To fix a ball mark the right way, insert your divot tool just outside the edge of the depression and gently push the surrounding turf in toward the center — never pry or lift upward. Work around the mark, nudging the grass inward from all sides, then tap the spot flat with your putter sole to leave a smooth, firm surface. The lifting-and-twisting motion most golfers use is exactly what tears the roots and kills the grass. Done correctly, the repair takes about ten seconds and the green heals fast; done wrong, or not at all, that patch can take weeks to recover (USGA).
Why the wrong technique does damage
The instinct is to slide the tool under the ball mark and lever the sunken turf back up. It feels logical, but it's the one thing you shouldn't do. That upward prying motion tears the roots beneath the depression and exposes them to air, and the lifted crown of grass dries out and dies within a day or two. What's left is a brown, pitted scar. The USGA is explicit that a lifting or twisting motion damages turf roots, and that the goal is to move surrounding turf inward instead — closing the gap without ever pulling anything up.
The step-by-step
Push, don't pry. Set the tool's prongs into the turf at the back edge of the mark, angled slightly so you can press the top of the tool toward the center of the indentation. Move around the perimeter, repeating the inward push from every side until the grass has closed over the low spot. Then set your putter face-down over the area and tamp gently until it's level and firm. You're not filling a hole from below — you're drawing the intact turf around the edges in to cover it. When you finish, the surface should look and roll like the green around it.
Why greens heal faster when you do it right
A properly closed ball mark keeps the root system intact and the living turf in contact with soil, so the grass simply grows back across a small seam. An improperly repaired or ignored mark leaves damaged roots and open turf that, in the USGA's words, can take weeks to heal — and during that stretch the scar deflects putts off line and becomes an entry point for weeds and disease. On putting greens mown to a fraction of an inch, that recovery window is the difference between a surface that stays smooth and one that turns bumpy by afternoon. Ten seconds of correct technique saves the green weeks of ugliness.
The etiquette part: fix yours, then one more
Good course etiquette is simple: repair your own ball mark every time, and fix a nearby one while you're down there. Par-3 greens and any green that catches high approach shots take the most damage and benefit most from golfers who pitch in. It costs you nothing and it's the clearest way to leave the course better than you found it. A pointed tool and a few seconds per green, from every player in the group, keeps the whole surface rolling true for the groups behind you.
Keep the tool on you — and water close
Etiquette only works if the tool is in your pocket, not in the car. A slim divot tool that rides in your pocket or clips into the bag means you'll actually fix marks instead of meaning to. And since a summer round is four-plus hours in the sun, keep water within reach the whole way — adults average only about 44 ounces of plain water a day, short of what a hot round demands (CDC/NCHS). Hydration keeps your focus sharp on the greens where technique matters.
Carry the right tool
The NuRich Golf Divot Repair Tool & Magnetic Ball Marker ($8.99) is an all-metal tool with a pop-up ball marker that slips into your pocket or bag, so the right tool is always on hand when you reach the green. Round out your bag and hydration setup at the NuRich collection.
The bottom line
Push the turf inward, never lift it, and tamp it flat with your putter — that's the whole method. It takes about ten seconds, keeps the roots alive, and lets the green heal in a fraction of the time a torn or ignored mark would take. Fix yours, fix one more, and keep the tool where you'll actually use it. Smooth greens are a group effort, and this is the easiest contribution any golfer can make.
This article is for general informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Individual hydration needs vary; consult a healthcare professional about your specific needs.
Sources: USGA Green Section — Repairing Ball Marks: 5 Things Every Golfer Should Know; CDC/NCHS Data Brief 242 — Daily Water Intake Among U.S. Men and Women.