How To Properly Repair Ball Marks

[Golfingdad]

3 hours ago, Grinde6 said:

Anyone use any of the Pitch Fix devices?  I picked up the Fusion 2.5 pin the other day, but have yet to use it.  I have a few of their 2 prong tools, but this one was intriguing to me.  Seems like it would lessen the time to fix quite a few ball marks (not that it takes that much time to begin with). 

Yes and I never use it because when I’ve tried it seems to make a bigger mess.  Could be user error, I don’t know.  But the standard one they make I use all the time and love.

[DaveP043]

We got both styles at the Newport Cup last fall.  The Fusion works well on really good dense turf, but seems to damage turf with thinner root structure.  For thin roots, I prefer a tool with closer-spaced tines.  

[iacas]

8 hours ago, Grinde6 said:

Anyone use any of the Pitch Fix devices?  I picked up the Fusion 2.5 pin the other day, but have yet to use it.  I have a few of their 2 prong tools, but this one was intriguing to me.  Seems like it would lessen the time to fix quite a few ball marks (not that it takes that much time to begin with). 

A BUNCH of reviews are in there.

[BBCINCY]

Just wanted to say thanks for the education on this. I have been playing golf for many years and “thought” I had been doing right by the course repairing mine and many other ball marks. I am embarrassed to admit I had been repairing marks the wrong way all along.(It’s all I have ever encountered) I will make sure to spread the word to my playing buddies on the proper way to repair from this point on. And to some who didn’t want to feel like an a** by correcting others on technique I know I would have been very receptive to being taught the correct method. Thanks again!

[colin007]

On 7/8/2018 at 2:35 PM, BBCINCY said:

Just wanted to say thanks for the education on this. I have been playing golf for many years and “thought” I had been doing right by the course repairing mine and many other ball marks. I am embarrassed to admit I had been repairing marks the wrong way all along.(It’s all I have ever encountered) I will make sure to spread the word to my playing buddies on the proper way to repair from this point on. And to some who didn’t want to feel like an a** by correcting others on technique I know I would have been very receptive to being taught the correct method. Thanks again!

Good lad. 

[NZ Golfer]

On 6/8/2018 at 12:52 AM, krupa said:

This is what I do.  I always fix at least two whether I know one was mine or not.  Most days it feels like a losing battle.

Yes think its pretty common at many courses around here ..at my local I repair many other really bad marks .(Like WTF guys ???). personally, I like to know where my ball stops a couple of seconds work hardly a major issue

[Carvendive]

Iacas, thank you! I tried it, it worked, I like it.

[RustUK]

I often find I can push the turf back in to place with my thumb and then flatten out with my putter.  Is this an effective way to repairs divots or am I causing damage in some way?

[DaveP043]

13 minutes ago, RustUK said:

I often find I can push the turf back in to place with my thumb and then flatten out with my putter.  Is this an effective way to repairs divots or am I causing damage in some way?

It probably depends on the size and shape of the ball mark.  If the back side is simply raised up, but not detached, it may work fine.  Never put a detached piece of turf back, though, in those cases its best to push and  "lever" the surrounding turf towards the center of the mark as described in the very first post in this thread.  

[3jacker]

I'd just be thrilled to death if folks would make any effort to repair ball marks.  Or rake bunkers. Or not drive to within 8 feet of the green.

[Salem Golfer]

I wish everyone was educated on PROPER repair.. There is a little 9 hole place here in Salem that has a sign on how to repair ball marks on the green.... You guessed it! it says to put your repair tool down one side and lift up the middle   I saw that and told the guy never mind I will play another course without dead circles on the greens.... He asked me how I knew the greens were like that... I pointed to the sign and told him to look up the correct way.  GRRRRR

[colin007]

14 hours ago, Salem Golfer said:

I wish everyone was educated on PROPER repair.. There is a little 9 hole place here in Salem that has a sign on how to repair ball marks on the green.... You guessed it! it says to put your repair tool down one side and lift up the middle   I saw that and told the guy never mind I will play another course without dead circles on the greens.... He asked me how I knew the greens were like that... I pointed to the sign and told him to look up the correct way.  GRRRRR

Did you tell him the correct way to do it?

[Salem Golfer]

3 minutes ago, colin007 said:

Did you tell him the correct way to do it?

I didnt at that time, I saw that their prices were on par with the course I like to play so I left and went there. I went back and played there and talked to him and he said that he looked it up but its not his course and he cant change the signs... Its in a 55+ senior living area. I was not comfortable playing there because I was followed by an old woman that kept asking me questions (well she was either old or young and a crack addict) on the 18th fairway she finally asked if I wanted to come to her place (which was right on the 18th fairway) I didnt know what she wanted but I was not going to wake up in an ice bath with 1 kidney missing!!!!

 

I havent been back..

[boogielicious]

16 hours ago, Salem Golfer said:

I didnt know what she wanted but I was not going to wake up in an ice bath with 1 kidney missing!!!!

 

I havent been back..

Wise choice! 

We even see PGA Tour Pros doing it wrong. Greens keepers must get pretty frustrated.

[colin007]

On 3/14/2019 at 6:25 AM, boogielicious said:

Wise choice! 

We even see PGA Tour Pros doing it wrong. Greens keepers must get pretty frustrated.

I see almost all the pros on tv doing it incorrectly....

I wonder if most greens keepers even know why they have brown spots everywhere

[Arafat]

When a ball lands on green it leaves an indentation. These are easy to repair and will do no damage to the green if fixed right away. Stick a divot repair tool or a tee into the turf around the outside of the mark. Gently lift the compacted soil to loosen and raise it and move around the entire ball mark in a circle.

Once you've done this, take your putter and softly tap down the turf so it is level with the rest of the green. The rules of golf allow you to repair ball marks that are on your line. You are not allowed to repair spike marks, but it is a good idea to repair any pitch marks or spike marks you see before leaving the green—as long as you don't hold up play.

[dennyjones]

5 minutes ago, Arafat said:

Gently lift the compacted soil to loosen and raise it and move around the entire ball mark in a circle.

Did you see the OP video?   Lifting the soil damages the root system.    Read the very first post in this thread.

7 minutes ago, Arafat said:

You are not allowed to repair spike marks,

That was the old rules.   The 2019 rules allow for the repair of spike marks.

[David in FL]

9 minutes ago, Arafat said:

When a ball lands on green it leaves an indentation. These are easy to repair and will do no damage to the green if fixed right away. Stick a divot repair tool or a tee into the turf around the outside of the mark. Gently lift the compacted soil to loosen and raise it and move around the entire ball mark in a circle.

Once you've done this, take your putter and softly tap down the turf so it is level with the rest of the green. The rules of golf allow you to repair ball marks that are on your line. You are not allowed to repair spike marks, but it is a good idea to repair any pitch marks or spike marks you see before leaving the green—as long as you don't hold up play.

No, to all of the above.  Please read the very first post in this thread.

Welcome to a TST!