Repairing a ball mark on the green is simple, right? It’s something golfers seem to believe they can execute proficiently. But all it takes is a spin around your local course to realize that most players have a lot to learn.
The telltale signs of a poorly-repaired mark? A small, hollowed out-depression in the green. A small circle of dead grass. Sometimes both!
That’s why PGA Tour veteran Ben Crane took to Instagram with a helpful PSA on the ideal way to repair a ball mark, courtesy of the venerable Augusta National.
Crane’s video begins with a quick look at two badly-repaired marks.
“That’s clearly ripping up the roots,” he said.
“What’s the proper way to actually fix a ball mark? I learned this by the guys at Augusta National,” Crane continues. “When there’s a ball mark like this, we put a hole in the middle of the ball mark, push the roots out to the side.”
While he’s speaking, Crane demonstrates placing a tee in the ball mark and making a circular motion with it. Then, he gently presses the area around the mark with his fingers.
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“Then you can literally just push around the edges and maybe bring it in slightly with the tee.”
Crane finishes the job by poking at the mark a few times with his tee to even the surface before tapping down lightly on the area with his putter.
“But I ripped no roots, and you literally will not even know what happened.”
There’s no denying Crane’s A+ work on that ball mark.
“So, how do we do it?” he concludes. “Make a hole in the middle, push the roots out to the side, and then you just kind of work it in. And that’s how you fix a ball mark. Let’s stop rippin’ roots and makin’ brown spots all over the green.”
And there you have it! While Crane demonstrates with a tee, some players prefer the ease of using a divot-repair tool. Check out one of our favorite models below.
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