Course Etiquette
It is every player’s responsibility during their golf round to properly repair ball marks, fill divots with sand and rake their tracks when exiting the bunker.
Ball marks are indentations caused when a ball lands sharply on a soft green, have been ruining good putts since the days of Old Tom Morris. Unrepaired ball marks take two to three weeks to properly heal, leaving behind unsightly, uneven putting surfaces. On the other hand, a properly repaired ball mark can repair itself in a few days. Beginner or professional, 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. Below is a picture illustrating the proper way to fix a ball mark.
Shane Wright, CGCS 