Everyday Etiquette: Ball Marks

Etiquette: The customary code of polite behavior in society or among members of a particular profession or group. (New Oxford American Dictionary)

The ball mark.  The most criticized, yet easiest repaired etiquette infraction on the links.  We all make ball marks from time to time and yes, it still is the responsibility of the player to repair them.  Fixing a ball mark hardly takes any time and can lead to problems well beyond what the average golfer realizes.

Golfer perspective:

Ball marks that are not repaired cause imperfections in the putting surface and can cause perfect putts to bounce off line.  Outside of causing you to write down a 5 instead of a 4, they are very unsightly.

Superintendent perspective:

If not repaired, ball marks are visible for weeks to come until my foe, Poa annua or annual bluegrass, establishes itself in the wound.  Poa, for short, is the weak link of any Superintendents management program in our climate.  It causes bumpy putting surfaces in spring, dies in the summer, is best in the fall (relatively speaking) and then dies again in the winter.  Ball marks that are not fixed give Poa the opportunity to infect and cause a scar in the surface.  This makes for a more vulnerable surface when climate extremes happen.  While Poa can be sustained, it is more costly and will fail from time to time.

The Etiquette: 

- Observe the general area where your ball lands from your approach or tee shot.

- Develop a habit of fixing your ball mark before you mark your ball.

- Give friendly reminders to players in your group or grief if playing with friends to repair their ball marks.

- If for some reason you come across a ball mark, be honorable and make the proper repair.

- Watch this short video to understand proper repair of your ball mark.