Tamping down ball mark without first fixing with tool?

[scotth]

17 hours ago, Robbyboy said:

Yeah, please take 10 seconds and properly repair the ball mark.  When done putting, kindly go around and fix any others you see.  That's how my dad taught me, but obviously not how everyone was taught. 

Boy is that ever true where I am playing.  I have been surprised and dismayed and the number of ball marks I see on the 2 courses I play since moving here from Texas.  

Was beginning to wonder, until I saw this thread, if that was a new idea (not repairing ball marks) in greens management in my 15ish year layout from golf.  

[rehmwa]

17 minutes ago, scotth said:

Was beginning to wonder, until I saw this thread, if that was a new idea (not repairing ball marks) in greens management in my 15ish year layout from golf.  

The course near my DZ I used to play a lot tried to send a message to their members by putting a little flag next to the ball marks on the 1st hole green.  It looked like the freaking United nations.

At the end of the day it was clear that the players ignored the message and just pulled the flags off their lines (and not even put the flags back).

The frustration on the staff member's face while telling me this story was poignant.  He told me the story because when I came in I made a comment about how many extra marks I chose to fix during my round.

[todgot]

If your intent is caring for the course there is no penalty.  Interesting how there are so many opinions about repairing ball marks.  Maybe there needs to be a support group.  Ball Marker Repair Anonymous.  .   

16 hours ago, Buckeyebowman said:

Then it suddenly jumped 6" in the air and died away short of the hole

6"?  Really?