Repair Ball Marks
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Each time a golf ball hits the putting surface, it leaves a mark. Proper golf etiquette dictates that you repair any damage to the putting surface, especially damage due to a ball.
Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Divot Tools    Golf Balls     Putter

Step One
Look for a golf ball mark on the green near your ball.  (This would be where the ball landed.)

Step Two
Use a ball mark repair tool to fix the divot left from the ball.

Step Three
Insert the ball repair tool into the outer edge of the ball divot, with the prongs angled at 45 degrees. Gently work the turf up and back into place by gently pushing up and forward.
 
Step Four

Repeat step 3 around the entire ball mark as necessary.
 
Step Five

Pat down the ball mark with a putter, until the mark is as smooth as the rest of the putting surface.
 
Step Six                Continue on with your game.

Tips & Warnings

  • It's okay to repair more than one ball mark on each green. In fact, it is good practice to repair at least one additional ball mark - your fellow golfers and the course greenskeepers will appreciate it!
  • Repair any ball marks that are in the line of your putt for the smoothest possible surface.
  • If ball marks are not fixed within a certain time frame, the grass will die.
  • Golf course personnel may ask you to leave the course if you don't repair divots on the putting green.

ANOTHER WAY TO PUT IT:
Do not pry up the center - If the pitch-mark is repaired incorrectly, the green will take longer to recover than if the player had done nothing at all.

The proper way to repair a pitch mark is to insert the repair tool at a 45 degree angle just outside the lip of the "crater" and then PUSH the repair tool toward the center of the "crater," essentially "pulling" the green closed. Repeat around the opposite sides if necessary, then press the area down flat with your putter.

Never use your repair tool to "pry-up" or "dig" the bottom of the pitch-mark back up to the level of the green. Doing so will badly damage the tiny roots of the grass and will only cause more damage. Remember: greens are more delicate than the stuff growing in your front yard! They must be treated gently.