Divots

[stefanovic]

Gary Player once told a story about asking his new caddy to 'pick up the divots because this a posh club' and then found his golf bag full of them, what exactly should you do about replacing divots on the fairway and in the rough?
I played a round yesterday and spent quite a lot of time replacing the divots of players who clearly were not bothered.

Do only posh clubs require this?

 

[Orikoru]

Everyone should replace their divots if possible, plus any other obvious ones that people have missed. At all clubs. The only time I don't is if the divot disintegrated into countless pieces, then I can't really.

 

[IanM]

In warmer climes the sand and seed mix germinates quickly... also, putting divots back with some overseas grasses doesn't work

We play with a serial "forgot about the divot" bloke... maybe electric shock treatment is needed!

 

[stefanovic]

I don't always replace my divots out of the rough.
That's because the rough is the rough.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

As we're talking divots - what is the correct word for the hole in the ground that results from a divot being taken. A divot 'scrape'? maybe it's just divot 'hole'?

 

[rulefan]

Always replace if you can but tread it in very firmly o/w the birds will have it out.

 

[stefanovic]

As we're talking divots - what is the correct word for the hole in the ground that results from a divot being taken. A divot 'scrape'? maybe it's just divot 'hole'?

There is no correct word for anything because everything in language is metaphor.
Even a Black Hole in space is not a hole. It is a completely gravitationally collapsed object, and even that is metaphor.
Replacing divots in Polo is stomping. So might call it a depression to be stomped, preferably sooner rather than later.
Think I'd call a player who does not replace divots a 'non stomper'.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Will replace the divot with either the lump that came out or with the divot mixture

Obviously on the tee it’s just using the mixture - don’t put the lump of grass back in

 

[HomerJSimpson]

My club did have divot bags to take out but sadly only a few members ever did. Even when there is a divot box on a tee it is shameful how many players take a divot on a par 3 and then do nothing to fill the hole in or even put the divot back

I will always replace a divot and tread it back in as best I can. It's an interesting point as having typed this I can't recall the last time I saw the divot bags out to be used. I need to ask the question

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

My club did have divot bags to take out but sadly only a few members ever did. Even when there is a divot box on a tee it is shameful how many players take a divot on a par 3 and then do nothing to fill the hole in or even put the divot back

I will always replace a divot and tread it back in as best I can. It's an interesting point as having typed this I can't recall the last time I saw the divot bags out to be used. I need to ask the question

That's a bit surprising as we too have divot bags to take out - and they are taken out by members - in fact they are often all out on the course. And we see the difference on holes where tee shots or approaches end up concentrated in specific areas. Overall condition of the fairways is a lot better than it used to be - and it has always been pretty good.

As far as divots taken on the tee - I was always told to not put the divot back but to repair it with sand/seed mixture if available, and as we have boxes of sand/seed on some (par 3) tees and bags of seed/sand mixture to take round we should be able to do that.

 

[Slab]

In warmer climes the sand and seed mix germinates quickly... also, putting divots back with some overseas grasses doesn't work

We play with a serial "forgot about the divot" bloke... maybe electric shock treatment is needed!

Yup, never replace a divot here, its sand/seed mix on every course except one (& that one doesn't even want players using the sand/seed mix, the groundstaff go round & do it instead)

 

[Canary_Yellow]

I think it's the Maybank Championship in Malaysia where the course always look really messy because they don't repair divots. Am I remembering right?

 

[tugglesf239]

After years of being unable to take a Divot, i now take pride in marching the 10 yards (forum distance) up the fair way to collect and replace.

Makes me feel like a proper cat one golfer

 

[stefanovic]

Does taking divots make you a better player?
It just looks so untidy.
Aren't the professionals that do just showing off their backspin skills?
Is it necessary to take a divot at all?

 

[Crow]

Does taking divots make you a better player?
It just looks so untidy.
Aren't the professionals that do just showing off their backspin skills?
Is it necessary to take a divot at all?

Clubs produced before 1982 took smaller divots, play vintage.

Another of the advantages of playing with older clubs is that the wooden clubs nourish the grass as they brush over it, a sort of empathetic natural union that makes the grass grow much stronger.

 

[CliveW]

Fairway mats... No divots, problem sorted.

 

[stefanovic]

Another of the advantages of playing with older clubs is that the wooden clubs nourish the grass as they brush over it, a sort of empathetic natural union that makes the grass grow much stronger.

Thought we were talking about the irons. If you take a divot with a wood off the fairway then that makes you a bad player as you are not sweeping the ball away.

 

[jim8flog]

Thought we were talking about the irons. If you take a divot with a wood off the fairway then that makes you a bad player as you are not sweeping the ball away.

depends on what type of shot you want to play with a fairway wood.

Watch Laura Davies when she is using one off a tee some times and Tiger with his 'stinger' shot.

 

[hovis]

our green keeper said he'd rather they not be replaced as the birds have learned that worms like to live in between them and simply turn them over. we have 4 old boys that get free membership that go round most nights with a divot mixture as they play

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Thought we were talking about the irons. If you take a divot with a wood off the fairway then that makes you a bad player as you are not sweeping the ball away.

Garcia who is one of the best ball strikers takes a small divot with his 3 wood - more than one way to skin a cat as they say

Lots of modern pros take divots but it’s after striking the ball - taking a divot doesn’t limit the sort of golfer some one is