Divots:Should I be taking them?

[Deke]

Hi forum,I have noticed that that when I make good contact with the ball and make a good strike(straight and long) I rarely take a divot.Is this anything to worry about? Will taking one improve my ball striking? I am confused,please help! I only seem to take one about one in four swings.

 

[DaveM]

I take little or no divot myself. But then I am not very tall, so I sweep more than hit down on the ball.

 

[garyinderry]

i find taking big divots on links courses should be avoided. when i do try to do it, it turns the club over and i pull the shot left! best just to clip the ball off the turf.

im trying to cut down my divot size atm. some right big pork chops at times. ball still flys out so no prob. sometimes a wee bit much though!

 

[BeachGolfer]

Always a rasher of bacon, never a pork chop.

 

[Birchy]

I take little or no divot myself. But then I am not very tall, so I sweep more than hit down on the ball.

Sounds exactly like me!

Dont think you need to worry about whether you take a divot or not. If you dont take a divot when you strike a good shot then that sort of answers your question?

 

[Deke]

Cheers lads,I think I might be worrying about nothing! Fair point Birchy,I tend to over analyse my swing too much.

 

[Scottjd1]

If you are taking divots properly then the 'turnung the club over' is not relevant. This happens more when in rough as its almost impossible to strike the ball first.

You should cleanly strike the ball first then followed by the club bottoming out on the arc of the swing when it will enter the turf and take the divot, the ball has gone before the ground has contacted the club.

 

[garyinderry]

If you are taking divots properly then the 'turnung the club over' is not relevant. This happens more when in rough as its almost impossible to strike the ball first.

You should cleanly strike the ball first then followed by the club bottoming out on the arc of the swing when it will enter the turf and take the divot, the ball has gone before the ground has contacted the club.

i have no problems with this on parkland. only links courses!

 

[chris661]

I take little or no divot myself. But then I am not very tall, so I sweep more than hit down on the ball.

Rory isn't very tall either and he manages to take a divot all right

 

[garyinderry]

do you take many big divots around portsalon?

 

[chris661]

If I am hitting it well I generally take a divot, getting bigger with the more loft.

 

[Kellfire]

If I am hitting it well I generally take a divot, getting bigger with the more loft.

This, I've started taking divots with the scoring clubs and generally hit a draw when I do.

 

[Foxholer]

As long as the divot starts after you've hit the ball, it doesn't really matter how big they are. Please replace them though!:mmm:

Deep divots indicate descending strike and little/no divots indicate strike is at apex/nadir of the swing. Both have 'benefits' and 'detractions'.

 

[Lump]

I'm a huge divot taker. Its not something I aim to do but just happens. I think this is what causes issues for me hitting woods from the deck.
I do have a tendency to look straight down at my divot and loose the flight of my ball while doing it. Not good.

 

[Deke]

Cheers lads,some food for thought! It seems the better I hit the ball the less likely I am to take a divot.I guess I must be more of a sweeper and i am quite tall too(6ft 2ins).Thanks for all your posts.

 

[chris661]

Cheers lads,some food for thought! It seems the better I hit the ball the less likely I am to take a divot.I guess I must be more of a sweeper and i am quite tall too(6ft 2ins).Thanks for all your posts.

I *think* I can remember reading somewhere that you SHOULD take a divot but after the ball () as it has something to do with the spin imparted on the ball and keeping it aloft. Will see if I can dig it out.

 

[Deke]

Cheers Chris,I appreciate it! When I do take a divot it usually is after the ball,but I am curious to read about how this would affect spin and ball flight,many thanks!

 

[Oddsocks]

My take on it would be the idea of golf is to hit the little white ball. If I'm hitting it well and straight a divot is not really a concern. If I was interested in the size of the holes I dug I'd get a new shovel :thup:

Deke, I'd try not to over complicate things, it could ruin what is basically a simple game. I'm quickly finding simply golf is easier

 

[Deke]

Cheers Oddsocks,sound advice bud! You are so right about over-complicating things,I do my head in over nothing all the time!

 

[m10johnson]

I wouldn't imagine that taking a divot or not effects the strike. If you are a sweeper then you won't take much of a divot if at all.

My divots work in an order of long for wedges and hardly any for a 5 iron for example.