Jump to content
IGNORED

No divots?


Note: This thread is 3546 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Recommended Posts

I thought I should share this. I was at a driving range yesterday and was taking about a dollar bill sized divot in front of the ball (more or less) and the pro came out and said I shouldn't be taking divots at all! I should be lightly brushing the grass not taking divots. I thought this was odd. He told me to cup my wrist in the backswing to help shallow out my swing. I asked him how that will help and he said, "I'm not giving this instruction to benefit you but to benefit my grass!" I thought this was a very strange experience. Anyone else have an experience similar to this?

- Jered

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

  • Moderator
You can help preserve his grass further by never going there again.

Bill

“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.” - Confucius

My Swing Thread

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

You can help preserve his grass further by never going there again.

QFT FTG!

Nate

:pxg:(10.5) :benhogan:(4W):titleist:U500(3UI) :benhogan: Icon(4-PW) :edel:(52/58)

:odyssey:Putter :snell: MTB Black  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

  • Moderator

Go there everyday and take lots of dollar sized divots.

Scott

Titleist, Edel, Scotty Cameron Putter, Snell - AimPoint - Evolvr - MirrorVision

My Swing Thread

boogielicious - Adjective describing the perfect surf wave

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

He said the next time I go he's gonna put my off to the side in the tree line. Lol!

- Jered

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

  • Administrator
He said the next time I go he's gonna put my off to the side in the tree line. Lol!

Are your dollars the same sizes as everyone else's? :-)

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

You should show up with a mammoth niblick. You could throw shovefuls of turf downrange. Just be sure to fill the holes with sand and wave and smile as you leave!

Tom R.

TM R1 on a USTv2, TM 3wHL on USTv2, TM Rescue 11 in 17,TM udi #3, Rocketbladez tour kbs reg, Mack Daddy 50.10,54.14,60.14, Cleveland putter

Link to comment
Share on other sites


Are your dollars the same sizes as everyone else's? :-)

About the size of a savings bond. Jk, normally they are Slightly smaller than a bill.

- Jered

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Here is another side of that scenario. On the driving range it cost money to repair divots, because (IMHO) most folks who are practicing do not repair their divots. Eventually others who use the driving range are looking for a clean piece of turf to hit off of. Over the course of a few months, the grass is pretty much gone, and maintenance brings in the rubber mats, while they re-grow the grass destroyed by those practicing. Now it is also my opinion that most folks when actually on the course golfing repair their divots. Every time you take a divot, even on the practice range, you need to replace/repair that divot. Make it part of your "post shot" routine. The funny one I see more often than not, is the golfer in a practice bunker who when done, will rake the sand. However, that same golfer won't repair the turf they damage when using the grassy parts of the practice area.

As for taking a divot or not, that's up to the individual. I take divots, and the shorter the iron, the deeper the divot I take. I repair/replace all of them. Now sometimes when I get on a course that is some where between firm, and just plain hard, I don't take divots. This is to prevent injury to me, and/or damage to my clubs. There are quite a few courses out there that do not have divot friendly fairways. When I was golfing, and traveling a lot, I would play 25-35 different courses per year. I saw a quite a few different playing conditions as far as the turf was concerned. The farther north I played the better the conditions were for taking a divot. The higher the green fees also meant (usually) divot friendly fairways. Some times over watering might make a golfer think twice about taking a divot. Some of these desert courses I am playing right now are not divot friendly. Even some of the bunkers are pretty hard.

I know quite a few golfers who play with single digit hdcps who never take a divot. They either just brush the turf in front of the ball, or like a lot of golfers I see, they sort of "scoop" the ball off the turf. Those who scoop, sacrifice some distance, while hitting higher ball flights. Some of those who never took a divot, said they were too lazy to replace/repair their divots, so they did not take one for that single reason. Good for them I say.

In My Bag:
A whole bunch of Tour Edge golf stuff...... :beer:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

The "pro" is an idiot.....however, please make sue that you're doing your part by leaving a clean divot pattern, and not a "bomb crator"!

In David's bag....

Driver: Titleist 910 D-3;  9.5* Diamana Kai'li
3-Wood: Titleist 910F;  15* Diamana Kai'li
Hybrids: Titleist 910H 19* and 21* Diamana Kai'li
Irons: Titleist 695cb 5-Pw

Wedges: Scratch 51-11 TNC grind, Vokey SM-5's;  56-14 F grind and 60-11 K grind
Putter: Scotty Cameron Kombi S
Ball: ProV1

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

  • Moderator

@David in FL beat me to it but I'll post it anyway. I grew up doing it the third way (in the video) and changed it in college to taking longer strips.

