Page type: Glossary / definition
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Meaning
Repairing Damage means restoring course damage, such as a ball mark or shoe indentation, towards its original condition. The Rules allow reasonable repairs on the Putting Green without penalty, but a player must not repair or replace turf elsewhere when that improves the Conditions Affecting the Stroke.
How it matters in match play
In Match Play, the location and effect of the damage matter. A player may repair eligible damage on the Putting Green, using normal equipment and without unreasonable delay. Away from the green, repairing a divot or pitch mark is prohibited when it improves the lie, stance, swing or line of play; a breach can carry the General Penalty, which is loss of hole.
Table
| Quick reference | Detail |
|---|---|
| Term | Repairing Damage |
| Category | rules |
| Applicable rule | Rules of Golf Rule 8.1a; Rule 13.1c |
| Related concepts | Conditions Affecting the Stroke, Putting Green, Playing the Course as It Is Found, General Penalty, Match Play |
Worked example
Alex's ball is 6 metres from the hole on the Putting Green, so Alex repairs a ball mark with a normal repair tool before putting; Ben is 2 up, and the hole remains live because the repair is permitted.
Rule reference: Rules of Golf Rule 8.1a; Rule 13.1c
Sources: www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.randa.org , www.usga.org
Common questions
Can I repair a ball mark on the putting green?
Yes. Rule 13.1c allows reasonable repair of damage on the putting green, including ball marks, shoe damage and scrapes, with a hand, foot, normal ball-mark repair tool, tee, club or similar normal equipment, provided play is not unreasonably delayed.
Can I replace a divot before playing my shot?
Not if replacing it improves the Conditions Affecting the Stroke. Rule 8.1a specifically prohibits replacing a divot in a divot hole when it improves the lie, stance, swing, line of play or relevant relief area. The fact that the repair feels like good course care does not override that restriction.
Does repairing damage on the putting green include damage just off the edge?
It can. The R&A clarification for Rule 8.1b explains that when one identifiable area of damage is partly on and partly off the putting green, the whole area may be repaired. A separate area of damage off the green cannot be repaired if doing so improves the conditions affecting the stroke.
What happens in match play if repair is not allowed?
A breach of the applicable Rule normally receives the General Penalty. In Match Play, that means loss of the hole, subject to the specific Rule and any available restoration exception. If unsure, stop and request a ruling rather than agreeing to ignore a known penalty.
Can I repair damage caused by another player's stroke?
Rule 8.1d can allow restoration when another person worsens your Conditions Affecting the Stroke after your ball came to rest. The permission is fact-specific, and it does not generally let you restore conditions worsened by you, your caddie or someone acting on your authority.
Is repairing damage a local rule or a standard golf rule?
The permissions and restrictions above come from the standard Rules of Golf, chiefly Rules 8.1 and 13.1c. A club may also publish operational guidance, but that should not be treated as changing the Rules unless it is a properly adopted Local Rule or Terms of the Competition provision.