Ball Marks

[Jim1mack]

Just finished playing the Palmetto Executive course. The number of unrepaired ball marks on the greens is unacceptable. I repaired 2-4 marks on most greens. Given time I could have done more. I’m full time here and I view these courses as my own so I take care of them.

Tee times at these courses are filled every day this time of year so there’s lots of play this time of year. If golfers do not take care of these courses by the time the high season is over I fear the full time residents will again have reason to complain about conditions.

[GpaVader]

Most likely, preaching to the choir... We are normally the first group out in the morning and I still find 1 or 2 additional marks to fix per hole.

Played in a league back in MN that always followed the state High School championship and they never fixed one mark, or it felt that way. They had their coaches with them if they didn't instruct them to do it, then they should have done it...

[MarshBendLover]

How do you get ball marks on the green?

[billethkid]

FAr too many playing that do not know what the players responsibilities are.....and far to many just think it's someone elses job....like sanding divots and raking traps.

[BrianL99]

FAr too many playing that do not know what the players responsibilities are.....and far to many just think it's someone elses job....like sanding divots and raking traps.

I've been around & in the golf business for 30+ years. Ball marks, not raking bunkers and not filling divots and people complaining about it, is never going to change ... until golfers call out those who don't do it.

If I see someone in front of me, walk through a bunker and not rake it, I call them out. If I'm close enough to see them not fill/replace a divot ... I say something.

Barring clubs providing babysitters on every hole, the only way it's going to change, is for golfers to call out their playing partners and others they see, abusing the golf course. See something, say something.

[kcrazorbackfan]

Just finished playing the Palmetto Executive course. The number of unrepaired ball marks on the greens is unacceptable. I repaired 2-4 marks on most greens. Given time I could have done more. I’m full time here and I view these courses as my own so I take care of them.

Tee times at these courses are filled every day this time of year so there’s lots of play this time of year. If golfers do not take care of these courses by the time the high season is over I fear the full time residents will again have reason to complain about conditions.

I played 18 at Cane Garden one day and fixed 72 ball marks. Unacceptable. For the people that think they are privileged and entitled that can’t fix their ball marks and sand their divots, get off you’re high horse and start taking care of our courses.

[jimhoward]

It been a problem on every course I have ever played on and every club at which I have been a member.

Many players don't launch the ball well and don't think they make a ball mark and often they don't....so they quit looking for them. Everyone needs to fix two ball marks on every hole.

Half of players (everywhere not just here) don't even carry a divot repair tool. You can use a tee of course, but many have never even been formally taught how to correctly repair a ball mark.

[D&BSmith]

The last thing we need is for some of these people to bend over to try and repair a ball mark. Half of them can't even get their ball out of the hole without a ball retriever on the end of their putter. Fixing a ball mark will lead to falling over head first and next we have a medical emergency on our hands. I will gladly fix two ball marks on every green.

[Bay Kid]

There are times I can't find my pitch mark but I always repair others. Sometimes marks can't be seen until hours later.

[CarlR33]

You can go to the gym and watch people not put their free weights back. Problems everywhere not just on the golf course.

[justjim]

Played Bonita Pass on Monday. Fixed two or three ball marks every hole. It gets old especially at my age! But still lucky to still play.

[golfing eagles]

The last thing we need is for some of these people to bend over to try and repair a ball mark. Half of them can't even get their ball out of the hole without a ball retriever on the end of their putter. Fixing a ball mark will lead to falling over head first and next we have a medical emergency on our hands. I will gladly fix two ball marks on every green.

Which brings us to another problem----horribly damaged edges of cups. People should learn to take the ball out correctly----gently place hand palm facing flagstick and carefully remove ball. Better yet, take the flagstick out before putting like we had to do for 700 years prior to the new rule. DO NOT stick your putter in the cup, carelessly use a suction cup or other such device, nor forcefully yank the flagstick out to get the ball to pop out. Thank you---now go do it!!!!!

[graciegirl]

I've been around & in the golf business for 30+ years. Ball marks, not raking bunkers and not filling divots and people complaining about it, is never going to change ... until golfers call out those who don't do it.

If I see someone in front of me, walk through a bunker and not rake it, I call them out. If I'm close enough to see them not fill/replace a divot ... I say something.

Barring clubs providing babysitters on every hole, the only way it's going to change, is for golfers to call out their playing partners and others they see, abusing the golf course. See something, say something.


Folks from right around NYC will do that a lot. Folks from right around Columbus, Ohio just cuss to themselves.

[jimhoward]

Two is the magic number for ball mark repair. Ideally yours and one other but not necessarily.

Less than two and ball marks proliferate. More than two slows down play and becomes a chore.

One man’s opinion.

