We've launched the new forums! Read more here

This is why we repair ball marks...

Merk Derk

Merk Derk

Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2015
Messages
37
Reaction score
1
Location
Dowagiac, MI
Handicap
14
This is just one of the greens from my home course. Picture was taken last Wednesday and things haven't improved a bit...

29348527785_243d28e53a_k.jpg
 
Last edited:
Can't open the picture.
 
Wow I thought my home course had some issues. That's pretty bad!
 
Is that really from ball marks? It just looks like the grass might have a disease. How much play does this course get? There is no way that the greens are that poor at recovering from ball marks.
 
This is why I rarely get GIRs. I am thinking about the rest of you guys. :D
 
That can not be ball damage. Something else happening there.
 
When you fix a ball mark, it takes 3 days and it's good to go. When you don't fix a ball mark, it takes at least 3 weeks and will usually leave a mark as shown in the pick. My dream is to play 18 holes and not have to fix a ball mark, but that won't ever happen.
 
Ignorance, nothing but.....
 
Lately when I have hit greens I am leaving a big ball mark. I end up having to fold the grass back over the mark and then repairing it. When I'm done it looks pretty good but perhaps I should look for a video on how best to do it.
 
Looks like what happens when you fix them incorrectly. Way more people pull up the ball impression instead of pushing the sides to the middle. When you pull it up, it pulls the roots out.

Although I agree it looks like more than ball marks there. But this is the correct method:



 
Den60 said:
Lately when I have hit greens I am leaving a big ball mark. I end up having to fold the grass back over the mark and then repairing it. When I'm done it looks pretty good but perhaps I should look for a video on how best to do it.
Click to expand...
See the post above!
 
Smallville said:
See the post above!
Click to expand...

Thanks. I do it correctly and realized my new repair tool has a couple of tangs when I use it upside down that does a great job. But many of my marks end up rolling the turf up2 inches or so where you can't just use the repair tool. With those I unfold the turf to cover the hole and then go around the sides to compress the mark. Then I tamp down with shoe or putter though those I feel need the shoe more than the putter.
 
The spot on the left of the green is dead grass. Been like that all year. The owner/greenskeeper doesn't sand the greens ever, except during aeration. But you guys are probably right its probably a combination of ignorant golfers (and we have a lot on the course) and terrible turf management. Heck the fairways have basically been hardpan since the beginning of July.
 
Merk Derk said:
The spot on the left of the green is dead grass. Been like that all year. The owner/greenskeeper doesn't sand the greens ever, except during aeration. But you guys are probably right its probably a combination of ignorant golfers (and we have a lot on the course) and terrible turf management. Heck the fairways have basically been hardpan since the beginning of July.
Click to expand...

Where I live, water is an issue. I have been playing an Indian Casino course of late that they really try to maintain. Lately the fairways have been browning up and I have heard a rumor their well is going dry. They have been doing a good job maintaining the greens. It is sad to see because the Casinos around here do take pride in the condition of their courses.
 
That looks like Snow Mold damage rather than ball marks.
But I agree that you should fix your own mark and 2 others you see on every green.
 
HoosierGolfer said:
That can not be ball damage. Something else happening there.
Click to expand...

Looking at it closer, it looks like something our super has been dealing with for two years, especially on one green. If it's the same thing, it's called "dollar spot" and is a pain in the rear.
 
Yeah that has to be some kind of mold or fungus damage. I remember going through issues like that with our course when I worked there.
 
Smallville said:
Looking at it closer, it looks like something our super has been dealing with for two years, especially on one green. If it's the same thing, it's called "dollar spot" and is a pain in the rear.
Click to expand...

I wish this was just one green, this is on probably 2/3 of our greens. I think I've seen it in patches in years past but nothing like this. The craziest part is that it almost happened overnight. I play there almost daily and never noticed the greens "dying" or however you want to phrase it.
 
Yes there are ball marks but it looks more disease ridden.
 
Dang that's bad!


Sent from my Verizon iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Looks like more issues there than people not fixing ball marks.
 
Don't lick your ball to clean it.

Sad to see.
 
Yes, that is dollar spot disease, not ball marks.
 
Merk Derk said:
I wish this was just one green, this is on probably 2/3 of our greens. I think I've seen it in patches in years past but nothing like this. The craziest part is that it almost happened overnight. I play there almost daily and never noticed the greens "dying" or however you want to phrase it.
Click to expand...

Encourage supt to mow the dew off the greens early in morning as possible. And don't water greens at night when hot and humid. Add some nitrogen as conditions allow.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top