Divots...You hit em' or not?

[SteelDriver]

Im curious because I tend not to but my playing partner does and insists most players do.

[Crafty]

I take a divot with every club except the driver. My divots with the 3i, hybrid, and 3 wood are very slim, but they are divots nonetheless.

As for what is right or wrong, I would lean towards a divot but won't say not taking one is wrong. Tom Watson was an excellent ballstriker and never took a divot.

[Shindig]

Im curious because I tend not to but my playing partner does and insists most players do.

I didn't used to, and I still don't sometimes, but I've found it happening more and more, especially with the 7-iron on down.

My understand is that it used to be a necessity with the quality of fairway to be found. But there are, I seem to recall, some top pros who don't take divots and more or less "nip" the ball off the turf. This is a big claim and I have no citation for it, so I hope someone who reads this can back me up.

[Golf Yokel]

My swings usually tend to leave shallow divots.

I like divots though... they can help me tell if I was aligned properly, of if my swing came through the ball straight.

[Avid Golfer]

Im curious because I tend not to but my playing partner does and insists most players do.

When I'm swinging well and making really good contact I'll have the following results.

Driver= knock the tee forward (10-15 years ago sweeping the ball off the tee was desired with the driver) fairway woods/metals = sweep the ball away with no divot long irons = sweep the ball away with no divot mid-irons = clip the ball and make a very thin divot short-irons and wedges = clip the ball and make a thin divot (often makes the fizzing sound through the air you hear when pros strike it solid).

Tom Watson was an excellent ballstriker and never took a divot.

But there are, I seem to recall, some top pros who don't take divots and more or less "nip" the ball off the turf. This is a big claim and I have no citation for it, so I hope someone who reads this can back me up.

Greg Norman in the 80's took sizeable divots with his irons, and had problems where the ball would suck back off the green. In the 90's after he started working with Butch Harmon he became much more of a sweeper of the ball and swept or pinched most of his shots off the turf, and when he did take a divot (occasionallly with short irons and wedges) it was a thin divot.

Nick Faldo and Nick Price did the same when they were playing well. Ernie Els, Charles Howell III, and Adam Scott are three active players that sweep the ball with the longer clubs and make thin divots with the shorter clubs. Bobby Jones was also a big believer in sweeping the ball during his time. The leading edge on your clubs will be a factor in how much sweep or dig you make as well. The way many irons and wedges are built today you may end up taking a divot whether you want to or not. Overall your better off learning to be a sweeper (instead of a digger) as it works for the majority of lies. I've seen Ernie Els, Greg Norman, and Nick Faldo all hit fairway bunker shots where they hit it so cleanly that there were no signs that their clubs ever contacted the sand. The better you can sweep your shots the easier you'll find it to hit fairway bunker shots when you get stuck with them.

[Shindig]

Greg Norman in the 80's took sizeable divots with his irons, and had problems where the ball would suck back off the green. In the 90's after he started working with Butch Harmon he became much more of a sweeper of the ball and swept or pinched most of his shots off the turf, and when he did take a divot (occasionallly with short irons and wedges) it was a thin divot.

Many thanks for the details.

The leading edge on your clubs will be a factor in how much sweep or dig you make as well. The way many irons and wedges are built today you may end up taking a divot whether you want to or not.

This brings up a good question from me - what varieties of irons are more likely to cause it? Super-cavity? Normal-cavity? Muscle-back? Because my divots are far more frequent and consistent with my Vokey wedges than with my super-game-improvement clubs, even the PW.

Overall your better off learning to be a sweeper (instead of a digger) as it works for the majority of lies. I've seen Ernie Els, Greg Norman, and Nick Faldo all hit fairway bunker shots where they hit it so cleanly that there were no signs that their clubs ever contacted the sand. The better you can sweep your shots the easier you'll find it to hit fairway bunker shots when you get stuck with them.

Wow. I hit my 3H out of a bunker yesterday and it looked like the ball hadn't been there, other than the trail it made coming in and the footprints I made getting in. I figured I had done something wrong. But the ball went where I wanted, so I had no way of knowing. Thanks: I feel much better.

[lordnazgul]

It tends to be blade style and thinner soled clubs that are moreprone to taking divots. With the super game improvement and game improvement irons the sole is designed to help you get the ball in the air, similar to a hybrid or fairway wood and is therefore less prone to taking divots. It also depends on the bounce of the club, more than likely the reason you take divots with your BV wedge.

[lamebums]

I don't normally take divots with anything. However I sometimes rip up a nice one with my 3 wood...

[mikelz]

I take a divot with every club except the driver and putter. If you find yourself on the tee scraping the dirt out of the grooves on your driver, you haven't been hitting your driver very well.

[MasterOfTheBogey]

I always thought I was a sweeper when I played the local course, the fairways arent well maintained and its almost like your playing off concrete.

But, when I play a course that actually waters there fairways I take some pretty hefty divots. Its satisfying when you take a chunk out of the earth. Makes you feel like you accomplished something.

[SteelDriver]

Must see some pretty long drives there....I have a course by me like that. you hit it 250 and it seems like you get 100 yards of bounce and roll...like hitting down the freeway.

[MasterOfTheBogey]

Must see some pretty long drives there....I have a course by me like that. you hit it 250 and it seems like you get 100 yards of bounce and roll...like hitting down the freeway.

Yea, I try not to play that course to much, but its hard not to when its only 5 mins. down the road.

Nearest (well-maintained) course is around 30-45 mins. away. Only play it on the weekends. I play the "FreeWay" course after work during the week. Descent layout, just wish they would put some money into the course maintence.

[limoric]

Big floppy divots...especially with the wedges.

[powerfade]

Im curious because I tend not to but my playing partner does and insists most players do.

Your partner is correct.

Divots are an indication your swing is properly bottoming out past the ball. The exception is the long irons where you sweep them.

[SwinginCaveman]

One thing I've noticed among less experienced players is that they assume you take a divot way before you hit the ball, which is why I see a lot of people chunk it and hit it 30 yards with a 6 iron. I believe you are supposed to make contact with the ball first and take your divot about half a ball past your lie, definitely not a ball before it, though.

A good tip I read for people who have trouble taking divots is instead of looking at the ball, look about 6 inches past it, and make your swing. It will force you to bottom out your swing later and will help you take a good divot.

[nykfan4life]

A good tip I read for people who have trouble taking divots is instead of looking at the ball, look about 6 inches past it, and make your swing. It will force you to bottom out your swing later and will help you take a good divot.

+1 this is what helped me hit down on it(exept I only looked about 4 inches ahead) I now brush the grass up with long irons, take a small divot with mid irons, and a pretty big one with the short ones.

[Guest]

I am up in MA and have been playing for only a few years. I have been looking online to try to find flaws in my swing.

I have a tendancy to spray my iron shots, so when i was looking onling, i read that you are supposed to make contact with the ball first, then take a divot. I've been taking a small divot just before contact with the ball. I get pretty good loft and distance, but do you think this would be causing my inconsitency?

Should i try to change this and make contact with the ball first then the ground before the season starts??

Also, any good tips to try to change this?

[donkba]

i saw this programme which showed how you must hit down on the short irons to hit the sweet spot and get maximum distance due to the loft. if you do not hit down, you will not take a divot and get anywhere near the distance you could hit it, although sweeping the ball is ok with longer irons