divot vs. no divot

[mrmud4206]

So I have a question. Can you play perfectly good golf without leaving a divot. Also is the divot just for backspin?

[dak4n6]

Yes. Steve Stricker. And picking the ball can still generate spin if the quality of contact is good.

[mrmud4206]

Thanks!!!

[dak4n6]

Look at some vids of Sticker's swing. You can get a good idea of how to sweep/pick the ball and still compress it.

[bplewis24]

That's the best video I could find with an iron.  While he doesn't take a divot, you can see during the slow-mo FO portion that the club still bottoms out after contacting the ball.  I'd love to see more of his iron swings and see how often he actually takes a divot with his shorter irons.

[dak4n6]

I remember seeing a few SW shots of his a couple tournements back (forgot which one) and he just kind of smacks the turf but doesn't dig down into it. I remember those shots because I remarked to myself about how they resemble the dead-handed shallow (for a wedge) AoA shots someone here started a thread about..

[460CompMark]

take note of how quiet his head is.  doesn't move but maybe 1/4".  that is how he doesn't take a divot.  doesn't drop down into the ball.  i prefer to take a divot with my short to mid irons.  but i drive through the ball to get the maximum distance i can.

[MS256]

Plenty of good players took very small or no divots depending on the lie. (Bacon strips not pork chops).

Last year in a conversation with Rory that was on video Tiger was complaining that he was taking too much of a divot with his short irons and was losing distance control.

(I haven't paid much attention to his divots since then but he must have figured it out the way he's playing).

Sometimes if the ball is sitting down there is no choice.

[Wisguy]

Last year I took advantage of a free clinic put on by a local muni course and when the pro got to me, I of course couldn't replicate my biggest problem with my irons and instead, managed to stripe three 5-irons right at the 175 yard flag, prompting a comment from him (said with an impressed grin) "Why are you here?"  I pointed at the 8-10 divots near where I had been teeing up and said "That's why" - he looked at them, puzzled, and said "Those look like perfect divots to me."  I then explained that they all started about 8" behind the ball and then he understood that I had been hitting a lot of shots fat.  (gave me a good quick fix - don't worry about hands, arms, etc..., just focus on having your belt buckle aiming at the target at the end of the shot - seems to work pretty well when I think of it but also seems like I can never remember it when I'm out on the course).

In the few lessons I've had I've been told to take more of a divot, since I rarely take any on a well-hit ball.  My natural tendency is to grip the club too tightly in my hands, rather than more lightly in my fingers the way I know I should, and it seems completely unnatural to hold it more lightly yet still take a divot - seems like the edge of the clubface would catch in the turf and the club would slip out of my hands.  Basically, if you see me replacing a divot, you can look for my ball about 50 yards down the fairway where I chunked it.  I guess when I take some lessons this summer, divots are one of the 37 significant issues with my game that I should ask about.

[mrmud4206]

Thank you so much for all the comments!!!

[Aquaguru]

I have triedand tried to be able to take a divot like the "pros" becuase i thoughtthat wastherightway, but it ever worked.  I do not take a divot and now say I resemble my swing after Steve stricker. I also get plenty of spin and distance.