[Rainger99]

Short video on how to repair a ball mark.

How to properly repair a pitch mark. Using the Gannet™ divot repair tool. - YouTube (https://youtube.com/shorts/9UYudELN2oc?si=UkYw6g6gaHV0vt8f)

[mrf6969]

I still do not have any idea what so called ambassadors do, especially on the executive courses but also on the Champs.
Of course, it is the players responsibility to rake the traps and fill in divots and repair ball marks and drive carts in a 90-degree fashion to preserve the fairways.
The ambassadors drive around the course doing nothing in my opinion. Could they not when they see a golfer not doing their due diligence say something?
Someone needs to monitor those that commit the infraction.

[Rocksnap]

New to TV, moved here FT last October. I’ve done my share of executive golf. I always get to know whom I’m golfing with. My observations are the snow birds are more prone to not fixing ball marks on the green nor filling divots with sand elsewhere.

[banjobob]

Just finished playing the Palmetto Executive course. The number of unrepaired ball marks on the greens is unacceptable. I repaired 2-4 marks on most greens. Given time I could have done more. I’m full time here and I view these courses as my own so I take care of them.

Tee times at these courses are filled every day this time of year so there’s lots of play this time of year. If golfers do not take care of these courses by the time the high season is over I fear the full time residents will again have reason to complain about conditions.

Abuse of the courses is an ongoing issue , ball marks hogged out cup edges , unraked sand traps , blame the old stiff lazy players.

[NoMo50]

The ambassadors drive around the course doing nothing in my opinion. Could they not when they see a golfer not doing their due diligence say something?

Ambassadors are generally discouraged from "enforcing" the rules. If they try to get golfers to repair ball marks, rake traps, or...heaven forbid...pick up their pace of play, some of these entitled golfers will lodge a complaint against the ambassador. This has resulted in more than one ambassador being fired.

[Snakster66]

Ambassadors are generally discouraged from "enforcing" the rules. If they try to get golfers to repair ball marks, rake traps, or...heaven forbid...pick up their pace of play, some of these entitled golfers will lodge a complaint against the ambassador. This has resulted in more than one ambassador being fired.

Apparently it's better to foster fights among the golfers. One group consistently has picnics on the green, while the group behind is forced to stand around and watch the grass grow. This, left unmanaged, leads to hostility. Seems pretty common sense that the person hired to monitor the course has the authority to build a fire under a slow group without fear of reprisal.

[DrHitch]

...Many players don't launch the ball well and don't think they make a ball mark....Everyone needs to fix two ball marks on every hole.

YES...and when you're finished putting, put the sun behind you and you'll see ball marks better. Adopt a green on your favorite course to always repair.

[Bilyclub]

The greens on the 3 Hendry courses were in very good shape. It appears that whoever mowed the Sweetgum greens went down to the dirt on some holes.

[LonnyP]

Old entitled people don't think they have to repair them. And have you ever noticed how many cannot even bend over to pick up their ball let alone fix ball marks. They pay their amenity fees! LOL.

[MX rider]

I see this all the time as well. I usually fix 2 or 3 ballmarks on every green.
Too many lazy players just think someone else will fix it.

[SHIBUMI]

Been teaching for 30 years. The very first lesson starts with Proper Care of the Golf Course. Ball Marks, divots, and bunkers to start. This creates a washed golfer.
A person who respects the golf course first. A person who doesn't pee in the pool at the expense of others.

Golf is cow pasture pool. Imagine shooting pool with divots on the table. Not fun.

With 250 rounds of golf played in a day. Around 125 players don't hit greens. They are chipping. If the other 125 fix 2 ball marks it covers the field. It would be nicer if they did not have to do that. But that is a perfect world.

The unwashed golfer, one who has never been taught proper care of the golf course, or missed that part of their first lesson, does at some point need to be baptized.
Sorry to say it will be by the washed as it should. And this is why the washed don't want to play with the unwashed. Overtime the washed will move away from the unwashed so they are not babysitting each round. And they don't want to see a golf course abused in this fashion.

As a persons handicap lowers they start to gain more respect for the golf course.
And sometimes this is why clicks form. No washed player(educated to respect the golf course) will willingly play with an unwashed golfer.(no respect for the golf course who think the grounds crew is supposed to do that.

A washed golfer will do this care regardless of age or physical ability to bend over.
I have seen them get on one knee to fix a ball mark. Dropping divot sand at waist level only requires the strength to lift the bottle. The first move when you reach a bunker is to look for the rake. I have even passed people the rake if they have issues.

So, yes! The washed golfers need to baptize the unwashed wherever they can.
Otherwise, the group of unwashed will grow and conditions will worsen.

