How Augusta National repairs ball marks, according to Ben Crane

Repairing a ball mark on the green is simple, right? It’s something golfers seem to believe they can execute proficiently. But all it takes is a spin around your local course to realize that most players have a lot to learn.

The telltale signs of a poorly-repaired mark? A small, hollowed out-depression in the green. A small circle of dead grass. Sometimes both!

That’s why PGA Tour veteran Ben Crane took to Instagram with a helpful PSA on the ideal way to repair a ball mark, courtesy of the venerable Augusta National.

Crane’s video begins with a quick look at two badly-repaired marks.

“That’s clearly ripping up the roots,” he said.

“What’s the proper way to actually fix a ball mark? I learned this by the guys at Augusta National,” Crane continues. “When there’s a ball mark like this, we put a hole in the middle of the ball mark, push the roots out to the side.”

While he’s speaking, Crane demonstrates placing a tee in the ball mark and making a circular motion with it. Then, he gently presses the area around the mark with his fingers.

“Then you can literally just push around the edges and maybe bring it in slightly with the tee.”

Crane finishes the job by poking at the mark a few times with his tee to even the surface before tapping down lightly on the area with his putter.

“But I ripped no roots, and you literally will not even know what happened.”

There’s no denying Crane’s A+ work on that ball mark.

“So, how do we do it?” he concludes. “Make a hole in the middle, push the roots out to the side, and then you just kind of work it in. And that’s how you fix a ball mark. Let’s stop rippin’ roots and makin’ brown spots all over the green.”

And there you have it! While Crane demonstrates with a tee, some players prefer the ease of using a divot-repair tool. Check out one of our favorite models below.

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Golf.com Editor

As a four-year member of Columbia’s inaugural class of female varsity golfers, Jessica can out-birdie everyone on the masthead. She can out-hustle them in the office, too, where she’s primarily responsible for producing both print and online features, and overseeing major special projects, such as GOLF’s inaugural Style Is­sue, which debuted in February 2018. Her origi­nal interview series, “A Round With,” debuted in November of 2015, and appeared in both in the magazine and in video form on GOLF.com.