Don't let this happen to You!

PlaidJacket · March 11, 2017

Mystery solved yesterday.

As you can see in the picture above I use a FLIX divot repair tool. I've been using these types of tools for many years. Most of them come with a magnetic metal ball marker attached. I've also seen a few tools like this one with the ball marker being a logo of a school/university or some other design like a golf course name. On these types of markers the logo or tops are made of some type of plastic material and the bottom is metal. With the FLIX tool i'm currently using it came with the standard FLIX all metal ball marker as you can see attached in the photo. It has slightly raised/embossed lettering. The key factor here I think is it's all metal and has raised lettering. Not a plastic or perhaps a silicone type material on top like the Texas or Erin Hills marker I've shown. Stay with me on this.....

Recently I found a Texas symbol marker and decided to replace the standard FLIX marker that came with the tool. Last week two times I marked my ball with the Texas (plastic top) marker and walked away cleaning my ball and preparing to putt. I watched others putt and began lining up my putt as usual. Two times I remarked, "that's not where I marked!" Both times I was actually closer to the hole I thought. Not further! I scratched my head thinking I was going nuts or something. Others in my group also thought I was closer to the hole. Oh well, I'm not paying good attention I guess.

But here's the deal... the plastic top logo ball marker types are slightly sticky!! Especially now that temps have warmed considerably. Normally when I mark my ball I lightly tap down the marker with my putter and walk away. Just yesterday I was doing the same thing as usual. On number 3 I was just off the back of the green and proceeded to chip up. I hit a nice chip almost holing the shot from about 20 feet. My ball came to rest about 2'-3' from the pin. So as usual I marked my putt and gave it a tap while walking away cleaning my ball. After a moment I looked at my line and thought I was closer than what I'm now seeing. But this time the marker was laying upside down. Ah Hah! That's when it hit me. The plastic top logo markers are sticking to the bottom of my putter and falling off after I've walked a few feet away from where I'd originally marked my ball.

Moral of this overly long post... use a quarter or at least something all metal.