How big of a divot do you take with your irons?

[RyderJ]

When I was in high school my golf coach helped me rebuild my swing and it has served me fairly well. I do, however, wonder why I don't really take a divot when I hit an iron shot...if I do it's a small one...only when attempting to shape my shot do I take larger divots. I love the flight path of my shot, and the trajectory starts low and steadily increases throughout the flight of the ball. My question is, is it normal to take little to no divot at all if hitting a straight away iron? My mind has always told me that I must be hitting the ball thin, however my trajectory, flight path and distance all seem to be saying otherwise. Any thoughts or comments? I'll attempt to post a couple swing videos next time I'm at the range with a camera.

[RayG]

nothing wrong with no divot on a normal shot. Nicklaus in his heyday barely disturbed the grass. As long as you get clean contact and the flight is good you shouldn't worry. Other types of shots may create a divot, such as some stinger types or punch type.

[RyderJ]

Thanks for the advice...I guess watching The Open this past week got my mind rolling and questioning myself. I hate it when that happens.

[Kieran123]

I never used to take a divot ( or if I did, it was very small )

The last 3 or so months ( since changing clubs and changing a few things with my swing ) I have started taking divots almost all the time. I played a wet course a few weeks ago and I had some beaver tails going on.

Didn't make much difference to my game at all, maybe a little extra spin, but that's more likely my new irons than anything.

[RyderJ]

I've never really had a crazy amount of spin in my iron game. There is enough to stop the ball, but that's it...doesn't seem to bother me any.

Originally Posted by Kieran123

Didn't make much difference to my game at all, maybe a little extra spin, but that's more likely my new irons than anything.

[Kieran123]

Originally Posted by RyderJ

I've never really had a crazy amount of spin in my iron game. There is enough to stop the ball, but that's it...doesn't seem to bother me any.

That's all the spin I really get too...sometimes it will come back a foot or two max.

[RyderJ]

Same here if it's a wedge or 9i...

[stealthduffer]

I find that it depends mostly on turf type.  Some courses here in VA have zoysia fairways - hard to take a divot since the turf is so dense.  When I play up north typically get more divot with a bent or fescue fairway and the better soil.  I reworked my swing last year to get down more through the ball - was a real "picker" before that - so divot is indication that I'm using the new swing.

[Paradox]

I basically scalp the grass off the soil....pretty small divots, if I take one at all.  Most of the time I just brush the grass up.  The only time I will take a noticable divot is wet bentgrass fairways and its practically impossible not to get one on those kind of fairways....stuff shreds like tissue paper.

Taking a divot is one of the most overthought things in golf.  If the contact was pure(you will feel this in your club) then it doesn't matter what you did to the ground.

[QuazerSKITS]

My divots are usually 4-5' long but relativly thin. I used to take huge, deep divots because i had such a steep attacking swing but after a few lessons and buckets of balls i've ironed out my swing to be less steep but still maintain solid "ball then turf" contact.

[lumpuckeroo]

Originally Posted by stealthduffer

I find that it depends mostly on turf type.  Some courses here in VA have zoysia fairways - hard to take a divot since the turf is so dense.  When I play up north typically get more divot with a bent or fescue fairway and the better soil.  I reworked my swing last year to get down more through the ball - was a real "picker" before that - so divot is indication that I'm using the new swing.

Same for me, most of the courses I play have zoysia fairways, so I tend to be more of a sweeper and take very small, if any, divots.  I have also found that a fat shot will get you no where, but a thinned shot, while it looks ugly, can actually work out some times.  So I would rather catch a ball thin than hit one fat.

Years ago I heard Tom Watson talk about this same thing, he also grew up playing on zoysia fairways and is more of a sweeper than digger, so he takes very small, if any, divots