How to Repair Divots on the Golf Course

Taking a perfect, crisp divot with an iron shot is one of the most satisfying feelings in golf. That sound, the feel, the beautiful compression - it’s a sign of a well-struck ball. But that flush feeling comes with a responsibility. This guide will walk you through exactly how to repair a divot on the fairway and a pitch mark on the green, the right way, ensuring you leave the course in great shape for everyone who plays after you.

Why Does Repairing a Divot Even Matter?

Ever had your ball nestle into an old, unfilled divot in the middle of the fairway? It’s frustrating, and it can turn a perfect drive into a challenging recovery shot. Taking a moment to fix your divot is about more than just common courtesy, it’s about maintaining the health and playability of the golf course. A properly repaired slice of turf can re-root and heal quickly, sometimes within days. An unrepaired divot, however, leaves a scar that can take weeks or even months to grow back, creating an uneven and unreliable playing surface.

Think of it as course karma. The golfer who takes a moment to fix their mark is the same golfer who’s more likely to find a perfect lie. By doing your part, you contribute to a better experience for the entire golfing community, including yourself. It’s a simple act of respect for the game, the grounds crew who works hard to maintain the course, and the players teeing off behind you.

The Two Main Types of Divots (and How to Handle Them)

Not all divots are created equal. Your method for repair depends entirely on what sort incursion you've made in the turf. Broadly, you'll encounter two situations on the fairway and one very differentsituation on the meticulously manicured greens.

• The Perfect Pelt: This is the ideal scenario. Your swing neatly peels away a beautiful, intact strip of turf. It looks like a little toupee of grass lying next to the bare patch. This is the easiest kind to fix.
• The Exploded Divot: Sometimes, the turf doesn't come up cleanly. Instead, it shatters into small pieces or disintegrates completely, leaving a bare patch of soil with no obvious “pelt” to replace. This requires a different approach.
• The Green's Pitch Mark: This is not the same as a fairway divot. It's the small indentation your ball makes when it lands on the soft putting surface. Repairing this incorrectly can do more harm than good, so learning the proper technique is absolutely essential.

Step-by-Step Guide: Repairing a Divot in the Fairway

Fixing a divot in the short grass is straightforward once you know which method to use. Your first step is always to assess the situation: do you have a recoverable pelt of turf, or just bare earth?

Method 1: Replacing the Pelt (The Best Case Scenario)

If you take a swing and see a solid piece of turf fly a few feet, you're in business. This "pelt" has its roots still attached and, if replaced quickly, has a very high chance of healing and re-growing right where it came from.

1. Find the Turf: Locate the dislodged rectangle of turf. Don’t wander too far from your ball to do this - just a quick scan of the area should be enough.
2. Retrieve It Gently: Pick up the divot. Try to keep it as intact as possible.
3. Place It Correctly: Take it back to the spot you scalped and place it back in the hole like a puzzle piece. Make sure the grass is facing up and the soil/root side is facing down. It sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised!
4. Tamp It Down Firmly: This is the most important step. Use your foot to press the divot firmly into the ground. Don't be shy here, you want to make sure the roots make good contact with the soil beneath. A couple of solid presses will remove any air pockets and give the turf its best chance to survive. Just be careful not to push it so far down it becomes a depression. You want it flush with the surrounding turf.

And that’s it. You’ve just performed a successful turf transplant that the course superintendent would applaud.

Method 2: Using the Sand & Seed Mix (The Bottle Method)

What if your divot explodes on impact, leaving nothing but a crater of dirt? This is where the sand and seed mix comes in. Most golf carts are equipped with bottles of this mix, and many courses have sand boxes on the tees for you to use. This mixture provides a bed for new grass to grow in the damaged area.

1. Grab a Scoop or Bottle: If you're on the Par 3 tee, use the scoop provided. If you're in the fairway, grab the bottle from your cart.
2. Fill the Void: Pour the sand/seed mixture into the bare patch. Don't be too timid - the goal is to fill the entire depression.
3. Level the Surface: Use your shoe or the sole of your your club to gently smooth the sand so it's level with the surrounding turf. Try to contain the mix within the divot's boundaries as best as you can.
4. DO NOT Create a Mound: The most common mistake is overfilling the divot, creating a little sand-hill. This mound can damage the blades of the fairway mowers when they come through. A level surface is what you're aiming for, allowing the mowers to pass over it smoothly while the new grass takes root.

By using this mix, you’re creating the perfect foundation for the course maintenance team to see new growth, effectively healing the scar you’ve left.

How to Fix a Pitch Mark on the Green (The Most Important Repair of All)

Fixing a pitch mark, or ball mark, on the putting green is arguably the single most important act of etiquette you can perform. The delicate, short-mown grass on a green is highly susceptible to damage. An improperly repaired mark can die, leaving a brown, bumpy spot for weeks. A properly repaired mark can recover in as little as 24-48 hours.

The cardinal sin - and the most common mistake - is to use your tool to lift the soil up from the bottom of the mark. This tears the roots and kills the grass. The correct technique is always to push the surrounding turf inward toward the center.

The Right Tool for the Job

While you can use a tee in a pinch, it’s not ideal. A proper pitch mark repair tool - the two-pronged fork - is designed specifically for this task. It gives you the leverage to fix the mark without causing further damage.

The Correct Technique (Push from the Outside IN)

1. Insert the Tool: Take your repair tool and insert the prongs into the turf on the edge of the ball mark, at about a 45-degree angle. Position it at the "back" of the mark, which is typically the high side.
2. Push Straight Inward: Gently push the tool forward, toward the center of the depression. You are basically stretching the healthy turf from the sides to cover the hole.
3. Repeat Around the Mark: Pull the tool out, move it to another side of the mark, and repeat the motion. Work your way around the indentation, gently pushing everything towards the center until the hole is closed.
4. DO NOT LIFT UP: I can’t say this enough. Never, ever use the repair tool as a lever to pull the base of the pitch mark upwards. You will feel the roots stretch and tear if you do this. You are killing the turf by doing this and creating more damage. Always push the surrounding grass inward.
5. Tap It Down: Once you have closed the hole, gently tap down the repaired area with the bottom of your putter. This smooths out the surface and creates a level putting line, leaving almost no trace that a ball ever landed there.

As a rule of thumb, always try to fix your pitch mark and at least one other you see on the green. Paying this small effort forward keeps the putting surfaces true and pure for everyone.

Final Thoughts

Repairing your divots is a small action that makes a massive statement. It shows you respect the course, the hard work of the grounds crew, and your fellow golfers. Mastering these simple techniques - replacing pelts, filling with sand, and correctly fixing pitch marks - is a fundamental part of being a true steward of the game.

Our whole mission with Caddie AI is to empower golfers with the knowledge to play smarter, more confident golf - and that includes understanding the little things that have a big impact. When you're stuck with a difficult lie in the thick rough, you might be focused on avoiding a triple bogey, but you're also worried about digging a trench with a failed recovery shot. Getting a quick piece of advice on what club to use and how to attack the ball cleanly not only helps you save a stroke, but also helps preserve the course by avoiding that messy, deep gouge in the first place.