Full Answer
Is it good to take a divot in golf?
It is good to take a divot in golf for several reasons including to compress the golf ball, strike the ball first then turf, and to utilise the loft of the club to get the ball airborne. If you are regularly taking a divot right after contact with the ball, it will lead to more consistent and effective ball-striking.
Why don’t I take divots with my Irons?
If you are failing to take a divot with your irons it usually means your angle of attack is too shallow and the club is on the way up, rather than down, when you make contact with the ball. This can lead to thin shots and won’t produce the quality of strike you might when compressing the ball.
How far should a divot be in front of a golf ball?
For most shots hit from the turf, most great strikers of the ball take a divot a few inches in front of the golf ball. Not all, mind you, as it is an individual thing, but most do. The club descent at the bottom of the swing, known as the attack angle, is about 4 degrees down for a 6 iron for tour pros.
Can you compress the golf ball without a divot?
You can still properly compress the ball without taking a divot, or a steep angle of attack with the golf club. The pursuit of a steeper golf swing can cause more harm than good by moving the low point of your swing behind the ball.
Why is it so hard to take a divot?
When a player's center of mass tends to stay on the back foot, with considerable rear side bend (I call it hang back), the bottom of the swing arc can be too far behind the ball and the club is ascending when it reaches impact. This shallow attack angle will not take much, if any, turf.
How do you consistently take a divot?
4:186:40HOW TO TAKE A DIVOT AFTER THE GOLF BALL - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWe feel that we can press into the ground. And we get our hands lower over at trial fight from hereMoreWe feel that we can press into the ground. And we get our hands lower over at trial fight from here we really want to focus on rotating extending. And then making contact with the ground.
Can you play good golf without taking a divot?
2:183:21Do NOT Take a Divot! - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIf we have a look at this Golf Club you can see where all the way it is and a lot of modern golfMoreIf we have a look at this Golf Club you can see where all the way it is and a lot of modern golf clubs are like that and they're designed so that you don't have to take a divot.
Do all pro golfers take divots?
You should take a divot when striking a golf shot, but not with every club. Wedges and short irons when hit correctly will create a clear divot, imparting backspin on the ball, yet longer clubs like 5-irons and hybrids should 'brush' the turf, rather than take a deep chunk out of the ground.
How do you hit a golf ball first then divot?
3:555:37HOW TO HIT BALL THEN TURF EVERY TIME WITH YOUR IRONSYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo all you're looking to do is kind of do a few more of those swings. And then gradually build thatMoreSo all you're looking to do is kind of do a few more of those swings. And then gradually build that up into the full swing. And we see my practice swing there the divots much further after.
How do I get a divot after the ball?
By making a downward strike and hitting the ball first, you put backspin on the ball; that makes it go up into the air. After you hit the ball, the club continues to go down toward the ground. Since you're turning through the shot, the club will hit the ground in front of the ball and take a divot.
What your divot says about your swing?
Your divot is either going to point to the right, to the left or straight. For right-handed players, if it's pointing to the left, it means your swing path is coming from outside to inside (a path that produces a slice). If it's pointing right, you're swinging inside to out (a path that produces a hook).
Do pro golfers replace divots?
The players know this fact so they don't replace their divots when playing on Bermudagrasses but they do when they play on the northern grasses. The holes left by the players are filled with sand by the maintenance staff after each round.
Why do pros stand so close to golf ball?
Standing close to the ball helps players have a slightly Upright swing path and can help with being able to get the ball to stop on the green. In addition, a higher ball flight helps ensure that you get the ideal distance with each of your shots.
Why can't I get my irons in the air?
Clubs are designed to get the ball in the air. In order for a golf ball to get airborne, the club head must contact the ball at the low point of the downswing. The ball gets trapped between the club-face and the ground. The ball then spins up the face of the club, and the loft determines just how high the ball goes.
How do you take a good divot with irons?
5:2311:05HOW TO TAKE A DIVOT WITH YOUR IRONS (The Secret) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWell sorry lead arm extended as you hit the ball you can't do a chicken wing. And then both armsMoreWell sorry lead arm extended as you hit the ball you can't do a chicken wing. And then both arms extended right here about two feet after contact with irons about three feet with driver. Alright so
Are you supposed to take a divot in golf?
Generally, the shorter the club, the deeper the divot should be in golf. This depends on shot type, though, as sometimes even a 60-degree wedge will need to be clipped off the top of the grass. As a basic rule, the deepest divots should be taken with wedges, getting shallower as the club gets longer.
Why is it good to take a divot in golf?
It is good to take a divot in golf for several reasons including to compress the golf ball, strike the ball first then turf, and to utilise the loft of the club to get the ball airborne. If you are regularly taking a divot right after contact with the ball, it will lead to more consistent and effective ball-striking.
Why am I not taking a divot with my irons?
If you are failing to take a divot with your irons it usually means your angle of attack is too shallow and the club is on the way up, rather than down, when you make contact with the ball. This can lead to thin shots and won’t produce the quality of strike you might when compressing the ball.
Should I take a divot when chipping?
No, you shouldn’t take a divot when chipping, but you should definitely be making contact with the grass and ‘scuffing’ the surface. If you want to impart spin on the ball it’s crucial to strike the ball first, then the ground, which should lead to only a slight disruption of the earth beneath.
