Divots

[Pants]

I managed today to practice my irons on grass rather than the usual mats at the range. What I noticed was that the majority of the divots taken were angled about 20/30 degrees left of the target line.

Should the divot be straight or angled left or right?

I also noticed that I was taking some fairly heavy divots but mostly after the ball. i.e. I wasn't hitting many fats.

It's things like this that you will never be aware of down the range.

 

[bobmac]

If your divots are pointing left, your swing path must be out to in. It will also have a steep angle of attack so deep divots but if the ball finishes on target, why worry?

 

[Pants]

Thanks Bob

... but if the ball finishes on target, why worry?

Ah! There's the rub

About 60% were straight enough to have hit a green (using 6,7,and 8 irons only) if distance was correct, about 30% had a nice draw and would have missed the target and the other 10% were fades/slices or duffed.

Inconsistancy

 

[JustOne]

I (attempt) to swing from in-square-in, my divots point left as I've already hit the ball before the divot begins and by that stage the club is now returning to the inside.

Something like this..

Occasionally I swing in-to-out, in which case the divot is pretty straight.

Sometimes my divot points right, but only when my alignment is closed to the target.

When examining your divot you need to be sure of where you were initially lined up. You can't learn too much from divot direction in my opinion, however if it's 4" deep then you know you came in a lttle steep

 

[USER1999]

Interesting. Not really thought about it like that.

 

[bobmac]

Surely if the angle of attack is steep to make the deep divots, the path would more likely be out to in.
If you were in to square/out, the divot would be shallow.

 

[richart]

I am always getting stick from my playing partners for my huge divots. They accuse me of digging up the course, but because they are long and fairly deep, they replace really easily. Now the ones i take on the tee, without a peg, are a different story.

Mine always point slightly left, assuming i take one after the ball and not before.

 

[JustOne]

Surely if the angle of attack is steep to make the deep divots, the path would more likely be out to in.
If you were in to square/out, the divot would be shallow.

When swinging from the inside I can get my weight forward more, retain a huge lag angle in my right wrist, hit the ball first then bury the club into the ground as the club reaches full extension. I tend to take deep divots if my left side doesn't 'stand up' quick enough through the shot.

However, when I swing out to in my weight is generally further back, the club reaches full extension earlier and the club head is open to the swingpath adding more bounce to the sole, I stand a little taller and I hit with a less descending blow. I find it impossible to take hardly any divot at all when cutting across the ball.... unless I hit it 6 inches fat, in which case I'm practically in China

I'd say fat and thin shots are attributed to an out-to-in swing but not deep divots AFTER the ball. Just my opinion of course... I'm probably abnormal.


(I would add that if you are taking divots that are too deep then try to have your left hip raise up through impact as it'll shallow out the swingpath slightly).

 

[Pants]

Well! What can I say?

Thanks for all your help (?) guys.

 

[Sonny]

In my view the divot needs to be straight along the target line otherwise, its likley that you are swinging from out to in. With the shorter irons you may find that there is no real effect or difference, but try the same swing with the longer irons and you may see a noticeable difference in ball flight and loss of distance.

 

[JustOne]

Well! What can I say?

Thanks for all your help (?) guys.

In line with Bobmac's advice (and because I always support Bob's opinions)

click here

I wouldn't worry too much about the direction of your divot unless it gets obscenely acute to the target line or your ball flight is suffering.

...as I said before, the left hip needs to be raised as it turns behind you to shallow out the steepness of descent. Hope that helps.

 

[Screwback]

I really dont know why anyone would be in the slightest bit concerned in which way a divot was pointing, if the ball goes where you want it to go whats the problem? and if it goes wildly in the wrong direction i think there is a bigger underlying matter than what way the divot is pointing.

Hope that helps

 

[hovis]

I (attempt) to swing from in-square-in, my divots point left as I've already hit the ball before the divot begins and by that stage the club is now returning to the inside.

Something like this..

Occasionally I swing in-to-out, in which case the divot is pretty straight.

Sometimes my divot points right, but only when my alignment is closed to the target.

When examining your divot you need to be sure of where you were initially lined up. You can't learn too much from divot direction in my opinion, however if it's 4" deep then you know you came in a lttle steep

i'm very new to golf and the golf pro at the belfry told me durring a lesson that the divot should point to the left. as mentioned above the divot is taken after the ball when its on its natural way in. (not my opinion, just what i was told by a pro)

 

[percy_layer]

I really dont know why anyone would be in the slightest bit concerned in which way a divot was pointing, if the ball goes where you want it to go whats the problem? and if it goes wildly in the wrong direction i think there is a bigger underlying matter than what way the divot is pointing.

Hope that helps

If for example you hit the ball and it starts right of target and turns further right still. You already know roughly where the clubface was aiming at impact but what about swing path???? It could be going to the left of target, straight at it or to the right.........

The divot would give you an idea.

'Reading' the divot patterns helps you monitor how well you're controlling the club, whether it's coming in too steep or too much from the inside.....etc

And if your divots are toe deep or heel deep you can tell if your clubs are the wrong lie angle, affecting your ability to control the golf ball.