Fix your ball mark +1

[Beachcomber]

I believe there should be a national movement within the world of golf to: 1. Instruct golfers on how to properly repair a ball mark on the green 2. Provide all golfers with a free tool to repair ball marks 3. Ask that all golfers repair their mark + another mark on each and every green I'm so tired of playing courses where people do not repair their ball mark. Why do you not fix your ball mark?:~(

[nevets88]

I always repair one or more ball marks. I find it soothing.

Same movement should go for raking traps and bunkers too.

[Shorty]

The people who don't fix ball marks are the same people that litter, don't rake bunkers and don't repair divots.

National movements, or international movements to modify this sort of behaviour don't work because they preach to the converted and are ignored by those who need to change. Unfortunately. Selfish pigs will not change.

[TourSpoon]

There used to be a time when courses gave you a tool and a handfull of tees when paid your greens fee. The would tell you too fix a ball mark and one more on every green.

[Apotheosis]

Newb question.  How do you repair ball marks on the green?

[Missouri Swede]

  Apotheosis said:

Originally Posted by Apotheosis

Newb question.  How do you repair ball marks on the green?

Try this link (from a previous post a few years back):

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

[saevel25]

I always fix as many ball marks as i can find on the green..

[BugDude]

Great post!!!  It comes down to a lack of regard for the course and other people.  Private courses are a little better because that's "your course" and you play it all the time and everyone has a little more ownership of taking care of it.  Public courses are the worst.  Drunks riding all over the place, littering, taking 8 divots with practice swings and hitting 2 or 3 balls, dragging their feet on the green, missing a putt and slamming their putter in the green.  Some people you just can't reach.

[Roblar]

I'm always so disappointed that I didn't make a big enough ball mark to fix.  ...so I fix a few of the ones that I see nearby.  That said, today I think I left one on a green.  I hit the green from about 120 out, and couldn't find my ball mark.  (Seriously.)  So I fixed two old ones and moved along.  I'm sure it was right there in front of me --- but I couldn't find it.  (Or, perhaps, the ball just landed so softly that it didn't leave much of a mark at all?)

On the fairway side of things - I don't usually take divots (at least, not like the pros do).  I often 'mow' the grass a bit, but I don't send inches of turf flying off in the distance.  I have never 'fixed' anything in the fairway --- should I be doing that?  How?  What do I do if my swing is a bit deeper but without actually sending a solid chunk of turf flying? (I should also say that I walk -- so I don't have that sand-thing you find on the carts.)

[GJBenn85]

Drives me nuts when people do not repair their ball marks.  I always repair mine plus any others I quickly find, only takes a matter of seconds.  There is a course here I have played a few times and while it is a nice course, the greens are literally littered with 50+ ball marks.

[Beachcomber]

I play a lot of golf here in Socal. Especially here at Rancho San Joaquin as it is minutes from my house. The guys I play with said that the Koreans don't want to touch the ground as their culture believes if you have a tan, or have dirt on your hands you are a farmer. Or of lower class. I think it is sad, but I do see a lot of them covered up with long sleeves and gloves, even when its steaming hot... and noticed that they are not fixing their ball marks. And the course is not instructing players to fix their ball marks. It looks like a mine field on several greens. They have a lot of marshalls who don't say a thing either. I'm wondering if this is simply an issue with people not knowing proper golf etiquette - or what the problem is? But it is frustrating. Sorry for calling out any one who is Korean. I'm just wondering if their is any truth to what I've been told. And if so, at least I'll have a little more understanding on the subject.

[lumpuckeroo]

  BugDude said:

Originally Posted by BugDude

Great post!!!  It comes down to a lack of regard for the course and other people.  Private courses are a little better because that's "your course" and you play it all the time and everyone has a little more ownership of taking care of it.  Public courses are the worst.  Drunks riding all over the place, littering, taking 8 divots with practice swings and hitting 2 or 3 balls, dragging their feet on the green, missing a putt and slamming their putter in the green.  Some people you just can't reach.

I would agree, it really goes back to people having respect for others.

[kcgolfa1]

  Shorty said:

Originally Posted by Shorty

The people who don't fix ball marks are the same people that litter, don't rake bunkers and don't repair divots.

National movements, or international movements to modify this sort of behaviour don't work because they preach to the converted and are ignored by those who need to change. Unfortunately. Selfish pigs will not change.

Well Said. Next to not fixing ball marks people not raking bunkers drives me crazy. Its not that hard, it only takes two seconds.

[GaijinGolfer]

Im all for fixing your own ball mark but fix 1 that isnt your's?  That would slow down play too much.

[Shorty]

  TitleistWI said:

Originally Posted by TitleistWI

Im all for fixing your own ball mark but fix 1 that isnt your's?  That would slow down play too much.

It doesn't slow play down by a single second.

I'll often repair five or six while I'm waiting my turn to putt. You do it while othes are lining up.

[Roblar]

  Shorty said:

Originally Posted by Shorty

It doesn't slow play down by a single second.

I'll often repair five or six while I'm waiting my turn to putt. You do it while othes are lining up.

Right.  You do it *because* of the slow play of others!! (Well, I know the guy I usually play with will spend a bit of time on his putt, so I can usually find three or four in the vicinity of my ball.)

[meenman]

  TitleistWI said:

Originally Posted by TitleistWI

Im all for fixing your own ball mark but fix 1 that isnt your's?  That would slow down play too much.

This is expected  at our course and considered common courtesy - people that fix other ball marks are usually intelligent enough that they would not slow down play. We usually do it as we are walking up to our ball on the green.

[GaijinGolfer]

  meenman said:

Originally Posted by meenman

This is expected  at our course and considered common courtesy - people that fix other ball marks are usually intelligent enough that they would not slow down play. We usually do it as we are walking up to our ball on the green.

You still have to stop and fix a ball mark, which takes usually about 30 seconds.  Sorry but if I had to wait an extra 30 seconds per hole (in addition to whatever else people do that wastes time on the course), that would be a course that I would choose not to spend my time and money at.

As far as common courtesy, Id say fixing ball marks is what you pay your greenskeepers for.

Honestly, the only way that I would fix someone else's ball mark is if its in my putting line.  Other than that...not my problem.