Fixing a Ballmark

When you are playing a round of golf please fix your own ballmarks and others that you see. Here is a description of how to properly repair ballmarks. You will need a ball mark repair tool or at a minimum a tee.

The main thing to understand is that you do not want to pop up the center of the ball mark. You want to insert the tool (or tee) around the edges of the ballmark and push the turf towards the center of the depression. Many times the ball has caused a piece of turf to accordion towards the back of the depression. Stretch that piece of turf back out along with moving the surrounding turf in towards the center. Don't pull up the turf because it will break the roots, killing the turf. Do not put any torn pieces back into the hole, they will not grow. Once you have pushed the turf all around the depression back towards teh center, tap it down with your putter or shoe.

The Proper Way to Repair a Ballmark
1. Use a ballmark repair tool (preferably), a knife, a key, or a tee.	2. Insert at the edges of the mark -- not at the middle of the depression.
3. Bring the edges together with a gentle twisting motion, but don't lift the center. Try not to tear the grass.	4. Smooth the surface with a club or your foot. You're done when it's a surface you would putt over.