finally realized a divot is a product of a good swing...but

[$2 Nassau]

a divot itself doesn't necessarily mean you made a good swing.

A public service message from Captain Obvious...but for me aspects of the golf game are not always so obvious. Glad I'm not as thick-headed in other parts my life as I am in golf!! At least I hope I'm not.

I've found lately that if I am making a solid on-plane swing, my swing bottoms out in the right place and the divot thing takes care of itself. The advice of "hit down on the ball" just doesn't work for me.

For those of you familiar with "Ringer" on this website, he has a Youtube instructional video regarding the takeaway. Check it out, very helpful, I think his Youtube username is "Ringerdaman." It's very simple, and if you follow it you are destined to have an on-plane swing. I'm trying to ingrain it into my brain right now.

[iacas]

a divot itself doesn't necessarily mean you made a good swing.

Nor must you take a divot to have made a good swing. Plenty of pros, including Tom Watson, are pickers and did just fine not taking many divots at all.

[despereaux]

The divot is merely a product of the golf swing, and does not mean its good or bad. However, a divot made PRIOR to striking the ball will most certainly always be bad.

A divot made AFTER striking the ball does not always mean a swing was executed well, but simply that the ball was struck first (ie, hit down on it) which is a very critical part of executing a good golf swing.

Now, if the pelt you just took veers of 45° from your target, you prolly got a bad shot even IF you hit the ball first....

Hit the small ball before you hit the big ball!