How to practice taking a divot on the range?

[Slice57]

I am pretty new to golf. I played a round on Friday and noticed that I barely take a divot. From reading on this board.... this is a bad thing.

Is there a specific drill or trick that will help me practice on the range? I mean it's obvious if I hit it fat, but other then that no so much.

I just found a product called "the divot mat" that you place on the ground, take swings, and it shows your contact. However, it is very expensive.

Is there anything else I can take to the range to improve this aspect of my swing?

Thank you very much in advance!

[deafheaven]

I always take practice swings before I address the ball (talking about actually during a round here and not practice). I don't address the ball until I've had a proper practice swing. This helps a lot.

[HookEmHorns]

I always take practice swings before I address the ball (talking about actually during a round here and not practice). I don't address the ball until I've had a proper practice swing. This helps a lot.

I agree with that. But along with that, I don't actually step up to the ball until I make about 2 or 3 of the swings I want right in a row. Then just repeat the swing I had down consistently. (If that makes sense, sorry if I didn't explain it real well). Make sure after you make the swing you want, that you can repeat it before you step up to the ball, kind of basic and stuff, but I had to figure that out the hard way--on the course. lol

[grantc79]

I am pretty new to golf. I played a round on Friday and noticed that I barely take a divot. From reading on this board.... this is a bad thing.

Bring a couple of rolls of pennies with you to the range.

If you start hitting thin then start putting pennies 1-2 inches in front of the ball. Try to hit the ball and hit the penny with your club.

[ninetwothree]

I start by trying to make divots in the ground as far forward as I can.

I'll start with an 8 iron and try to take a divot just in front of my left foot. I have to have the feeling that the divot is a 'straight' divot and not a thick one that is headed down the 3rd baseline (left).

I also do a drill that my coach game me that helps me get the feeling of being where I should be when the club hits the ball



After this, when I put the ball in the regular spot, it seems easy!

[TN94z]

Get your weight transferred to your front foot and lead the club through with your hands not the clubface...think about having the back of your left hand (for a righty) pointed at the target at impact. Do this and the divots will come. Start with half Sw shots to get the feel and then move up from there. Anything you can put a few inches behind your ball will be good too....try not to hit the object behind the ball. This will help force the downward blow needed.

[umpiremark]

"I am pretty new to golf. I played a round on Friday and noticed that I barely take a divot. From reading on this board.... this is a bad thing."

I don't know if I agree with not taking a divot being a bad thing, if you're not sculling the ball on the equator. If you're hitting the ball solid and getting good line and good flight, not taking a divot isn't "a bad thing." Johnny Miller has always been an advocate of "sweeping the top of the turf" with the club.

I understand ball compression and back spin and all that from taking a divot after the ball, but I'm sorry ... you're new, and I'm a high handicapper ... so I (we?) should concentrate on making good contact first. In my humble opinion.

[ninetwothree]

divot are a good thing but its the depth that's important. If you can make an extension on your back yard by collecting your divots, that's a little too much.

A great divot is more like turf disruption unless the fairways are lush and maybe wet. If you can look down in your divot and see some of the roots of the grass, that's a good depth.

the divots get a little deeper as you move into your short irons.

Johnny Miller was so fast with his body turn that the club came into the ball very shallow so his club Nearly picked it clean with his long irons.

He had something worth replacing back into the earth when he hit wedge shots.



If you don't take a divot, start by taking turf.. then add the ball.

[Shindig]

Bring a couple of rolls of pennies with you to the range.

Will this hurt a forged iron (such as my Mizunos)? It seems that might be like hitting a small rock. If it won't hurt them, I will seriously consider doing this.

[grantc79]

Will this hurt a forged iron (such as my Mizunos)? It seems that might be like hitting a small rock.

Honestly, Mizuno's and other forged clubs are so soft in nature that just carrying them around and clanging them against one another in your bag hurts their appearance.

It doesn't hurt their playability though. They are designed to hit down onto the ground.

[billm408]

Will this hurt a forged iron (such as my Mizunos)? It seems that might be like hitting a small rock. If it won't hurt them, I will seriously consider doing this.

Hurt them how? It should be the ball that sweeps away the penny not your club. And even then... a penny won't scratch up the face of your club. It's actually harder on your irons to hit off of mats than to hit rocks or pennies. There's very little give in a mat and over time the mat will bend your loft & lie angle.

[grantc79]

Hurt them how? It should be the ball that sweeps away the penny not your club. And even then... a penny won't scratch up the face of your club. It's actually harder on your irons to hit off of mats than to hit rocks or pennies. There's very little give in a mat and over time the mat will bend your loft & lie angle.

Actually, the ball won't hit the penny, the club will.

[billm408]

Actually, the ball won't hit the penny, the club will.

Not unless the penny is way out in front. I've done this drill hundreds of times and taught it for 8 years. If you place the penny 2" in front of the ball, it's gone before the club gets there.

[grantc79]

Not unless the penny is way out in front. I've done this drill hundreds of times and taught it for 8 years. If you place the penny 2" in front of the ball, it's gone before the club gets there.

Please no offense......

I have no doubt that you have taught it for years or anything like that, I'm simply saying high speed camera proves that you are wrong. Look at this swing vision. The swing is a picture perfect swing by Boo Weekley. Literally the instant the club contacts the ball, the ball springs upward. If a penny is 2 inches in front of the ball the only way the ball will hit it is if you top the ball. Here is the link if you want to watch it full screen. The shot you need to see is around 40 seconds. Feel free to find other high speed close ups from wedges to 3 irons the ball leaps upward off the face and there is literally no way it can hit a penny 2 inches in front if the ball is well struck.

[Muttface]

Bring a couple of rolls of pennies with you to the range.

Ouch man. I bet the course superintendent would not like that too much. Would they not ding up the blades on those reel mowers? They keep them sharpened to a pretty fine edge and pinching a penny between a blade and the bed edge could be a problem.

[grantc79]

Ouch man. I bet the course superintendent would not like that too much. Would they not ding up the blades on those reel mowers? They keep them sharpened to a pretty fine edge and pinching a penny between a blade and the bed edge could be a problem.

You can use a tee, a match, or anything you want really.

[RichF]

Please no offense......

Exactly.

Clubface hits ball > Ball rises > Clubface continues downward path into turf taking divot: FF to 1:00

[COSkiBum]

Quote:

Originally Posted by grantc79

None

Bring a couple of rolls of pennies with you to the range.

If you start hitting thin then start putting pennies 1-2 inches in front of the ball. Try to hit the ball and hit the penny with your club.

Thanks for that advice - tried that at the range today and my divots were more consistent - I usually graze the turf, but today was taking depper divots and felt much more solid strike to the ball. I kept putting broken tees at the range 2" in front of the ball and was almost "aiming" for that and the ball and man it definitely worked!