They make it look so easy.

BMS - True Surface Pitchmark / Golf Ballmark Repair Tool - YouTube

I think because we had a period of time when there were no rakes because of covid fears and no one could rake the traps it has made the problem much worse now. A lot of people are afraid to touch the flag pole or the rakes in the traps. I don’t have an answer to the problem, just an observation. We played with someone who’s ball went in the water about a foot. I got the ball out and they almost freaked out because I had touched their ball.

I've been raking bunkers since they placed the rakes back in the bunkers. I guess if you wanted to feel really safe supply your own rake or wear gloves or hand sanitizer after handling the rakes. Have there been any reports of covid from handling rakes or pulling flags? It seems no one has an issue with their ball rolling all over a green that could have spittle all over it though!

Our seasonal visitors think we should fix their ball marks, especially those with the Statue of Liberty license plates. "Can we get some sawft buttah ovah heah becuz the bread's too hahd?" "Can't you open another cash register - there's already 2 people in line?" And on it goes...and now add vaccine tourism....

Played churchill yesterday. Ball marks were not the issue. Greens are in terrible shape with lots of sand covering where there should be grass.

I meant Mira Mesa, Chula Vista's partner course.

I played Chula Vista Tuesday and the OP is correct. I couldn't believe how many ball marks I saw. It's especially a shame since they recently resodded those greens.

I tried to fix several but what a lot of people don't realize is that if a ball mark is not fixed with 24 hours, it cannot be repaired. This is especially true this time of year when the grass is not growing.

In the past, I've seen ambassadors with a long ball mark tool going over greens. I haven't seen of very often but I don't understand why this isn't a regular part of their duties.

Those are good tools and a lot of superintendents use them. I think that every ambassador should have one and they should go over every green after the last group of the day.

The one issue that I have with that tool is that most ball marks are not the same as the mark made by simply stepping on the ball and creating a small depression. Many of them actually tear a piece of turf out. Although this tool will fix that type of mark it does not do as good of a job as a person with a ball mark tool and the proper technique.

There is an old curiosity in The Villages, fix you ball mark and at least three others before you leave the green!