Ball Mark Repair Thread

[golf4fun12]

Originally Posted by Chief Broom

Somewhat off topic, but about divot tools...

Didn't you used to get a divot tool when you bought a Cameron putter? Wasn't that part of the deal? Didn't the old SC headcovers come with a slot for the tool?

yeah. it came with the studio style I believe. I still have mine. but I never use it

[Zeph]

Anyone know where to find similar tools online? I'm looking for a small discreet one with thin prongs, but sturdy.

[zeg]

This is the closest I've found to a thin, narrow-pronged divot tool online: here It looks decent, certainly on the thin side, even if it could be narrower.  I have one that's a bit narrower, but I got it for a quarter from the bucket in the pro shop.  It was clearly one that had been found on the course.  It's a bit nicer-finished than the stamped metal..

[skipperxo]

Tees deserve more respect!

Bottom line is that either you know how to repair marks properly...or you don't.

MORE THAN 90% of all golfers (including pros and golf course employees) don't know how, or don't care to fix marks properly.  (Same goes for fairway and other general course maintainence)

It doesn't matter what type of tool you use...the green can be butchered by the best tool.

Tees make big holes in the green? wow!

That is too funny!!!

Tees are the best and the original...TEES FOREVER!

[skipperxo]

You are a 6.4 and I am a 10...

I take all your money straight up or in match play on the course!

War!

[Zeph]

It depends a lot on the soil of the green. Some greens almost fix themselves just by pushing the tool into the ground. Other need more work. The hard and firm ones are definitely not for tees. The holes it leave won't pull together and leave a visual mark.

Overall, there is no doubt a good pitch mark tool is better than a tee.

[Clambake]

Just curious....why did you bother to join a forum site if all you want to do is spew nonsense and try to create confrontation????

Now, where is that "Ignore Poster" button......

Originally Posted by skipperxo

Tees deserve more respect!

Bottom line is that either you know how to repair marks properly...or you don't.

MORE THAN 90% of all golfers (including pros and golf course employees) don't know how, or don't care to fix marks properly.  (Same goes for fairway and other general course maintainence)

It doesn't matter what type of tool you use...the green can be butchered by the best tool.

Tees make big holes in the green? wow!

That is too funny!!!

Tees are the best and the original...TEES FOREVER!

Originally Posted by skipperxo

You are a 6.4 and I am a 10...

I take all your money straight up or in match play on the course!

War!

[clubchamp]

It doesn't really matter to me what you use to fix a ball mark as long as you fix it. I agree most people don't know how to fix one correctly but probably more people make no attempt to fix them period.

[Stan MI]

I agree !!  Please fix them with something.  Whenever I play by myself and just "Enjoy the day" I always take a little extra time on the greens to fix as many of the "BomB Shots" as I can.  Fixing pitchmarks is a lost art !

Originally Posted by zeg

Can someone who's a fierce proponent of the "proper" divot tools provide a link to purchase one? I'm curious exactly what model is considered appropriate, since it can be hard to tell from the product photos whether a particular tool fits the descriptions I've seen. I've got one that looks pretty similar to what the OP posted, but it's just a cheap aluminum one I got for free at a golf course (well, not free, you had to promise to fix at least 3 ball marks besides your own). I would like to replace it, though, because I bent it a bit when using it to pry my softspikes out since I'm too cheap to get a real spike wrench.

As for tees, given the behavior around here, I'm not going to complain if someone uses a baseball bat to fix their ball mark as long as they do something. As long as the turf is restored to a reasonable condition, I don't think the difference between 10 and 21 days for root regrowth or whatever is that significant. If you have more details on the study you mentioned, Clambake, I'd be curious, but I suspect it is less relevant to the playability of the green than it is to the health of the grass, so it's not like using a tee is destroying the green. The only signs I ever see of improper repairs are either NO repairs or a big hole dug in the green. I don't know that I've ever seen signs of a repaired mark dying.

[BigTazz53]

Friend sent this to me.
Funny how so many can't fix a ball mark .
Hank Haney's Ball Mark Repair

Video is titled divot repair, but it is ball marks on a green repair =)

[sean_miller]

Including Hank Haney apparently.

Originally Posted by BigTazz53

Friend sent this to me.

Funny how so many can't fix a ball mark .

Hank Haney's Ball Mark Repair

Video is titled divot repair, but it is ball marks on a green repair =)

[Spyder]

Last weekend when we were playing, we drove up to make sure all was clear before teeing off because the group that was in front of us religiously rang the "Go ahead and hit now bell"  before they were even off the green. It's a pretty easy equation to understand.... Finish putting + Ring the bell = Done with hole/good job. lol They would ring the bell and then putt and then not ring the bell for us.

Anyway, back on topic... as we were at the top, my father and I saw 2 different guys going around the green "repairing" ball marks with their FINGERS. Sticking their fingers into the hole and trying to pull the ball mark closed and then tamping it down with their putter . The green was almost freaking majestic, with the exception of about 8 dirt patches the size of half-dollars from these guys.

Common sense is something that cannot be taught or bought. Those who have it got it, those who don't... yeah.

[deasy55]

Why are ball/pitch marks also called divot marks? Is it an American thing? I didn't come across it until I joined this site and this is a predominantly American site, which is why I ask that.

[Spyder]

I never heard of a ball mark referred to as a "divot mark". A divot is a fairway/tee shot caused by the club and a ball mark is an impact mark from the ball - usually in reference to the green where repairing should be common courtesy, common sense and good golf etiquette (the same applies to replacing/repairing divots).

Maybe people are just mistaken?

[luu5]

Originally Posted by Spyder

I never heard of a ball mark referred to as a "divot mark".

For whatever reason the Ogio bag I have has a small pocket which says Divot tool pocket.

[luu5]

Originally Posted by sean_miller

Including Hank Haney apparently.

What's wrong with the second try on the video? Could have been better, but at least the principle was right.

[Spyder]

My father has been playing and watching golf for almost 28 years and he calls any type of damage to the fairway/green a divot. Could be old school or even proper terminology that was lost? I don't know. Either way, if you're by the green and say "divot" people will know what you mean lol. No reason to over-analyze it I guess.

[Shorty]

Originally Posted by deasy55

Why are ball/pitch marks also called divot marks? Is it an American thing? I didn't come across it until I joined this site and this is a predominantly American site, which is why I ask that.

I think so. I had never heard of them called anything other than "pitch marks" until the internet.

I would venture to say that a divot is not a pitch mark (or vice versa) but common (mis)usage has made it acceptable

In the same way that a lot of people call the tee the "tee box" when a tee box is actually a box full of sand.

This is another one that would cause confusion in other golfing countries.

I suppose they think that a lot of tees are basically box (square) shaped.