Must I take a divot to play decent golf?

[Rykymus]

So, I played a little when I was in my late 20s (30 yrs ago) and started up again last summer. Spent a lot of time on the range, the chipping and putting greens, and playing mostly par 3 - 9 hole courses. That was back in CA. I moved to DFW in November (into a home on a golf course, no less) and finally got around to getting back out on the greens a month or so ago. I'm going to the driving range 5 days a week, hitting about 120+ balls, and I always end with about 30 mins of chipping (and some from the bunker), and 30 mins of putting. I played a full 18 holes for the first time in 30 yrs a couple weeks ago, and shot a 115. (Hence the additional time at the range) With the help of Google, You Tube, and this forum, I'm learning the mechanics and the science of golf, but I've got a problem:

I don't like taking divots.

I know, I'm supposed to, and I can if I need to. I just don't like the feeling of taking divots. I prefer being a picker. I can't really explain it. I just don't like taking divots.

Now, I'm not looking to become a great golfer, although I do want to be decent. When I was young, I never shot better than 105. I'd like to be in the 90s at least. I just do it for fun, and for the fresh air and exercise. I'm getting pretty consistent and straight with my shots, through all my clubs. (Although I still struggle to hit consistently with my hybrid and my 3 wood, but it's getting better.) I cured my driver slice, and I'm starting to get even gaps between my irons. 

I've considered taking a few lessons, but I fear that the instructor is going to insist that I take divots, and I don't want to. I've had bad experiences with instructors in other disciplines, who only seem to be able to teach the way they were taught, be it right or wrong. 

So, isn't it possible to play decent golf without taking divots? Inquiring minds want to know.

[iacas]

5 minutes ago, Rykymus said:

So, isn't it possible to play decent golf without taking divots? Inquiring minds want to know.

It's possible.

Tom Watson made a career out of it (though more so with longer irons, not as much with the shorter irons).

Before I was an instructor, I once went two or three months hitting every shot slightly thin and dropped from a 3.x to a 1.4 index. Completely unsatisfying golf, but the ball went straight and almost as far as normal.

[Vinsk]

If you’re only doing it for fun, exercise and fresh air, why do you care? Just play.

[Patch]

I played down to a single digit just picking the ball clean off the turf.

I take a few divots now on shorter shots. I use a drill to help hit the ball first, then the turf. This also helps with my weight shift. 

Now, the divots I do take, are pretty shallow. Almost just like trimming the turf in front of the ball. I actually don't get into the dirt. I'm not one to dig a trench.

Distance was never an issue. Any loss of distance was not that much. 

One reason I like picking the ball clean, Is because alot of the desert courses I play have pretty firm fairways. They are not divot friendly. 

Another reason is, I don't have to worry about fixing too many of my own divots. I'll fix others when I find them.

One of my long/mid iron training methods is to pick the ball clean off a near by dry lake bed. I grab a couple of clubs, (2i/6i) three balls, my two dogs, and just start walking, and hitting balls. 

Nope, no need to take divots to play decent golf. 

[David in FL]

As others have said, the short answer is no.  

However, one of the biggest mistakes high hcp players make is their tendency to flip, i.e. they allow the club head to pass the handle as they strike the ball, often trying to help the ball into the air.   It's a weak, ineffective move.  Learning to properly strike down on the ball by taking a divot can help maintain proper shaft lean and can dramatically improve the play of your average flipper.

[arturo28mx]

I'd say brushing the grass in front of the ball is enough to get a good strike. A divot is not needed. My experience.

[The Hook Meister]

Taking divots is just part of the game. I don;t like taking them either, but oh well it happens sometimes, Try not to worry about it so much and go out there and enjoy.

[Rykymus]

16 hours ago, David in FL said:

As others have said, the short answer is no.  

However, one of the biggest mistakes high hcp players make is their tendency to flip, i.e. they allow the club head to pass the handle as they strike the ball, often trying to help the ball into the air.   It's a weak, ineffective move.  Learning to properly strike down on the ball by taking a divot can help maintain proper shaft lean and can dramatically improve the play of your average flipper.

