How to Use a Golf Divot Repair Tool

A perfectly struck iron shot that lands gently on the green is one of golf’s sweetest feelings, but it almost always leaves a small crater behind. Understanding how to properly use a golf divot repair tool is a non-negotiable skill for every golfer, from the weekend enthusiast to the seasoned pro. This detailed guide breaks down the right way - and the surprisingly common wrong way - to fix your ball mark, helping you play a part in keeping the greens healthy and smooth for everyone.

What is a Golf Ball Mark (and Why is Fixing it a Big Deal)?

First, let’s clear up a common point of confusion. The tool in your pocket is most often called a "divot repair tool," but that’s a bit of a misnomer. A divot is the slab of turf you remove from the fairway during a full swing. The small indentation your ball makes upon landingon the soft surface of the green is called a ball mark or a pitch mark. This is what your handy tool is actually for.

So, why is repairing these little marks so important? It comes down to two things: turf health and playability.

• Turf Health: A golf green is a sensitive, living surface. When a ball hits it from a high altitude, it forcefully compresses the soil and damages the roots of the grass. If you repair a ball mark correctly and within a few minutes of its creation, the grass can recover in as little as 24 hours. However, an improperly repaired or ignored mark can take two to three weeks to fully heal, and often leaves a brown, dead spot behind.
• Playability: An unrepaired ball mark creates an uneven surface. For every golfer playing behind you, that little crater is a tiny pothole on the pure putting line they’re hoping for. A lumpy, damaged green makes putting a game of chance rather than skill. Doing your part is simple golf etiquette, it’s about leaving the course in the same, or even better, condition than you found it.

Carrying a repair tool and knowing how to use it are staples of good sportsmanship. Every repaired mark is a little gift to the golfers playing behind you and a helping hand to the course superintendent.

The Cardinal Sin of Divot Repair: What NOT to Do

If you were to ask ten new golfers how to fix a ball mark, at least eight of them would describe the same incorrect method. It's the most intuitive action, but unfortunately, it’s also the most destructive. Please, whatever you do, do not use the repair tool as a lever to pull the base of the ball mark upwards.

Here’s the scene: A golfer walks up to their ball mark, sticks the two prongs of their tool into the depressed center, and pulls the handle upwards, lifting the compacted soil until it's level. All fixed, right? Absolutely not. This action is the equivalent of severing the grass roots from their source.

The delicate roots of green-quality turf live in the top layer of soil. By lifting the bottom of the crater upwards, you are ripping those roots clean from the surrounding turf. You create an air pocket underneath where the roots have no soil contact and no way to get nutrients or water. This grass will die. Every time. It leaves behind an ugly, brownish-yellow scar that disrupts Patches the putting surface for weeks until the grounds crew can patch it.

Don't feel bad if this is what you’ve been doing. It's an honest mistake made by countless golfers who were never taught otherwise. The good news is, once you learn the right way, it takes just as little time and makes a world of difference.

The Right Way: A Step-by-Step Guide to Fixing Your Ball Mark

The correct technique for repairing a ball mark isn’t about lifting from the bottom, it’s all about gently pushing the surrounding healthy turf inward to fill the void. Think of it as "massaging" the green closed rather than performing surgery on it. Follow these simple steps every single time you hit a green.

Step 1: Get to a Clean Start

Before you get to work, start by using the prongs of your repair tool to gently pick out any loose pieces of grass or debris from inside the crater itself. You want to work with a clean slate.

Step 2: Insert from the Outside

Take your repair tool and insert the prongs into the turf just on the outer edge of the ball mark. You want to go in at about a 45-degree angle. Don’t push straight down into the center of the impression.

Step 3: Push Inward (Never Lift Up)

This is the most important part of the entire process. With the prongs angled in the turf at the edge of the mark, gently push your hand forward and inward, as if you’re trying to close the gap. The goal is to stretch the healthy, undamaged turf over the crater. You’ll feel the turf move and the indentation start to disappear. You are NOT trying to lift dirt from the base. You’re pushing the "high side" or the "wall" of the mark toward the center.

Step 4: Work Your Way Around the Edge

Pull out the tool, move to the next "side" of the ball mark, and repeat the same inward brushing motion. Do this from at least four different points around the perimeter of the mark - think of it as covering north, south, east, and west. For larger marks, you might make six to eight small pushes around the circle. You'll quickly see the crater disappear as the healthy turf from the perimeter fills it in.

Step 5: Tamp it Down Smooth

Once you’ve "closed" the hole, you'll be left with a slightly raised area. The final, essential step is to take the flat bottom of your putter head and gently tamp down the repaired spot. Two or three light taps are all it takes to make the surface perfectly smooth and level with the rest of the green. When done correctly, the ball mark should be nearly invisible.

Choosing Your Weapon: Types of Divot Repair Tools

While the technique is far more important than the tool, there are a few common styles you’ll see. Any of them will work perfectly if used correctly.

• The Classic Two-Prong Tool: This is the workhorse. Simple, metal or plastic, and completely effective. It’s what most courses and pro shops give away. It’s impossible to use incorrectly… if you follow the right steps.
• The "Switchblade" Tool: A very popular option where the prongs fold into the handle like a pocketknife. This is fantastic for preventing the prongs from poking holes in the liner of your pockets. They also often come with a magnetic ball marker built into the handle, which is a nice perk.
• The Single-Prong Tool: Some course superintendents and golf pros prefer single-prong tools. The argument is that one spear-like prong causes even less damage to the turf around the mark. They work just as well using the same inward-pushing motion.

What if you forget your tool? Don't just walk away! You can use a simple golf tee as a makeshift tool. Use the sharp point of the tee to execute the exact same procedure: go in from the outside and push the turf inward. It’s much better than doing nothing.

Clearing Up Confusion: What About Fairway Divots?

So if your "divot tool" is for ball marks on the green, what should you do when you actually take a divot from a pristine fairway?

Fairway divots are an expected part of the game. On a well-struck shot with an iron or wedge, the club will compress the ball against the turf, and your swing arc will cause you to scrape away a section of fairway grass after impact. How you handle this depends on the course and the divot itself.

1. Find and Replace the "Pelt": If you take a nice, clean divot that comes out in a single piece (often called a "pelt" or "bacon strip"), the best course of action is to pick it up, put it back in the hole it came from like a puzzle piece, and press it down firmly with your foot. This allows the roots to re-engage with the soil and heal quickly.
2. Use the Sand/Seed Mix: Sometimes, a divot will simply explode into a hundred little pieces. On many golf courses, the carts are equipped with bottles containing a mixture of sand, soil, and grass seed. If you can’t find a recoverable divot pelt, grab the bottle, fill the hole with the mixture until it is level with the fairway, and gently smooth it over with your shoe. This gives new grass the perfect environment to grow.

Just check the local rule for your course. Some courses prefer you always use the sand/seed mix, even if you do take a clean pelt. When in doubt, follow the instructions on the cart or as posted in the clubhouse.

Final Thoughts

Fixing a ball mark the right way is more than just good manners, it shows you respect the game, the course, and the people who work tirelessly to maintain it. By using the gentle, inward-pushing motion and tamping it smooth, you help the green heal almost instantly, leaving a perfect surface for the groups playing behind you.

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