How long does it take to repair a pitchmark?

Seriously, it takes seconds. And on that note why is it that I regularly find myself repairing at least 2-3 marks a hole! So bloody annoying. My local course is kept generally well and the ground staff have done a tremendous job under recent conditions in keeping it playable. We do have a few societies visit our course and I have to say its generally these that don't repair IMO. I have known our greens to really be good and whilst playing yesterday evening found the greens peppered with ball marks. As golfers we have a duty to adhere to forms of etiquette that as rule, helps all that play enjoy this wonderful game. Rant over.

Don't automatically blame it on societies John, it's an old mantra I've heard spouted many, many times and I find it intensely irritating. In my experience it's more often than not members who for some reason simply don't bother. In the societies I play in we look after the course as we are guests, are courteous to members (although that isn't always reciprocated), otherwise we aren't allowed back. The most recent experience of proof of this was in a morning casual game I took part in at a Derbyshire club renowned for the quality of it's greens, almost every green we came across had pitch marks, the par 3's being particularly bad. There were 3 or 4 groups of members in front and the greens had been mown and sorted first thing - so we all did our usual thing and repair our own (if we made them!) and at least 2 or 3 others. On one hole where I dumped in the water I tended the flag for the others and repaired 8 marks. Societies? Best look at the members first...

Totally respect your comments Tim. I play mostly at weekends as do the majority of members at the club I play. It is generally at this time I find the greens virtually pitch mark free. It was only my opinion and probably a little wrong of me to lay blame heavily on guests. As probably yourself regardless of where you play, you feel it's right to keep the greens as you would like to find them. Yesterday I was behind a fourball and yes as a single ball I have no standing. I stood on one tee for nearly 10 mins whilst they searched for two wayward shots and not a hint of a call through ( another gripe) fresh pitchmarks were found on quite a few holes and I know they were not members. I think what I'm trying to say without laying blame to non-members is that we all have a duty to keep our courses in the best condition we can and not just rely on the green keepers to do it for us.

That's true John, I have little truck with anyone who has no respect for the course whatever their standing. The pitchmark thing is something that particularly bugs me, as I look on it as a sort of badge of honour and I get a great deal of satisfaction from strolling up to the green and repairing my own.

Does remind me of the time that my brother and I went to play his old club down in Essex (he lives in the States now) and we played with two members he knew. We signed in and the pro asked the usual about where we played and handicaps etc: and you could see a sliver of the doubt going through his mind about our ability (my brother used to play off 5). So he strolled out to the tee with us and casually commented on the quality of the greens and hoped we had our repairers with us, which we both whipped out proudly. Unfortunately, neither of the members had one....

John,

Re your comment "as a single ball I have no standing"

That is untrue. Singles have had standing on the golf course since 2010 as per the new R&A rules that year

I played at Hurtmore this morning and was amazed and disappointed at the number of pitch marks in the greens there. I was frequently repairing 2 or 3 on each hole, but could easily have spent far longer had I so desired.

As for who made them, my opinion (rightly or wrongly) is that societies frequently have a number of casual golfers who are unlikely to hit the ball with a flight that would make a pitch mark, and so it is my belief is that it is regular golfers (members or regular green fee payers) who are to blame.

One other irritation from this morning was the number of footprints in the bunkers, which certainly wasn't down to the lack of a rake, as Hurtmore is well provided for in this regard.

I find the same, normally it's the members whoare mainly to blame. I play Wednesday afternoon, immediately after the seniors, and thr greens are probably at their worst with regards to pitchmarks and damaged holes.

That said, when I visit other courses I tend to ensure my playiing partner and myself both respect the course and repair any pitchmarks we find.