You can strike down on the ball without taking a divot. The divot itself doesn't equal striking down, it's the result OF striking down, and perhaps more so than necessary.

I generally brush the grass just past the ball when I purposefully strike down a tad. If and when I take a divot, it's almost unnoticeable. Yet, (most of the time) I get the results that I'm looking for.

I have no doubt that taking a bigger divot would be the result if I tried to hit down even more, but if I'm getting the appropriate distances (for me and my goals), isn't that enough?

[David in FL]

9 hours ago, Rykymus said:

You can strike down on the ball without taking a divot. The divot itself doesn't equal striking down, it's the result OF striking down...

Chicken/egg.

If you flip....and I have no idea if you do or not, though as a high handicapper who takes no divot it's possible, hell, even likely that you do, then trying to take a divot can help maintain shaft lean and reduce flipping.

Again, it's possible to play well as a picker.  The majority don't though.  Then again, it may depend on how you define playing "well" too.

 

[Patch]

And then there are those golfers who, while on the driving range, practice taking divots in back of the ball. 

Who literally destroys the turf, and is the reason more "mats only" signs are being used. 

Edited April 15, 2018 by Patch

[Moxley]

Maybe graphite shafts would reduce the feeling enough to make you happy enough to take small divots?

I bought a graphite 6 iron myself just as an experiment, can't say I noticed much difference , but some do say they reduce vibrations on heavy shots.

[GolfLug]

On 4/13/2018 at 10:17 PM, Rykymus said:

So, isn't it possible to play decent golf without taking divots? Inquiring minds want to know.

I never take divots. Even with a wedge. It is not deliberate but a true divot that would expose brown earth would be accidental or indication of a 'fat' strike.  Not by design but I would classify myself as a picker. I have other swing issues like anybody else but this is not something that is on my to fix list. No purpose in doing so IMO.

[Buckeyebowman]

On 4/13/2018 at 10:24 PM, iacas said:

It's possible.

Tom Watson made a career out of it (though more so with longer irons, not as much with the shorter irons).

Before I was an instructor, I once went two or three months hitting every shot slightly thin and dropped from a 3.x to a 1.4 index. Completely unsatisfying golf, but the ball went straight and almost as far as normal.

You beat me to it. I once read an article where Watson described himself as a "nipper".

And given the choice between thin and fat, take thin every time. At least thin has a chance to go somewhere, while fat gets you nothing!

[boogielicious]

9 hours ago, Buckeyebowman said:

You beat me to it. I once read an article where Watson described himself as a "nipper".

And given the choice between thin and fat, take thin every time. At least thin has a chance to go somewhere, while fat gets you nothing!

I think he was referring to the nip bottles he kept in his bag when he was imbibing! 

[Groucho Valentine]

No. When i was a teenager, i remember watching Tom Kite hit balls on the range at a tournament for over an hour and i don't think he turned a single blade of grass... Just have to be sure that the reason youre not taking divots because youre swinging up on the ball. 

[Mr. Desmond]

I've been told twice recently during wedge/ball fittings that I pick -- they're right. I want to shallow out, but still take a divot. I do chunk short irons occasionally, and I think because of that, I'm mental - well, I'm mental anyway. What I want to do, I believe, is shallow out but be aggressive and take a divot. It might have something to do with the conversion to more of a body driven swing - I've been incorporating the arms more for a month and telling myself to go ahead and be aggressive. I started with the wedges.

[ncates00]

I take more or less a scrape after the ball.  I don't take those dollar bill divots that fly 20 yards ahead when you hit them.  When I've tried doing that, it feels really steep to me.  I think at least a bit of turf disturbance after the ball is good if nothing else for a more consistent strike on the ball.  If you pick it or dig it, as long as you do it everytime you'll gain good consistent strikes with more predictable results.

[arturo28mx]

In my view, The real objective is not to take a divot. The real objective is to compress the ball. For me, as long as I hit the ball with the shaft leaning forward I am compressing the ball, producing a nice feel off the face, nice flight and nice sound.

Like when you are raking leaves , as long as the shaft is leaning forward, the movement is good.