The Divot Tool and Ball Marker Pocket Kit: What Belongs in Every Golfer's Pocket

The two tools that belong in every golfer's pocket are a divot repair tool and a ball marker — a compact pocket kit that covers both course care and your short game. The divot tool fixes the ball marks your approach shots leave on the green, which keeps the putting surface smooth for you and everyone behind you; the marker lets you note your ball's spot so you can lift, clean, and line up your putt within the Rules. Neither takes up real space, both live in the same pocket, and together they're the difference between leaving a green better than you found it and being the group that chews it up. Here's why each one earns its spot.

The divot tool: fast repairs that actually heal

When a ball lands on a soft green it leaves a small crater, and how you fix it decides how fast it recovers. The USGA notes that a properly repaired ball mark can heal in about 24 hours, while one that's repaired incorrectly — or not at all — can take far longer to recover (USGA). The technique is quick once you know it, and it hinges on not doing the thing most people instinctively do.

How to repair a ball mark the right way

Insert the tool at the edge of the mark, just behind the depression, and gently push the surrounding turf in toward the center — work your way around the mark, easing the edges inward. Then tap the spot flat with the sole of your putter to leave a smooth, firm surface. The one move to avoid is lifting or twisting the tool underneath the mark: that tears the grass roots and slows healing rather than speeding it (USGA). Done right, the whole repair takes a few seconds, and if you fix your own mark plus one other on every green, the course stays in shape for the whole field.

The ball marker: mark, lift, and align

Once you're on the green, a marker is what lets you tend to your ball without breaking the Rules. Set it directly behind the ball before you lift it so you can clean the ball or get it out of a playing partner's line, then replace the ball on the same spot. A marker with an alignment element adds a second job: you can use its line to point your ball's marking at your target, giving you a visual aid for starting putts on line. A magnetic marker that clips to your tool or hat means it's never buried at the bottom of a bag when you need it — it's right there, every hole.

Line up putts with a ball line marker

If you want to take alignment a step further, a ball line marker lets you draw a straight reference line on the ball itself. On the green you rotate the ball so that line points down your intended start line, then match your putter face to it — a simple, repeatable way to aim that removes some of the guesswork from short and mid-range putts. It's a practice-green staple precisely because seeing the line makes it easier to trust your setup and commit to the stroke. Paired with the divot tool and marker, it rounds out a pocket kit that handles etiquette and your putting in one small bundle.

Keep it all in one pocket

The reason a kit beats loose tools is friction: if the divot tool and marker are together in a dedicated pocket, you'll actually use them instead of hunting through your bag while the group behind waits. Pick a spot — same pocket, every round — and make grabbing them automatic when you step onto a green. Fast, habitual repairs and quick, Rules-clean marking are what mark a considerate player, and they cost you nothing but a few seconds a hole.

Build your pocket kit

The NuRich Golf Divot Repair Tool with Magnetic Ball Marker ($8.99) pairs an all-metal divot tool with a pop-up magnetic marker so both live together in one pocket. Add the NuRich Golf Ball Line Marker Tool (2-Pack) ($7.99) to draw a clean alignment line for your putts. Browse more golf gear at the full NuRich collection.

The bottom line

A divot tool and a ball marker are the smallest, cheapest additions to your game that pay off every single round — one keeps the greens healthy for the whole field, the other keeps you within the Rules and helps you aim. Learn the push-don't-lift repair, mark behind your ball before you lift it, add a line marker if you want an alignment aid, and keep the lot in one dedicated pocket. It's the mark of a golfer who takes care of the course and their own putting alike.

This article is for general informational purposes only. For official rulings on marking, lifting, and replacing your ball, consult the current Rules of Golf.

Sources: USGA — Repairing Ball Marks: 5 Things Every Golfer Should Know.