Taking a divot

[atthepin]

I rarely take a divot when i strike the ball, even with my wedges. Should i be taking a divot every time i hit the ball? Is the correct way to swing to hit the ball then after that leave a dollar bill sized divot? I am thinking my problem is that i do not have the shaft leaned forward enough and the club is almost straight up and down. Could my problem be that i am flipping the club rather then leaning it forward at impact? I will take a video tomorrow at the range or this weekend and post it. Do you always take a divot with your irons?

[gir]

I used to try and think about taking a divot and "hitting down". Thinking like that and consciously working on hitting down never really helped me. For me, hitting down has been the ends, or the results, of a good swing. I can't work on "hitting down" anymore than I can work on "hitting it closer to the pin", or work on "lowering my handicap". All of those thing are results from swinging properly. Hitting it properly comes as a result of working on the right swing mechanics. Sorry if that's not much help. But yes, it's accepted with little argument that the correct motion of the clubhead is to hit the ball first then take turf after the ball. The clubhead should still be descending in it's arc through impact, reaching a low point after the ball. Have you had a chance to read Bobby Clampets Impact Zone? If you haven't read it yet, it's a good read if you're currently thinking about hitting down with a descending blow. He describes how tour pros bottom out about 4 inches in front of the ball and as the handicap goes up, the bottom of the swing progresses further behind or to the right, for a right hander of course.

[atthepin]

I used to try and think about taking a divot and "hitting down". Thinking like that and consciously working on hitting down never really helped me. For me, hitting down has been the ends, or the results, of a good swing. I can't work on "hitting down" anymore than I can work on "hitting it closer to the pin", or work on "lowering my handicap". All of those thing are results from swinging properly. Hitting it properly comes as a result of working on the right swing mechanics. Sorry if that's not much help. But yes, it's accepted with little argument that the correct motion of the clubhead is to hit the ball first then take turf after the ball. The clubhead should still be descending in it's arc through impact, reaching a low point after the ball. Have you had a chance to read Bobby Clampets Impact Zone? If you haven't read it yet, it's a good read if you're currently thinking about hitting down with a descending blow. He describes how tour pros bottom out about 4 inches in front of the ball and as the handicap goes up, the bottom of the swing progresses further behind or to the right, for a right hander of course.

that was def helpful thanks. i have not read that book i will check it out. that is exactly what i am thinking "swing down with a descending blow". Tour pros bottom out a whole 4 inches in front of the ball? I had no idea it was that much. I thought it was only slightly. I can't believe their apex is that far in front, i will have to try that out next time i swing. thanks a lot

[soloredd]

Flipping could definitely be the problem but so can a lack of weight transfer to the left side. I am not condoning this in any way but for me, personally, it helps to be at address (with the irons) and have my weight 60/40 on the left side. During the backswing I try to keep the same distribution and then on the transition I really throw my hips around and toward the target. Before I started doing this I was a picker - little or no divot. My contact was not very consistent. It has helped my game tremendously.

Picking the ball, or taking little or no divot, is not necessarily a bad thing though. If you can make solid contact and get the results you desire, keep working with it.

[atthepin]

Flipping could definitely be the problem but so can a lack of weight transfer to the left side. I am not condoning this in any way but for me, personally, it helps to be at address (with the irons) and have my weight 60/40 on the left side. During the backswing I try to keep the same distribution and then on the transition I really throw my hips around and toward the target. Before I started doing this I was a picker - little or no divot. My contact was not very consistent. It has helped my game tremendously.

Thanks i appreciate it. I definitely feel like i could be more consistent with my contact so i am going to try and really make the bottom of my swing be able the ball and strike the ball on my downswing. The tough part is whenever i am practicing my swing it is on a mat at the range where it is impossible to take a divot. Then when i am on the course i am trying to shoot a good score so i just go with my comfortable swing which doesn't take a divot. I will just have to keep practicing.

[Zeph]

Two requirements for taking a divot.

1) Forward leaning shaft at impact, holding the flying wedge
2) Weight forward

A video would surely help.

[saevel25]

Actually i believe taking a divot would just requiring to hit the ground.

I can do alot of stuff with the club, including swinging with one arm and take a divot.

[Zeph]

Actually i believe taking a divot would just requiring to hit the ground.

Talking about taking a good divot, which comes after the ball, preferably bottoming out 3-4 inches in front of it. Of course you can do some excavating behind the ball, but who would do that?