So, if you are unwashed, it's time to get baptized and show some respect for these Fields Of Dreams. :bowdown: And if you are unwashed, don't call yourself a golfer, your not. Your doing something, but it is far removed from golf.


I've been around & in the golf business for 30+ years. Ball marks, not raking bunkers and not filling divots and people complaining about it, is never going to change ... until golfers call out those who don't do it.

If I see someone in front of me, walk through a bunker and not rake it, I call them out. If I'm close enough to see them not fill/replace a divot ... I say something.

Barring clubs providing babysitters on every hole, the only way it's going to change, is for golfers to call out their playing partners and others they see, abusing the golf course. See something, say something.

[Topspinmo]

I see lot golfers in late evenings all time practicing approach shots in last evening after closing times. When hit 15 or more from 60 plus yards out going to leave lot of dimples on greens. I sure they fixing all of them.:thumbup:

[dano121]

Isn't it part of the "Ambassadors" job to fix divots etc. It wouldn't hurt if they "Gently" kept play moving, as well.

[jimhoward]

I see lot golfers in late evenings all time practicing approach shots in last evening after closing times. When hit 15 or more from 60 plus yards out going to leave lot of dimples on greens. I sure they fixing all of them.:thumbup:

At my club in Nashville we would periodically have divot parties in the evening. This was typically before a PGA or similar event was held. You send out one or two trustworthy members in golf carts with one free beer to each hole. They fill all the fairway divots and repair the ball marks that they see on their one hole. Then circle back to the club house for some socializing.

I wonder if that would work here.

[golfing eagles]

.....The first move when you reach a bunker is to look for the rake. I have even passed people the rake if they have issues......

My favorite is a bunker with footprints on the way in and on the way out within 1 foot of the rake. I'm surprised the idiot didn't trip over it. The other is a fairway bunker behind my house that is about 40 yards long. One day a "golfer" hit it in the bunker, hit it 5 yards, then another, then another 5 or 6 times and then exited the far side without even glancing at a rake. I couldn't resist, so I ran out of my lanai and raked the trap while the "golfer" was still only 20 yards out of it, so I yelled "your welcome". He gave me a one finger salute. You have no idea how close I was to removing his finger.

[BrianL99]

Isn't it part of the "Ambassadors" job to fix divots etc..

Shouldn't folks who play golf, have some modicum of knowledge about what's expected of them, when playing golf?

[Miboater]

I think the only thing worse than unrepaired ball marks are the golfers who don't pick up their feet when they walk across the green wearing golf shoes. Played Evans Prairie today and every green was scuffed up by someone dragging their feet. You could see everywhere they walked on the green. Our whole foursome was tapping down the scuff marks.

[CoachKandSportsguy]

:evil6::cus:I think this is a topic where we can definitely blame snowbirds for this egregious behavior!:1rotfl:

[Teed_Off]

Isn't it part of the "Ambassadors" job to fix divots etc. It wouldn't hurt if they "Gently" kept play moving, as well.

You are relying on the Ambassadors to do what??

[kkingston57]

I've been around & in the golf business for 30+ years. Ball marks, not raking bunkers and not filling divots and people complaining about it, is never going to change ... until golfers call out those who don't do it.

If I see someone in front of me, walk through a bunker and not rake it, I call them out. If I'm close enough to see them not fill/replace a divot ... I say something.

Barring clubs providing babysitters on every hole, the only way it's going to change, is for golfers to call out their playing partners and others they see, abusing the golf course. See something, say something.

Said this before and saying this again. All courses need the wider rakes.Takes 2-3 more strokes to rake sand with the narrow rakes in TV(champ and exec courses).

[kkingston57]

The last thing we need is for some of these people to bend over to try and repair a ball mark. Half of them can't even get their ball out of the hole without a ball retriever on the end of their putter. Fixing a ball mark will lead to falling over head first and next we have a medical emergency on our hands. I will gladly fix two ball marks on every green.

True and good thought. Bet most people who hit the ball high enough to cause a ball mark do not need to use those devices

[Jim1mack]

Which brings us to another problem----horribly damaged edges of cups. People should learn to take the ball out correctly----gently place hand palm facing flagstick and carefully remove ball. Better yet, take the flagstick out before putting like we had to do for 700 years prior to the new rule. DO NOT stick your putter in the cup, carelessly use a suction cup or other such device, nor forcefully yank the flagstick out to get the ball to pop out. Thank you---now go do it!!!!!

Luckily the many people I play with do not do that.

[Jim1mack]

Which brings us to another problem----horribly damaged edges of cups. People should learn to take the ball out correctly----gently place hand palm facing flagstick and carefully remove ball. Better yet, take the flagstick out before putting like we had to do for 700 years prior to the new rule. DO NOT stick your putter in the cup, carelessly use a suction cup or other such device, nor forcefully yank the flagstick out to get the ball to pop out. Thank you---now go do it!!!!!

