May 2008

Ball Mark Repair

A lot of un-repaired ball marks are showing up on the greens. Please repair your ball marks! I grabbed these repair instructions off the web last year, so I can't remember the source. They are kind of generic anyway:

1. Use a ballmark repair tool (also called a divot repair tool or greens repair tool) whenever possible. They cost a couple bucks - buy one.

2. Insert the repair tool at the edge of the ball mark. Do NOT insert the tool within the depression itself.

3. Push the tool forward from the edge of the ball mark toward the center. Do this around the edges of the indentation.

4. Do NOT insert the tool under the indented area and push up - a common mistake. Think of it as pushing turf in from the edges toward the center.

5. Tamp down the repaired area with your putter so that the surface is even.

Tips:

1. If your ball mark has actually displaced a piece of turf, do not replace it. Just work around the edges with your repair tool as normal. The replaced turf will simply die, delaying the healing process.

2. Pushing the tines of your repair tool under the indented area and pushing up simply damages the root system.

3. You not only should always repair your ball marks, but, time permitting, you should repair any other ball marks you see, too.