[TN94z]

Tour pros bottom out a whole 4 inches in front of the ball? I had no idea it was that much. I thought it was only slightly. I can't believe their apex is that far in front, i will have to try that out next time i swing. thanks a lot

Don't take that the wrong way. The 4" is the "bottom" of the swing arc which means that the divot could start at the ball. The 4" is just the deepest point of the divot. Just don't let that mislead you in thinking that the divot starts 4" in front of the ball. If you have a descent swing, good weight transfer, and you have your hands leading the club through impact, a divot should come natural. Flipping can for sure cause this because when you flip the wirsts or club or whatever, you are changing the bottom of your swing arc which usually moves it behind the ball.

[saevel25]

raised my hand ;)

Oh man, if i collected the divots i took in my years playing golf, i could build a yard.

[Fozcycle]

I used to be a sweeper, both fairway woods and irons.....Over the past 6 months, i have converted to a ball first then divot swinger.....and have noticed a big difference in shot trajectory.....Handicap has lowered from 21 to 14.

A lot can be said by examining your divot.....If its thin, you know you are not getting the club flat with the ground..you are descending heel first or toe first...not good...they usually are pointing away from your target.........what you want is a 2" wide divot that points at your target. The ball will virtually explode off the clubface with a higher trajectory and find your target....allbeit, to get to this, you must be able to transfer your weight correctly. I begin with a slight forward hands position for my irons, then as I take away, my right arm is like duct-taped to my ribcage (shoulder to elbow)..this results in a more vertical swing allowing you to descend on the ball.

I hope this helps....as it has definitely worked for me.

[boogielicious]

Practice taking divots without a ball. A great drill is to draw a line on the ground and take practice swings taking a divot after the line. It will show you if you have a consistent swing center if the divot is in the same spot every time. I have a field near me that I can do this without ticking anyone off.

It also helps get rid of any fear of taking divots. I was a bit anxious about how divots would feel until I started this drill. The divots you take during a round will depend on the lie and ground conditions. As long as you hit to ball first before the ground, the ball will fly well. You can also do this in sand.

[out_in_30]

work on having the butt of the shaft pointing at the ball during the downswing. that is the initial position for the club to be in in order to strike ball first and take a divot. once the butt is pointing at the ball then the hands and wrists start to release. it may take some time but it is the proper position to be in as opposed to casting the club out.

[TN94z]

work on having the butt of the shaft pointing at the ball during the downswing. that is the initial position for the club to be in in order to strike ball first and take a divot. once the butt is pointing at the ball then the hands and wrists start to release. it may take some time but it is the proper position to be in as opposed to casting the club out.

Very good advice!! I have actually started thinking about trying to hit the ball with the butt of the club and make much better contact.

[atthepin]

work on having the butt of the shaft pointing at the ball during the downswing. that is the initial position for the club to be in in order to strike ball first and take a divot. once the butt is pointing at the ball then the hands and wrists start to release. it may take some time but it is the proper position to be in as opposed to casting the club out.

Can you explain what you mean by having the butt of the shaft pointing at the ball? Do you mean have the end of the club(the end of my grip) pointed at the ball when I am at the top of my backswing and then on the downswing keep it pointed at the ball as long as i can?

[out_in_30]

what i mean is this.. i will try to explain on here although it sounds complex when i am just typing it out. it would be much simpler if i was to show you in person haha..

i am talking about the downswing.. from the top of the backswing as the club and your arms are dropping you want the butt of the club (the end of the grip) to be pointing at the ball as you are coming into the impact zone. yes, as you said you want to feel as if you are holding onto this position... it will feel as if you are going to shank it but you wont if you just allow your wrists and hands to release(this is where having a nice loose grip factors into a sound golf swing)... this position is a platform in a way; it allows for the whipping action and it creates club head speed AT THE BALL instead of before the ball like so many people do (aka casting the club=problems). if you watch any of those konica minolta swing hub videos that the announcers show you of pros when they are at PGA events the position i am talking about is beautifully illustrated because it is very slow motion and all pga pros do this position. it is a major key to striking the ball purely.

[atthepin]

Don't take that the wrong way. The 4" is the "bottom" of the swing arc which means that the divot could start at the ball. The 4" is just the deepest point of the divot. Just don't let that mislead you in thinking that the divot starts 4" in front of the ball.

No i understand that 4 inches is the bottom but the divot starts right after the ball. I just didn't realize it was that far in front that the divot ended. I def am going to try and practice because the more i think about it the more i think i do some wrist flip and i really want to stop that. Like you said, if anything sometimes i make a divot before the ball...

[atthepin]

what i mean is this.. i will try to explain on here although it sounds complex when i am just typing it out. it would be much simpler if i was to show you in person haha..

Thanks that explains it very well. I get it...now i just need to go and practice it