Repairing Ball Marks

Published March 23, 2004

Ball marks, those indentations caused when a ball lands sharply on a soft green, have been ruining good putts since the days of Old Tom Morris. Un-repaired ball marks take two to three weeks or more to properly heal, leaving behind unsightly, uneven putting surfaces. On the other hand, a properly repaired ball mark could heal in as little as 48 hours.

Beginner or pro, it is your responsibility as a golfer to fix your own marks. If you're truly a steward of the game, you'll fix any others you see while your partners are putting. There's really not much to it, but there are a few guidelines you should follow when making these repairs.

Member's Guide to Ball Mark Repair

Prepared by Gordon Seliga
Certified Golf Course Superintendent
Lake View Country Club

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Ball Mark Repair Guide

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Repair Tools
3. Example Repairs
4. Those Little Scraps
5. Step-by-Step Repair
6. Video

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