Divots are something every golfer should look into in order to ensure they are making proper ball contact. But what exactly should a divot look like and why does it have to be in front of the ball? This article is on hand to breakdown everything you need to know about golf divots.
Why Are Divots Important In Golf?
Divots are important in golf because they allow you to make sure you are making proper contact with the golf ball.
When a divot is taken in front of the ball it ensures that you are making ball and then turf contact. The low point of your swing should not actually be where the ball is. But rather an inch or two in front of it.
That all being said divots are not mandatory in order to hit a good shot. The vast majority of players on the tour will always take a divot after the ball when hitting their irons. But there are exceptions such as Steve Striker who makes solid contact with the ball but never takes a divot.
Why are there no divot with my irons?
If the are no divots when you take you iron shots that likely means you club is bottoming out too high. What we mean by this is, your club path is not reaching a low enough point at the bottom of your swing.
This is not the case with everyone, but if you are not taking divots it is likely you are hitting your golf ball thin. This will result in a lower ball flight, less backspin, and very inconsistent distance from your clubs.
There are several common issues that lead to not taking divots with your irons. These include: lifting up your upper body while swinging, as well as, failing to transition your weight to your front foot.
Those are both common occurrences that are often the cause of this issue. For the best results you likely want to book a lesson so you can determine what exactly you are doing incorrectly in your swing.
Why is my divot behind the ball?
If your divot is behind the ball after your swing is completed you are likely dealing with a weighting issue.
There can be many different factors that lead to hitting a golf shot “fat” or hitting behind the ball. But the most common for high handicap golfers is that they are failing to properly transfer their weight throughout their swing.
Throughout your golf swing, you want to transfer some of your weight from your back foot to your front foot. Hint: if you hit the ball and find yourself standing on your back foot like a baseball player that just hit a home run then you are not transferring your weight correctly.
Where should my divot point?
When making divots with your swing you ideally would like the divot to point towards your target.
This is because you divot should align with your swing path. Unless you are hitting a draw or fade your ball should travel in the same direction as you swing path.
This means that so long as you have your swing path properly aligned you should find your divot should point to where you are aiming with your club.
What is divot stomping?
Though divot stomping sounds like it refers to golf. This term is typically used when referring to stomping the divots on a polo field. The divots are created by the horses running throughout the game.
Though many golfers do fix divots by placing the grass they removed back into the divot and then stepping on it to secure it in place. This process can sometimes be referred to as divot stomping as well.
What Are Divot Tools Used For
Divot tools are small golf accessories that are used in order to fix divots and ball marks on the course.
This tool typically has two metal prongs that sink into the ground. Which are then used to pull the ground around the divot or ball mark in order to fix the hole.
How To Use Divot Tools
Most commonly divot tools are used to repair ball marks that occur when a ball lands on the green.
The way to most effectively use your divot tool to fix your ball markings is by placing the divot repair tool into the ground around the edge of the ball mark.
You are going to want to push the divot tool forward in order to move more earth back into the spot of the ball mark. You are going to want to do this along the entire exterior of the ball mark. Continue until the ball mark is smoothed over.
Can You Take A Divot On The Green
No there are no situations in which you should take a divot are the green. There are times when high-level golfers use wedges on the green on the odd occasion. But even in these situations, the golfers will be sure to not take a divot.
It is important to distinguish ball marks from divots. If you shot lands on the green and makes a mark this is perfectly okay. This is a ball mark and not a divot and can be fixed in only a few seconds.
Conclusion Understanding Divots In Golf
We hope you enjoyed our guide to understanding divots in golf. If you have any questions regarding divots in golf or any of the questions we answered in this article then feel free to reach out in the comments below.
If you did enjoy this article we encourage you to check out some of our other golf content. Such as our guides to removing stickers off golf clubs or lie angles.