I still do not have any idea what so called ambassadors do, especially on the executive courses but also on the Champs.
Of course, it is the players responsibility to rake the traps and fill in divots and repair ball marks and drive carts in a 90-degree fashion to preserve the fairways.
The ambassadors drive around the course doing nothing in my opinion. Could they not when they see a golfer not doing their due diligence say something?
Someone needs to monitor those that commit the infraction.

It would be nice if there was a sand box on every executive and par 3 champion courses tee to allow ease of repairing divots. Or, if you generally take a divot take your sand bootle with you before you tee off.

The tee boxes are getting eaten up. The ambassadors should be monitoring that and sanding those divots.

[Jim1mack]

New to TV, moved here FT last October. I’ve done my share of executive golf. I always get to know whom I’m golfing with. My observations are the snow birds are more prone to not fixing ball marks on the green nor filling divots with sand elsewhere.

I’m also here full time and look at the courses as ‘my’ courses and take care of them as such. Our winter residents come here for three months or so and don’t give a d man.

[Topspinmo]

My favorite is a bunker with footprints on the way in and on the way out within 1 foot of the rake. I'm surprised the idiot didn't trip over it. The other is a fairway bunker behind my house that is about 40 yards long. One day a "golfer" hit it in the bunker, hit it 5 yards, then another, then another 5 or 6 times and then exited the far side without even glancing at a rake. I couldn't resist, so I ran out of my lanai and raked the trap while the "golfer" was still only 20 yards out of it, so I yelled "your welcome". He gave me a one finger salute. You have no idea how close I was to removing his finger.

According to ambassadors you was trespassing on golf course. Good thing you held your temper.

[Jim1mack]

My favorite is a bunker with footprints on the way in and on the way out within 1 foot of the rake. I'm surprised the idiot didn't trip over it. The other is a fairway bunker behind my house that is about 40 yards long. One day a "golfer" hit it in the bunker, hit it 5 yards, then another, then another 5 or 6 times and then exited the far side without even glancing at a rake. I couldn't resist, so I ran out of my lanai and raked the trap while the "golfer" was still only 20 yards out of it, so I yelled "your welcome". He gave me a one finger salute. You have no idea how close I was to removing his finger.

I applaud you. Golfed a championship yesterday. One in our group’s drive landed in the far lip of a bunker. It was kept up on the lip in a deep foot print some one didn’t rake.

[Jim1mack]

Isn't it part of the "Ambassadors" job to fix divots etc. It wouldn't hurt if they "Gently" kept play moving, as well.

There should be a prominate sign at every starters shack the reads ‘It is required that you repair ball marks and divots’

[Jim1mack]

:evil6::cus:I think this is a topic where we can definitely blame snowbirds for this egregious behavior!:1rotfl:

I believe so. I’m full time and do not see this in summer.

[golfing eagles]

According to ambassadors you was trespassing on golf course. Good thing you held your temper.

The pro on that course deputized me :1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

[golfing eagles]

There should be a prominate sign at every starters shack the reads ‘It is required that you repair ball marks and divots’

I agree 100%, but I would make the sign PROMINENT

[BrianL99]

I’m also here full time and look at the courses as ‘my’ courses and take care of them as such. Our winter residents come here for three months or so and don’t give a d man.

That's ridiculous.

I play 100+ rounds/year in The Villages and if anything, it's the exact opposite. The folks who live here all year around, think the courses are theirs or they hold some sort of exalted status, as a full-time resident and are above raking bunkers or fixing divots.

Ask anyone who's ever belonged to a Private Club. Visitors/guests are always the 1st to fix a divot or rake a bunker ... it's always the Members who feel entitled and don't bother.

[Bay Kid]

It would be nice if there was a sand box on every executive and par 3 champion courses tee to allow ease of repairing divots. Or, if you generally take a divot take your sand bootle with you before you tee off.

The tee boxes are getting eaten up. The ambassadors should be monitoring that and sanding those divots.

I see the ambassadors sanding tee box divots all the time.

[kareneluck]

People complain about the courses but not many rake the traps and ball marks on greens at Bogart and Heron were plentiful. People we can do better

[BrianL99]

People complain about the courses but not many rake the traps and ball marks on greens at Bogart and Heron were plentiful. People we can do better

I don't play Executive Golf courses, but from all I hear, the best thing that could happen in the Executive golf world in TV, is to convert all the Bunkers to "waste areas" and get rid of all the rakes. Problem solved.

I'd say "harden" the Greens too, but that's not conducive to growing grass.