If you’re wondering what the rules say about a damaged golf hole, according to Golf.com,

  • Players should request the committee to help with restoring the hole to its initial dimensions
  • If that help isn’t readily obtainable, players can try to repair the damage themselves
  • If it’s too severely damaged to restore the hole, players could attempt to take ground under repair relief
  • This means you can bypass the hole without a penalty
  • There were some other interesting rule changes in 2019 regarding dealing with damages on the putting green
  • We also will cover how to repair a damaged hole below:

My friend and I were playing golf at our local course when we came across a damaged hole. The damage was so severe that it was difficult to even spot the hole, let alone play from it. We both had different ideas on how to deal with the situation.

My friend wanted to try and repair the hole himself, while I argued that we should ask the committee for help.

The argument quickly escalated and we began to shout at each other. It was clear that we weren’t going to be able to come to a resolution ourselves, so we decided to take the matter to the committee.

They ruled in my favor and helped us restore the hole to its original dimensions. We apologized to each other for our behavior and continued playing our rounds.

How do you repair damaged golf holes?

There are many ways you can repair a damaged golf hole. Below are the steps that I recommend for the best results. Be sure to use every effort in order and ensure that they are done correctly before moving on to the next.

Step One: Prepare your repair materials:

This includes a small piece of scrap wood, some epoxy, a putty knife, sandpaper (100 grit), maybe some paint if you have it available, as well as a screwdriver or drill bit to remove screws on any panels that may be holding paint down in unwanted places (you don’t have this either?).

Also, be sure you have a towel to cover the hole as you make it for protection.

  1. Remove anything that you do not want in the hole, such as extra paint, pebbles, dirt, or anything else that might be there.
  2. Use your screwdriver to remove any screws that are in the way of your repair area.
  3. Use your sandpaper to sand down any rough areas around the hole as well as any other visible damage from either a ball going out of bounds or an object hitting it, such as a rock or another club if someone has hit it with one after they hit their ball out of bounds on accident.
  4. If you have any pieces of wood that you can use, now is an excellent time to use them to cover the hole. It will give you something to grab onto when sanding the gap down.
  5. Now comes the epoxy. I would advise using E6000 or Gorilla Glue (Glastik-Kote). Both of these are water base glues, which means they are not as likely to cause damage if it gets under your skin.
  6. Put a layer of epoxy around the hole. You want to make sure you get a nice thick layer around it. Pack it in there, sound, and then place your piece of wood in to guard against having the glue go any further than you would want it to be able to.
  7. Let it set for at least 24 hours or longer, depending on how much time you have available before play resumes again.
  8. After it has set, it is time to sand the hole down. Do not be afraid to sand down until you are sure you have gotten all of the glue off of the sides. You need a smooth surface for paint, varnish, or whatever material you choose. 9. If you have any black spot left on your golf hole that won’t come off after sanding, this indicates that there was epoxy remaining in that spot, and you will need to hit it again with a new coat of epoxy.
  9. If your surface is still rough after giving it a second coat, then you need to try using a little sandpaper or even a wire brush to see if that will smooth it down enough for your liking.
  10. Varnish or paint the area and let it dry.
  11. Replace any screws in the way before you repair the hole.
  12. Replace any stakes or flags that may be missing around the hole, and make sure that they are set correctly into the ground and not just sitting on top of the environment where they can be pushed over if someone hits their ball in their vicinity during play.
  13. Try and identify the best way to alleviate the problem that caused you to have to repair your hole in the first place.
  14. If a tree was uprooted during a storm, you will need to remove it from your home and dispose of it properly. Be sure to call city hall or even call whoever owns the property to ensure you are doing this correctly, as some cities want them ground up for composting purposes.
  15. After removing the tree, you need to dig a trench behind it with the hole dug out in the middle. Then you need to fill it with clean soil and replace the tree.
  16. If somebody has hit a ball into your hole, this will involve removing that portion of the golf hole and replacing it with sod from a local nursery.
  17. If deer have damaged your home, then be sure to place some small stakes (about 2 inches in length) into any areas where they may bother to get in or around it again if they find a way back up there if you fill in those areas properly

Conclusion

There are many other methods of repairing golf holes, and this article has shown you a few. You can find more information in your local library or at a golf shop.

 

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