Ball Mark Repair Thread

[iacas]

I always fix at least two ball marks (subject to availability) on each green.

Ditto. And frankly, I'd rather people not fix ball marks than fix them as improperly as I've seen some fixed. Because if they don't fix them, at least someone else like me or QQQ can come along and fix them properly.

Now is as good a time as any to point people here again: http://lakeviewcc.com/turfcare/etiqu...ball_marks.php Pay particular attention to the video, too.

[chingali]

I ALWAYS fix mine and if I can't find mine then I will fix someone else's. I tend to walk a lot faster than people I play with so I always get to the green and have to wait for them and if I have a bit of time to wait I'll fix any ball marks I can see.

Another thing that I always do is after I have played my shot in to the green and I know I won't be making any more divots on that hole I will use whatever sand is in my sand bucket to fix other peoples divots as I walk along.

[golfchief]

I am always fixing ball marks, our course gives free plastic divit tools and most people will not take one or use one.

[Matt P]

I always fix my marks, and try to use the technique described in Eric's post. Before reading about how to fix a ball mark last year, I always did the pry up method. I do use a tool with slightly bigger prongs than the suggested versions but I cannot part with my U of M repair tool, even went back to the spot on the fairway I hit from to find it when it wasn't in my pocket on the green (no one behind, so I didn't slow play down).

[Cleveland Gunmetal]

Unfortunately this is going to continue to be a problem. Whenever I go to look for my ball mark I always end up finding a bunch to fix, so many sometimes I don't even know which one is mine so I try to fix as many as I can. Putting up "repair your ball mark" signs isn't enough and are often totally disregarded by golfers. It just boils down to the type of player playing the course. Some public courses (the same courses who roll out as many groups as possible and allow t-shirts) are always going to have this problem. People don't know and don't care. Too many recreational golfers are completely uneducated about golf etiquette (see slow play thread). Sure we can educate them here at thesandtrap.com, but I imagine the people logged on to this website are not the one's we need to worry about. Still, it's us as golfers who need to do what we can to educate the uneducated. There are nice ways to say things.

[NM Golf]

When I started playing I was told to always repair your own ball mark and at least one other. Its obvious everytime I play that others were not told to do this. If the hole is cut in the front of the green I normally have to repair several just to have and chance of making the putt.

[IeaglePar3s]

I always repair my ball marks, aswell as rake the sandtraps. I hate having some dead grass in my putting line or when my ball is in a damn footprint when im in the bunker.

[p_funk]

I just leave mine because I know people like you will repair them for me, and i always say why should I do something someone else will do for me..........wait for it.........wait for it. Only joking of course, I know bad joke. Like you guys I fix mine and usually find at least 2 more to fix. I agree just because you put up signs doesn't mean it is going to happen. You will always have those recreational golfers that only play every once in a while and don't know any better. Then of course you will always have the jerks that know better but don't care enough to fix them.

[Ogg]

Our club used to assign everyone a hole to fix ball marks on. Not sure how that worked out since they stopped doing it. I am pretty strict about fixing my mark but a guy I played with last weekend made me look like a slacker. He fixed anything and everythin on the greens. Good for him.

[jrbechthold]

Ball marks drive me nuts.

My pivot tool gets more of a workout than my putter when I play 18 - I don't know what it is, but the majority of golfers in Utah are oblivious.

[GolfnGriff]

Our club used to assign everyone a hole to fix ball marks on. Not sure how that worked out since they stopped doing it. I am pretty strict about fixing my mark but a guy I played with last weekend made me look like a slacker. He fixed anything and everythin on the greens. Good for him.

That sounds like great idea... Too bad they quit doing it. I try to leave the course in better shape than when I got there. Thinking the Golf Gods will reward me...

Just kidding.

[Norm66]

I look forward to making and fixing my ballmarks. I figure if I hit a green from far enough out to make a mark I've hit a pretty good shot. I can't understand why so many don't bother. Rude people are everywhere I suppose.

Now, much to my embarassment I've been doing it more or less wrong the whole time. Doh! I'll definitely use the method in the link above from now on.

[jb1982]

People usually fix them at my home course. Half the time they are just not repaired correctly!! Usually there is a nice raised piece of turf where the mark was from people prying it bak up!! They finally started haning little posters in all the bathroom stalls with instructions for proper reapair. We'll see if it works this season.

Not replacing or filling divots is another one that gets me. I hate hitting a drive down the middle of the fairway just to find it sitting in an unrepaired divot!!

[rusty]

I think part of the problem is that courses do very little to educate the public on the issue. Few courses give out repair tools or, if they do, they sit in an unassuming box next to the scorecards and pencils in the pro shop.

I played one course that had a little informative sign in the pro shop that asked people to repair their ball marks and had a little drawing to show the proper way to do it. Cheap - easy - and it seemed to be at least somewhat effective. I think most people simply have not been shown how to do it or didn't know they were supposed to.

[lamebums]

I fix my own marks, and have to fix anything on the line between my ball and the hole. Where I play though, there usually aren't many problems with it--either people are pretty good about it, or the place is enough of a goat farm that nobody cares/it doesn't matter.

[LarryK]

Now is as good a time as any to point people here again:

I have always tried to fix my marks according to the technique shown in the video. But I could swear that I sometimes see professional tour players not using this method. Seems that some just do a vertical stabbing motion.

Is that what others see, or am I missing something?

[lamebums]

I fluff up the green around the pitch mark before patting it down with my putter. It's not perfect, but about the best I've seen anyone do.

[iacas]

I have always tried to fix my marks according to the technique shown in the video. But I could swear that I sometimes see professional tour players not using this method. Seems that some just do a vertical stabbing motion.

Pros do not do it right. They do it the lazy way. The bad way. They won't be playing there after 1, 2, or 3 more days so what do they care if they've pockmarked all the greens with their improper methods.

Not once have I seen a tour pro on TV repair a ball mark properly. I have seen some do it in person at tournaments (TV doesn't often show pros repairing ball marks - that's pretty boring TV).