Why am I taking a divot before the golf ball?
If you take a divot before the ball you are shallowing the club out too early, leading to a fat shot. This could come about through setting up with too much weight on the back foot or an attack angle that is too steep.
Why am I taking a divot with my driver?
If you take a divot with your driver it is because you are shallowing out the club too early in the golf swing. The driver should ideally create a neutral or positive attack angle when swung correctly, so try and avoid swinging with too much of a negative descent as you might strike ground first or hit too far down on the ball.
What does your divot say about your golf swing?
The divots you take can say a lot about your golf swing, giving evidence as to whether you are hitting the ball too heavy or too thin. The direction of a divot can also provide great information as to why a shot went left, right, sliced or hooked.
kacyb6
So I was on the mats last night at the driving range trying a few different ball striking techniques...and the best feel, and best distance, came from me picking the ball off the mat. Now I know hitting off of a mat isn't the best way to learn to take divots (:P) - which I never done in my swing.
MountainKing
I'm not sure there's a right or wrong answer here....reference the tour guys for this one, you see a variety of clean pickers and huge divot takers in the winners circles week in and week out. If it works good for you to pick it clean then I say go for it.
kacyb6
My assumption was divot..divot..divot. Instructors always say 'take a divot' and 'you'll know by the direction of your divot'... i watched a vid of Stricker's iron swing and he barely brushes the grass. I could spend a year working on one thing that doesn't even work for me --- this sport makes me nuts.
MountainKing
I've heard it go both ways, I think for a weekend golfer they'd be better off trying to become pickers of the ball rather than a digger. You're results on a thin shot will generally be a lot better than a shot you chunked because you wanted to take a divot.
golfnut9922
I tried becoming a divot guy and it really messed my game up. I have always been a picker and had the same thoughts as you I need to take a divot. If Stricker can do it so can we. You can still have a decending strike on the ball being a picker. I will bruise the grass from time to time or even take a small divot, but I dont try.
Aimee
Another picker here. Although sometimes small divot on short wedge shots. Like someone else said, when I tried to "hit down" more since we've been told that is "better", I hit it fat. Actually, I noticed when it's really soft/muddy I am taking divots, so probably my normal shot "bruises" the grass like the poster above notes.
Jericho
I was a picker by way of flipping and noticed my playing partners of equal strength always hit their irons so much further than me and weren't all that affected by the wind. I took probably a year to correct it (my backyard was a wreck from practicing taking divots) but now I am soooo much better off.
DIVOTS DIVINE!
Don't ever take a divot? Not sure if your divots are in the correct spot? Don't even know what a divot actually is?...Then read on because you are missing out on the one aspect of golf that gives good players not only the control and distance they need, but that euphoric feeling of achieving absolute purity.
An Incorrect Divot Can Help You Diagnose Swing Errors
Definition of a Proper Divot: A divot is a shallow cut of turf about the size of a dollar bill which starts just in front of where the ball was laying.
What does "hit down on the ball" mean?
‘Hit down on the ball’ is a phrase that has been told to golfers struggling to improve their ball striking for decades. The conventional wisdom has always been that better golfers will take a huge divot with their iron shots, and the key to “compressing” the golf ball is to produce an extremely steep club path towards impact.
What is golf swing?
The golf swing is a circular motion, and every circle has a low point. Better players all have the low point of their swing in front of the golf ball (which is indicated by the black line in the image below).
Does hitting down on the ball increase compression?
One of the main points Andrew discusses in this article is that hitting down on the ball does not necessarily increase your compression. Translation – the ball will not go farther, or spin more simply because you are steepening your angle of attack with your irons.
Do golfers hit down on the ball?
The problem is that most golfers fail to translate such terms as ‘hitting down on the ball’ into an actual swing move. It might be explained to them by their local teaching pro; they will nod their head in approval, and then when they go to swing the club they end up hitting these terribly fat shots that go nowhere.
Should I hit down on a golf ball?
It’s the exact opposite of how the pros do it. In my opinion, this is the reason why most golfers should not try to hit down on a golf ball. Your conscious mind will be telling your body something that it will not completely understand, and your results will likely not improve.
Who wrote the article "The Golf Swing"?
Adam Young wrote this article a few months ago that got a lot of attention, and for good reason. He explains a very important concept of the golf swing, and gives a strong visual representation that helps make sense of why golfers fail to consistently hit great iron shots.
Is it better to hit down on the ball or compress it?
Hitting down on the ball on its own does not necessarily produce a better golf shot. You can still properly compress the ball without taking a divot, or a steep angle of attack with the golf club. The pursuit of a steeper golf swing can cause more harm than good by moving the low point of your swing behind the ball.
What happens if you don't divot on your approach shots?
If you don't take a divot on your approach shots, you're probably pulling up ( above, right) or falling onto your back foot during the downswing. Here's my favorite drill for learning to take good divots. Get into your normal setup, then lift the clubhead a few inches off the ground.
How to hit iron shots?
Assuming you get into a good backswing position, with your weight on the instep of your back foot, your first move down should be a forward bump of the hips that transfers your weight toward the target. Then stay in your posture and turn through the shot. Feel like you're turning down and through.