Fix your ball mark +1

[iacas]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

His comment regarding others ball marks being "the greenskeepers job" notwithstanding, I think you are being a tad harsh here.  You do realize that if everybody did exactly what he says he does (fix his own ball mark), there would not be a problem??

It's not the people like him that are letting the courses go to hell, its those who don't repair their own ball marks.

It's still an awfully low standard to set, especially since you're never gonna see the day when "everybody" fixes their own ball mark.

If I see trash left by someone else, I'll pick it up and throw it away. Same idea here. The idea is to leave the golf course betted than you found it, to be a good citizen of the world and the game.

[mtsalmela80]

I realized I am guilty of having one of those thick plastic ball repair tools, I gotta go to Dicks and get a proper one.

[GaijinGolfer]

Originally Posted by iacas

It's still an awfully low standard to set, especially since you're never gonna see the day when "everybody" fixes their own ball mark.

If I see trash left by someone else, I'll pick it up and throw it away. Same idea here. The idea is to leave the golf course betted than you found it, to be a good citizen of the world and the game.

Perhaps we should set the standard that everyone should just fix their own ballmark then.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by TitleistWI

Perhaps we should set the standard that everyone should just fix their own ballmark then.

No thanks. Fix as many as you can reasonably fix. Leave the golf course in better condition than you found it.

I can fix six, seven, or more after marking my ball while waiting for others to get on the green (they may be raking a bunker, etc.).

[GaijinGolfer]

Originally Posted by iacas

No thanks. Fix as many as you can reasonably fix. Leave the golf course in better condition than you found it.

I can fix six, seven, or more after marking my ball while waiting for others to get on the green (they may be raking a bunker, etc.).

So you want people to spend time fixing random ball marks instead of mere having people police themselves and tell their lazy buddies, "Hey, fix your ball mark!"  Hmmm, ok.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by TitleistWI

So you want people to spend time fixing random ball marks instead of mere having people police themselves and tell their lazy buddies, "Hey, fix your ball mark!"  Hmmm, ok.

That's not even close to what I said, but okay.

In reality, people don't all fix their ball marks. If you can create a world in which they did, then yes, the math says there's no "+1" to fix. Until then, there will be extra ball marks.

[burtonda]

Originally Posted by TitleistWI

So you want people to spend time fixing random ball marks instead of mere having people police themselves and tell their lazy buddies, "Hey, fix your ball mark!"  Hmmm, ok.

This isn't mutually exclusive - I expect people to police their group AND be good golf citizens by repairing ball marks they didn't create.  It's a very simple task that protects the green from long-term damage.  I've repaired hundreds of ball marks I didn't make and it only takes me around 5 seconds to fix one.  If it takes you 30 seconds then you're doing it wrong.

[Mordan]

Originally Posted by TitleistWI

So you want people to spend time fixing random ball marks instead of mere having people police themselves and tell their lazy buddies, "Hey, fix your ball mark!"  Hmmm, ok.

There are valid reasons why someone might not have fixed their ball mark. Sometimes you just can't find your ball mark you may have pitched off the green and there might not be one, or you just might not be able to see it. It's perfectly valid to have a bit of a look and if you can't find a mark move on. Or some of the old guys at the club for whom it's a real effort just to get around the golf course. I think it's great that they're still getting out and have no qualms with them not bending down to repair a mark. So if their mark is the one I'm repairing alongside my own I'm fine with that.

In the end your attitude is selfish, you can try and justify it to yourself that in a perfect world it wouldn't be necessary, but the world isn't perfect and neither are we but I take pride in my course and am willing to put in the tiny extra effort to improve it whereever I can.

[Zeph]

I always fix my own and fix as many others as I got the time for during the period of time I'm at or around the green. In a foursome, I can fix a lot of marks without wasting a single second. In the ideal world, everyone would fix their own, but we do not live in that world. Some people are stupid and don't care, some forget, some are don't see the problem, etc. As long as there exist situations where a ball mark is not fixed by it's owner, there is need for a guideline instructing people to fix their mark plus any other they can find. I fix others' marks because I care about the game and respect the course and the other players using it. Plus, if I set an example, others may follow.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by iacas

It's still an awfully low standard to set, especially since you're never gonna see the day when "everybody" fixes their own ball mark.

If I see trash left by someone else, I'll pick it up and throw it away. Same idea here. The idea is to leave the golf course betted than you found it, to be a good citizen of the world and the game.

I totally agree.  I always fix my own mark (all 4 or so of them I make per round, ugh) and any others that I come across (I don't go searching others out, but it's rarely hard to find 2 or 3 others without even trying).  I'd say it takes less than 10 seconds per, and like you said, it really doesn't take any time because you're doing it while its not your turn anyways.

I was just saying the level of disdain the guy had - wanting to run the guy over with his car - is extreme.

[RonTheSavage]

I'm learning the game from my uncle who's been golfing for over 30 years. When he first took me out to the course I would see him repair at least three to four ball marks on every green, rake every bunker he was in etc. I may not repair as many ball marks as him but I always repair at least my own, and more times than not 1 more. And I ALWAYS rake the bunkers............takes 2 seconds. Common courtesy people, same as holding the door or elevator for someone. It should be done without thinking.

[Shorty]

FWIW, the best pitch repairer I have ever used is an Oakley one. It works because it's really thin and the two blades are quite wide.

The worst I have ever used is the Scotty cameron Pivot tool. It's designed to look cool, but performs very poorly.

[mdl]

The speed argument for ball mark repair is ridiculous.  Unless you're playing alone there's someone else making a putt on every green, so you can find time while others line things up to fix your mark.

I've always fixed my marks, and I'll repair others if I see them.  But if you've never been instructed on how to do it correctly I'd recommend following the link provided on the first page, or just googling it.  I did it wrong for years in a way that apparently tears up more roots than were already damaged by the ball hitting and cause it to take longer for the mark to heal, even though it would look nice when I left.

I admit I don't always fix divots off the tee box though.  I walk, so I never have "sand", and I tend not to take deep enough divots where there's a clear strip I can put back that has any chance of reattaching to the ground.  I've always assumed that sprinkling various chopped up bits of grass and dirt over the divot is only cosmetic.  Correct me if I'm wrong!

[walk18]

I usually don't see many other ball marks, even though I look for them, and I play public courses. Either Chicago golfers are great at fixing their marks, or they don't hit many greens.

[sean_miller]

Originally Posted by walk18

I usually don't see many other ball marks, even though I look for them, and I play public courses. Either Chicago golfers are great at fixing their marks, or they don't hit many greens.

Some days I can't even find my own mark and other days the green looks like the moon. The vulnerability [?] of the greens at my course varies greatly with the rainfall.

[jetsknicks1]

It's just pure laziness. Being a high HCer, I don't leave an awful lot of marks but I fix all of them plus any others I see. What drives me even crazier than ball mars is people dragging their feet on the greens. I understand that accidents happen but when I'm playing and every green has drag marks on it, well that just tells me that one or more players in front of me are TOO DAMN LAZY TO PICK UP THEIR FEET.

Rant over.