influx of new players to the game, it's up to us to pass it along to people. If I play with someone that doesn't fix their pitch mark, I half-jokingly say, "Ya gonna fix that, bud?" or something along those lines. They usually do, but if they don't, I'll go up to it and show them the repair tool, fix the mark, smile, and go back to my ball.

Basically, I fix 'em as I see 'em. It's stopped bugging me a long time ago.

[Puttin4Bird]

Basically, I fix 'em as I see 'em. It's stopped bugging me a long time ago.

Exactly, it really does suck but what can you do? Just fix what you see and move on.

[Rafcin]

yeah, I'd think it's the one of the negative sides of the "tiger-effect" on golf
Other is the overall economy situation - most golf clubs try to close one eye on a lot of things (dress code, alcohol usage, etiquette) just not to offend customers.
I always subsribed to the rule "fix your ball mark and (at least) one more" on every green. Additionally while I'm waiting to putt - what else is there to do? A foursome putting takes good 3 minutes - plenty of ball marks could be fixed in that time...
When I play with somebody who doesn't fixes them I try to point it out gently ( i.e. saying "I already fixed your ball mark" ) on couple of first holes - and doing it making enough movement/nice, that it's noticed. After that they usually start paying attention

[elivate]

Can anyone provide a little tutorial on how to properly fix their ball marks? I always fix mine, and I try to fix one or two others when I notice them, and I think I do an ok job, but I was never actually shown the proper way to do it...

Also, what really bugs me is walking past a huge divot and finding the turf about 4 feet away, upside down, baiking in the sun... All it takes is about 10 seconds to replace a divot...

[ragontona]

Can anyone provide a little tutorial on how to properly fix their ball marks? I always fix mine, and I try to fix one or two others when I notice them, and I think I do an ok job, but I was never actually shown the proper way to do it...

Found out there on the web:

1. Use a ballmark repair tool (also called a divot repair tool or greens repair tool) whenever possible. The pro shop usually has 'em for free. 2. Insert the repair tool at the edge of the ball mark. Do NOT insert the tool within the depression itself. 3. Push the tool forward from the edge of the ball mark toward the center. Do this around the edges of the indentation. 4. Do NOT insert the tool under the indented area and push up - a common mistake. Think of it as pushing turf in from the edges toward the center. 5. Tamp down the repaired area with your putter so that the surface is even. Tips: 1. If your ball mark has actually displaced a piece of turf, do not replace it. Just work around the edges with your repair tool as normal. The replaced turf will simply die, delaying the healing process. 2. Pushing the tines of your repair tool under the indented area and pushing up simply damages the root system. 3. You not only should always repair your ball marks, but, time permitting, you should repair any other ball marks you see, too.

[elivate]

Thanks for the instructions, I have made some mistakes fixing ball marks in the past, I will now follow these steps.

[Rafcin]

Can anyone provide a little tutorial on how to properly fix their ball marks? I always fix mine, and I try to fix one or two others when I notice them, and I think I do an ok job, but I was never actually shown the proper way to do it...

Erik's home course website has a nice little video on this:

http://lakeviewcc.com/turfcare/video...ark_repair.php

[NCGolfer]

Playing on mostly public courses all my life I have seen some very large craters. This is probably my #1 pet peeve on the golf course other than slow play.

Honestly, I feel like crap if I know I hit the green and can't find my ball mark. It's like the golf gods are watching you and ready to strike you dead if you leave the green damaged. I'll usually find an old ball mark to fix if I can't locate mine.

[cdriver]

Nice video. I read a study conducted by Texas A&M; on ball mark repair and they contended that the repair tools we use are too long. The quickest healing repairs were done with about a 3/8th long prong instead of the 1 to 1-1/2 prong tool most of us carry. They used the same technique shown in the video.

[wachesawgolfer]

Most people, I see, push up the indentation, as do I. To push in as you describe would seemingly make a bigger mess, but I will try it. Thanks for the info.

[allin]

A good ranger will stop and repair a few late in the day. In a related matter, why don't all courses put sand, seed, fertilizer mix at the tee for divots? Maybe some on carts as well?

[Rafcin]

A good ranger will stop and repair a few late in the day. In a related matter, why don't all courses put sand, seed, fertilizer mix at the tee for divots? Maybe some on carts as well?

answer is simple - budget. seed and fertilizer are expensive. One day we do a "member initiative day" and we got seed mix from the greenskeeper. We walked down the fairways and filled all the divots. At 5th hole we run out of mix... We used 8 bags of seed (+sand) and greenskeeper told us, that was all he had - $200 a bag. $1600 to fix 5 hoes + 3 hours work time ( 10 members ).

How many courses can afford that?

[Froaderick]

ok, i will admit it, my first couple of times on a course, I really had no idea that I had to repair ball marks on the green. My buddy that I played with pointed it out to me and I felt foolish for not having common sense. Now, I too get a little irritated walking onto a green 'with acne' but I always keep in mind that I was clueless at first too...

[allin]

Thanks, maybe on par three holes?

[Rafcin]

ok, i will admit it, my first couple of times on a course, I really had no idea that I had to repair ball marks on the green...

That's why I LOOOVE the german approach to golf. Anybody who wants to play on a golf course needs to have a license, so called "Platzreife". Beisde the fact, that is crazy expensive (we don't have to copy that part

) - I believe somewhere around $400, it consists from a written test on rules and etiquette (yes, it includes all "assumed" player responsibilities as far as course maintenance goes) and playing ability test ( I believe one have to score under 110 or something - nothing too crazy). We desperatly need something similar in US...

[ragontona]

That's why I LOOOVE the german approach to golf. Anybody who wants to play on a golf course needs to have a license, so called "Platzreife". Beisde the fact, that is crazy expensive (we don't have to copy that part

You know, as much as I wish that people knew the rules and etiquette of the game, I don't know if agree. The game is already intimidating enough for the new golfer without having to add a written and playing test. Everyone has to start from somewhere... it's only over time that an aspiring player can gain an appreciation for the rules and

unwritten etiquette of the game. It's ultimately up to the golfer to play by the rules and conduct himself as a gentleman (or lady) out there, I agree. But we can't go as far as to test players abilities before even allowing them to set foot on a golf course. I believe that the game is out there for everyone, not just players who know better. It may take some time... but eventually they'll learn. We've just gotta help 'em along.