Mike McLoughlin

Check out my friends on Evolvr!
Follow The Sand Trap on Twitter!  and on Facebook
Golf Terminology -  Analyzr  -  My FacebookTwitter and Instagram 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Here is another side of that scenario. On the driving range it cost money to repair divots, because (IMHO) most folks who are practicing do not repair their divots. Eventually others who use the driving range are looking for a clean piece of turf to hit off of. Over the course of a few months, the grass is pretty much gone, and maintenance brings in the rubber mats, while they re-grow the grass destroyed by those practicing. Now it is also my opinion that most folks when actually on the course golfing repair their divots. Every time you take a divot, even on the practice range, you need to replace/repair that divot. Make it part of your "post shot" routine. The funny one I see more often than not, is the golfer in a practice bunker who when done, will rake the sand. However, that same golfer won't repair the turf they damage when using the grassy parts of the practice area.        As for taking a divot or not, that's up to the individual. I take divots, and the shorter the iron, the deeper the divot I take. I repair/replace all of them. Now sometimes when I get on a course that is some where between firm, and just plain hard, I don't take divots. This is to prevent injury to me, and/or damage to my clubs. There are quite a few courses out there that do not have divot friendly fairways. When I was golfing, and traveling a lot, I would play 25-35 different courses per year. I saw a quite a few different playing conditions as far as the turf was concerned. The farther north I played the better the conditions were for taking a divot. The higher the green fees also meant (usually) divot friendly fairways. Some times over watering might make a golfer think twice about taking a divot. Some of these desert courses I am playing right now are not divot friendly. Even some of the bunkers are pretty hard.       I know quite a few golfers who play with single digit hdcps who never take a divot. They either just brush the turf in front of the ball, or like a lot of golfers I see, they sort of "scoop" the ball off the turf. Those who scoop, sacrifice some distance, while hitting higher ball flights. Some of those who never took a divot, said they were too lazy to replace/repair their divots, so they did not take one for that single reason. Good for them I say.

I couldn't really replace the divots. It's really just a big field so there isn't any fully intact divots to replace. We just fill them in with sand. This range isn't associated with or at a course. I do rows of divots and leave a strip of grass in between them because I learned on here that it helps the grass grow back quicker.

- Jered

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

The "pro" is an idiot.....however, please make sue that you're doing your part by leaving a clean divot pattern, and not a "bomb crator"!

It helps, but for those of us who hit it fat now and then, the line quickly becomes a long one. :-(

I wouldn't call a pro that tells you you shouldn't take a divot a pro. He's either lying to save his grass, or seriously misinformed.

I can't replace any divots on the practice range since the turf is too frail. The divots are more a could of dirt and grass than a single object. Does replacing divots help on a driving range? I've heard some say that replacing a divot means the damage will take longer to heal, since the roots won't re-attach anyways. Some courses I've been to has had posters telling players to not replace divots on the course because of this.

I suppose it would be possible to replace divots and have other players hit off it again on a range with good grass, but I didn't know it was a thing.

Ogio Grom | Callaway X Hot Pro | Callaway X-Utility 3i | Mizuno MX-700 23º | Titleist Vokey SM 52.08, 58.12 | Mizuno MX-700 15º | Titleist 910 D2 9,5º | Scotty Cameron Newport 2 | Titleist Pro V1x and Taylormade Penta | Leupold GX-1

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Awards, Achievements, and Accolades

Note: This thread is 3546 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Want to join this community?

    We'd love to have you!

    Sign Up
  • TST Partners

    TourStriker PlaneMate
    Golfer's Journal
    ShotScope
    The Stack System
    FlightScope Mevo
    Direct: Mevo, Mevo+, and Pro Package.

    Coupon Codes (save 10-15%): "IACAS" for Mevo/Stack, "IACASPLUS" for Mevo+/Pro Package, and "THESANDTRAP" for ShotScope.
  • Posts

    • I did not realize that, I was thinking a more traditional golf club.  
    • Thanks for the feedback. @StuM, we are a "club without real estate" so no facilities or pro. We have a membership of around 185 players and we only play together as a group at our tournaments, which are held at public access courses. A group of us setup the tournaments, collect the money and dole out the prizes.
    • In general, granting free relief anywhere on the course isn't recommended.  Similarly, when marking GUR, the VSGA and MAPGA generally don't mark areas that are well away from the intended playing lines, no matter how poor the conditions.  If you hit it far enough offline, you don't necessarily deserve free relief.  And you don't have to damage clubs, take unplayable relief, take the stroke, and drop the ball in a better spot.
    • If it's not broken don't fix it. If you want to add grooves to it just because of looks that's your choice of course. Grooves are cut into putter faces to reduce skid, the roll faced putter is designed to do the same thing. I'm no expert but it seems counter productive to add grooves to the roll face. Maybe you can have it sand-blasted or something to clean up the face. Take a look at Tigers putter, its beat to hell but he still uses it.     
    • I get trying to limit relief to the fairway, but how many roots do you typically find in the fairway? Our local rule allows for relief from roots & rocks anywhere on the course (that is in play). My home course has quite a few 100 year old oaks that separate the fairways. Lift and move the ball no closer to the hole. None of us want to damage clubs.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Welcome to TST! Signing up is free, and you'll see fewer ads and can talk with fellow golf enthusiasts! By using TST, you agree to our Terms of Use, our Privacy Policy, and our Guidelines.

The popup will be closed in 10 seconds...