Golf Course Maintenance – How To Repair Ball Marks?

When you are setting up a new golf course, you know that you need to buy golf course maintenance equipment to maintain and enhance the playability. You might have even made a list of the equipment you are going to buy or rent such as Toro golf course mowers, blowers, sweepers, vacuums, green rollers, grinders, tractors, trailers for walking greens mowers and more. Can you use any of these big and heavy pieces of equipment to repair ball marks? When you are buying turf maintenance equipment, buy everything you need.
Ball mark repair tool is a very small tool and it is often ignored. In this article, you will see how you can use this tool to repair ball marks.
Ball marks
These marks are also known as pitch marks. These marks don’t look good on the golf course. These are the craters or depressions created when a ball falling from the sky hits the putting surface. It is important to repair these ball marks and this should be done immediately and correctly. The grass in the depression can die due to the ball mark. A scar is not the only thing a ball mark leaves. It also leaves a pit in the putting surface. There should be a smooth surface and healthy grass in the golf course.
Incorrectly repaired ball marks can cause more damage to the surface and grass. It will take more time to heal the damage. For smooth-rolling puts and the health of the greens, fix it correctly. This is not about golf etiquette. It is your obligation. Let’s see how you can repair ball marks.
Ball Mark Repair Tool
You need not to be from the maintenance staff only. If you are a golfer, you have to be familiar with this tool. It is a simple tool with two prongs on one end. There are some other tools available for repairing ball marks but most of the golfers use the tool with two prongs. This tool is an essential piece of equipment just like Toro golf course mowers. You should keep it in your golf bag.
Inserting Ball Mark Repair Tool
This is the very first step in repairing ball marks. Insert the prongs of the tool at the edge of the depression. There is a mistake you should avoid. Don’t put prongs into the depression. Insert prongs at the rim of the depression.
Push Edges Towards the Center
In the second step, start pushing the edges of the mark towards the center. Use the tool in a twisting motion and be gentle while doing so. This is important but many golfers do it wrong. Instead of repairing the ball marks, they mess it up. While fixing the marks, many golfers insert the tool at an angle. While doing so, the prongs go beneath the center of the depression. Using the tool as a lever, they often push the bottom of crater trying to make it even with the surface. By doing so they are actually tearing the roots. The grass in the ball mark will die. Push the prongs straight at the edges of the depression and push towards the center.
Smooth over
After pushing the grass at the edges towards the center, tamp down the mark and smoothen the putting surface with your putter or foot.
Now it’s time to admire your job because you have helped in maintaining the playability of the golf course.
Usually, all the required tools and equipment are available in the club. However, a ball mark repair tool is a small and inexpensive tool. If you are a golfer who wants a smooth surface to play, you can also buy this tool and keep it in your bag.