Best Divot Repair Tool

[Beachcomber]

Hi fellow TST'ers. What is the best divot / pitch mark repair tool? Mine must of slipped out of my pocket the last round played, because it was lost mid round. The one I had, was two pronged and attached to my pocket - like a money clip. Not a bad tool, but as much golf as I play, figured I'd get something better if I asked the community to chime in. Any suggestions on what I should get? I'd prefer it was easy to carry, and did the job with ease - fixing pitch marks. No need for it to double down as a ball maker, but I guess that would be a nice bonus. Although I'd most likely never use it as a marker.

[Golfingdad]

The one I have is sweeeeeeeeet! I found it last time out. Must have fallen out of the pocket of someone in the group in front of me, or perhaps one of my playing partners. ;) Kidding ... I just use the two pronged ones they give away at nicer courses.

[dhanson]

I grabbed all my pitch mark tools out of my bag:

#1: the tool that I use the most. i picked it up for free at the course i played while in college, and have not used another tool since. it's thin and repairs pitch marks very well without tearing up the surface of the green.

#2: this was my grandfathers repair tool. i've never used it, but it has small prongs to clean the grooves on your club. plus there's a Jayhawk on it.

#3: i use this from time to time. it's on my keyring, and i sometimes pull it out of my pocket when i'm chipping during my lunch break.

#4: my first repair tool. it cost more than the rest of them combined, and it repairs pitch marks the worst of them all. the prongs are way too thick, and awkward to handle in comparison to the smaller ones. the ball markers on these types of repair tools are too small to be useful - if you pickup your ball to clean it, and walk away from your marker to eye your line, it can be difficult to find the marker again, or pick it up from the other side of the hole.

[Ernest Jones]

Originally Posted by dhanson

I grabbed all my pitch mark tools out of my bag:

#1: the tool that I use the most. i picked it up for free at the course i played while in college, and have not used another tool since. it's thin and repairs pitch marks very well without tearing up the surface of the green.

#2: this was my grandfathers repair tool. i've never used it, but it has small prongs to clean the grooves on your club. plus there's a Jayhawk on it.

#3: i use this from time to time. it's on my keyring, and i sometimes pull it out of my pocket when i'm chipping during my lunch break.

#4: my first repair tool. it cost more than the rest of them combined, and it repairs pitch marks the worst of them all. the prongs are way too thick, and awkward to handle in comparison to the smaller ones. the ball markers on these types of repair tools are too small to be useful - if you pickup your ball to clean it, and walk away from your marker to eye your line, it can be difficult to find the marker again, or pick it up from the other side of the hole.

I have one very similar to your #1 image, by far the best one I've used. It's got a slight bend in it and the tines are very slim. My experience is, the fancier the divot tool, the crappier the divot tool. Keep it simple, it ain't rocketballz....

[iacas]

The thread number in this one should clue you in as to how old it is, but the advice still stands: http://thesandtrap.com/t/374/ball-mark-repair-thread/ .

The relevant link in that thread is this one: http://lakeviewcc.com/turfcare/etiquette/repairing_ball_marks.php?part=2 .

And the relevant IMAGE in that second link is this one:

[dhanson]

Originally Posted by iacas

The thread number in this one should clue you in as to how old it is, but the advice still stands: http://thesandtrap.com/t/374/ball-mark-repair-thread/ .

The relevant link in that thread is this one: http://lakeviewcc.com/turfcare/etiquette/repairing_ball_marks.php?part=2 .

And the relevant IMAGE in that second link is this one:

i've come across this thread a few times, and i can never find the tools they endorse. no online box stores carry anything similar to those tools. the questions was posed a few times in that thread with no answer - where do you find those?

[Beachcomber]

Erik, Can that CNC guy on here make me one like those that are acceptable?! I can't find one like that on Amazon. And the concern I have is the forks will bend.

[brettwasbtd]

What about the "one-prong?"

http://www.pitchprogolf.com/how-to/

[WWBDD]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

And the concern I have is the forks will bend.

You're doing it wrong.

[iacas]

Originally Posted by dhanson

i've come across this thread a few times, and i can never find the tools they endorse. no online box stores carry anything similar to those tools. the questions was posed a few times in that thread with no answer - where do you find those?

I'll see what I can do. Someone remind me after the holidays?

They get them in bulk, so I'm not opposed to ordering a bulk set and selling them at cost here. For the good of golf (greens).

[smellysell]

Originally Posted by dhanson

i've come across this thread a few times, and i can never find the tools they endorse. no online box stores carry anything similar to those tools. the questions was posed a few times in that thread with no answer - where do you find those?

