Divots

[dpgator33]

Good read.  Recently I've taken to understand much better the factors of one's swing and how they impact the flight of the ball.  As such, I've really been working at shot shape with my shorter irons mostly, and frankly have been pretty good at it.  Anyhow, as I've started to really develop a proper golf swing, I am also more consistently taking consistent divots with my shots.  Interestingly, I noticed that when I play a cut, my "trench" point slightly to the left of the target line, but the divot will always fly off another 15-20 degrees to the left.  Now it makes sense, at least enough to where I won't worry if it means I'm doing something wrong :)

[theworldengine]

taking divots is cool cuz of the sound. that sound of the divot flying thru the air makes a distinct whistle.

[CR McDivot]

We're talking irons here.

The most telling thing about a divot is whether it STARTS an inch or so to the target side of the ball. Much farther = thin, pull. Much back = fat, push.

Ball, grass, ground. Shows good compression, solid contact.

Face angle and path will determine direction and spin. Divot won't tell much about that.

[TJBam]

A good iron divot is about the size of a dollar bill right?

More seriously what is the acceptable size divot for a driver?  1-2 ft?

[saevel25]

Depends on the conditions. If its very dry out, the divot might be smaller. If its wet out, divots might be larger. What i would be concerned about is how the club felt hitting the ground. Was it like the club was slicing through the ground, or was it like club thumped the ground hard.

[CR McDivot]

Originally Posted by TJBam

A good iron divot is about the size of a dollar bill right?

More seriously what is the acceptable size divot for a driver?  1-2 ft?

Assuming you are ACTUALLY serious, there will be no divot with the driver as the ball is on a tee. No portion of the clubhead will touch the ground in this case.

As to the iron divot the size will vary considerably depending on the player's swing, the desired shot shape, the lie, the condition of the ground, and the club used.

One can observe the pros taking divots on fine shots that look like beaver pelts or mouse hides.

Swing YOUR swing... but with irons contact ball, grass, ground.

[inthehole]

I am more of a sweeper.. spent lot of time trying to get a divot and failed miserably... :-(

Me too - I tried taking divots most of last year .... Seemed to take a really precise ball strike - hit so many thin / bladed shots. I still try to take a mini-divot which at least makes me feel like I'm hitting down on the ball.

[Jeremie Boop]

So what I am understanding, for me, is that if I don't take a divot I'm not hitting down on the ball and thus not striking correctly?

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by Jeremie Boop

So what I am understanding, for me, is that if I don't take a divot I'm are not hitting down on the ball and thus not striking correctly?

Yep. You want to hit the ball clean, THEN the ground right in front of the ball.

[TJBam]

Originally Posted by CR McDivot

Assuming you are ACTUALLY serious, there will be no divot with the driver as the ball is on a tee. No portion of the clubhead will touch the ground in this case.

As to the iron divot the size will vary considerably depending on the player's swing, the desired shot shape, the lie, the condition of the ground, and the club used.

One can observe the pros taking divots on fine shots that look like beaver pelts or mouse hides.

Swing YOUR swing... but with irons contact ball, grass, ground.

Hey buddy watch me blast it 315 taking a divot with my driver before accusing me of not being serious.

[saevel25]

Originally Posted by TJBam

Hey buddy watch me blast it 315 taking a divot with my driver before accusing me of not being serious.

Doesn't that go into that "How big is you drive" thread

"I hit the ball so long, that my divot takes out half the tee box, BOOYAAAHH!!!"

[whatwoodtigerdo]

My divots are straight and so are my iron shots. The best feeling in golf to me is on a par 3 teed up and taking a divot that starts directly in front of the tee and is about 6 inches long and the tee stays the ground. Can't imagine not taking a divot with an iron. Though I wish I would stop doing it with my 3 wood even if I do hit it well lol. On a side note I played 81 holes at myrtle beach this weekend and I did notice the ground makes a big difference. In charlotte my divot is more of a splat through the ground where as at the beach I threw a sliver of dirt like pros do. I will miss that feeling until the next time I can get out there and have to feel the resistance in the ground has to be hurting my shots somehow.

[yurself]

Wow, 81 holes in Myrtle!  I am envious.  I don't mind taking a divot, although it is indeed annoying when I do it with a three wood or a hybrid.  If the results are a great shot, I am happy.  That said, there are times when my shot/path/plane/whatever...become so poor that I take an uneven divot that has an obviously deeper groove down the outside.  Usually a 5 iron in my hand, I have to wonder how I can get so upright that I can dig the toe in so deeply.  I have always been guilty of something that occasionally causes me bury the club in the ground, (dipping the left shoulder?) that I even had paint missing on the top of one of my old drivers. Any suggestions?

[PJCdude]

I seldomly take divots when I hit decent iron shots. I guess I'm just a hardcore sweeper/afraid of hitting it fat.

[malph65]

Hi everyone

I am new to this site so this is my first post so hopefully there will some advice for me.

A little of my history will help you understand my problem

I have recently lost a lot of weight in total just over 100lbs (Iknow that mad) BUT since loseing the weight my swing has gone all over the place with my irons, my driver, fairway woods are very solid both off the tee and the fairway but my iron that is a totally different story.

My ball flight is week to say the least I am prone to hitting a massive slice almost a shank but you know when you hit the shank it rattles your arms my ball flight is just 45 degs off the face sometime high and right sometimes low and right.

It;s the same off the tee to off the fairway on the last few rounds I have started to notice my divots are a strange shape almost like an arrow head pointing straight forwardstarting just about the back of the ball but going to a point its almost as if there is wrist hinge at all so my club face hits the ball wide open.

IS THIS POSSIBLE?

And what can I do? does anyone have any drills to practice to try and get this back on track

Many thanks in advance

[Ernest Jones]

Hi everyone I am new to this site so this is my first post so hopefully there will some advice for me. A little of my history will help you understand my problem I have recently lost a lot of weight in total just over 100lbs (Iknow that mad) BUT since loseing the weight my swing has gone all over the place with my irons, my driver, fairway woods are very solid both off the tee and the fairway but my iron that is a totally different story. My ball flight is week to say the least I am prone to hitting a massive slice almost a shank but you know when you hit the shank it rattles your arms my ball flight is just 45 degs off the face sometime high and right sometimes low and right. It;s the same off the tee to off the fairway on the last few rounds I have started to notice my divots are a strange shape almost like an arrow head pointing straight forwardstarting just about the back of the ball but going to a point its almost as if there is wrist hinge at all so my club face hits the ball wide open. IS THIS POSSIBLE? And what can I do? does anyone have any drills to practice to try and get this back on track Many thanks in advance

Without video it is unlikely that anyone can offer more than boilerplate tips that may or may not have any relevance whatsoever for your swing and issues. Having said that, I recommend you buy some brand new clubs, nice and shiny. :-P

[alleztom]

I have been doing some intense reading here (why I'm in this thread that hasn't been commented on in almost a year). Anyway, I had someone take a side on shot of me on Saturday and I worked out that while my head was still, I was not at all shifting my weight forward in my swing. I thought I was a sweeper but instead I just had a swing which relied on hand eye coordination compensating for poor mechanics. I went to the range today with the intention of getting my weight forward (SK2) and, for the first time in my life I was taking proper divots. When everything went right it felt (and the outcomes were) amazing (for me).

[golfbarefoot]

Solid divot patterns look like this..