Do you repair sand filled ball marks?

[nevets88]

I was going to take a picture, but I forgot. Basically looks like a crater with sand in it. I wonder if letting it be will allow it to grow back faster as opposed to repairing it?

[BuckeyeNut]

Always repair pitch marks.... Even if it's sandy, you can still repair it.

[MS256]

I was going to take a picture, but I forgot. Basically looks like a crater with sand in it. I wonder if letting it be will allow it to grow back faster as opposed to repairing it?

I guess I've never seen what you are talking about but if I'm imagining it right I would say that if the edges of "the crater" are flat and don't need to be leveled out with a ball mark repair tool the sand is a good thing to help it repair smoother.

When I change the holes I look for ball marks and marks made by birds or deer and repair them. In those cases if there isn't enough soil to repair it perfectly I put a small handful of sand over it, rub it in, and level it out with my hand.

Sometimes when it's wet a ball not only makes a big crater but also knocks a chunk of turf out of the hole. A little sand after repairing it and smoothed in will make it heal up faster.

[wils5150]

try your best to pinch the turf in a bit. never pry up while fixing a ball mark.

[David in FL]

I was going to take a picture, but I forgot. Basically looks like a crater with sand in it. I wonder if letting it be will allow it to grow back faster as opposed to repairing it?

Are you talking about a pitch mark on the green, or a divot on the fairway?

Always "repair" pitch marks.  Unless the course specifically asks otherwise, always sand divots.  That allows the grass from all sides of the divot to fill in the divot in the quickest time possible.  It's also why it's preferable to make "lines" with your divots on the practice range while leaving a little space between the lines.

If you're seeing a bunch of smallish, sanded areas on the greens, that's likely the result of the grounds crew removing spots of invasive grasses that aren't intended to be on the greens.....

[Dave2512]

The only time I've seen sanded ball marks is when the green is torn so bad it can't be repaired.