Almost all of the courses I play here have ones like the one on the far right, minus the plastic handle part, and typically made out of copper, or at least made to look the same color.  Maybe it's just a Montana thing?

[iacas]

Originally Posted by smellysell

Almost all of the courses I play here have ones like the one on the far right, minus the plastic handle part, and typically made out of copper, or at least made to look the same color.  Maybe it's just a Montana thing?

That's a rubber coating on the outside. You can slide it off and just get the metal beneath.

I'm doing some quick research now and think we'll probably just do a group buy and then I can mail orders of them to you guys.

http://www.divottools.com/products/Custom-Economy-Divot-Tools.html (300 style, plain in antique nickel probably)

http://www.inkhead.com/metal-bent-fork-divot-repair-tool-rubber-coated/23294/ and the next one seem to be the same:

http://www.tournamentshowroom.com/Coated-Handle-Metal-Bent-Fork-Divot-Tool-Gdt440.aspx rubber coated handle

http://www.tournamentshowroom.com/Budget-Stamped-Golf-Repair-Tool-Gdt575.aspx nice simple look, probably antique nickel

http://www.tournamentshowroom.com/Antique-Metal-Bent-Fork-Divot-Tool-Gdt180.aspx same as the one just above here

http://www.inkhead.com/shack-divot-tool/10782/ is one of the cheapest but lacks the little notch that can keep a grip dry

---

I'll put it to you this way...

If you want five, I think I can get them to you for about $20 shipped, maybe a bit less. That's $4 apiece and you'll have some spares, and they'll have The Sand Trap logo on them. We have custom ball markers too so you can add those as well.

I'll tackle this after Christmas, okay? I'll put up a poll, see which ones y'all like, and we'll go from there.

[Beachcomber]

Sounds great. I'd place an order.

[StrayCat]

The best?  The one that came with my scotty cameron putter.  i don't know if they still come with the putters but i have seen them at golf shops sold separately.  in my opinion there isn't even a close second to these.

[jamo]

The best?  The one that came with my scotty cameron putter.  i don't know if they still come with the putters but i have seen them at golf shops sold separately.  in my opinion there isn't even a close second to these.

Those are fine as long as you don't use them the way the designer intended. They're made to make it easier to fix pitch marks the incorrect way, by forcing the grass up from the middle, when in reality you want to push the grass forward from the edges.

[smellysell]

Originally Posted by iacas

That's a rubber coating on the outside. You can slide it off and just get the metal beneath.

I'm doing some quick research now and think we'll probably just do a group buy and then I can mail orders of them to you guys.

http://www.divottools.com/products/Custom-Economy-Divot-Tools.html (300 style, plain in antique nickel probably)

http://www.inkhead.com/metal-bent-fork-divot-repair-tool-rubber-coated/23294/ and the next one seem to be the same:

http://www.tournamentshowroom.com/Coated-Handle-Metal-Bent-Fork-Divot-Tool-Gdt440.aspx rubber coated handle

http://www.tournamentshowroom.com/Budget-Stamped-Golf-Repair-Tool-Gdt575.aspx nice simple look, probably antique nickel

http://www.tournamentshowroom.com/Antique-Metal-Bent-Fork-Divot-Tool-Gdt180.aspx same as the one just above here

http://www.inkhead.com/shack-divot-tool/10782/ is one of the cheapest but lacks the little notch that can keep a grip dry

I'll put it to you this way...

If you want five, I think I can get them to you for about $20 shipped, maybe a bit less. That's $4 apiece and you'll have some spares, and they'll have The Sand Trap logo on them. We have custom ball markers too so you can add those as well.

I'll tackle this after Christmas, okay? I'll put up a poll, see which ones y'all like, and we'll go from there.

Yep, handle probably wasn't the right word to use.  My tool I use almost exclusively is just like that, but with a course name on it.

[StrayCat]

Originally Posted by jamo

Those are fine as long as you don't use them the way the designer intended. They're made to make it easier to fix pitch marks the incorrect way, by forcing the grass up from the middle, when in reality you want to push the grass forward from the edges.

I have no idea what the designer intended, I just know that fixing divots with that tool is easier than with any tool I've ever used.  Unless the ball tore a chunk of turf out of the green, which sometimes happens, a person would have a very hard time finding any repair job I've done.  I am very concientious in how I leave the course behind me, usually fixing several ball marks in addition to my own.  Interesting you mention pushing, thats the main motion I use and the strength of that tool makes it very easy.

[Ernest Jones]

Originally Posted by iacas

http://www.tournamentshowroom.com/Budget-Stamped-Golf-Repair-Tool-Gdt575.aspx nice simple look, probably antique nickel

I like this one, pretty much identical the one I have now. I would definitely order a TST one if it happens.