No divot since swing change, problem ?

[colint]

I'm going through quite a drastic swing change at the moment, historically have a big in to out swing with not much movement from lower body.

Pro has got me taking away slightly differently, and then starting downswing with a movement from the hips. A few disasters as I'm still working on it, but when it works the shots are arrow straight, great flight / height.The only concern that I have is that I'm not taking a divot, and the shots feel a little thin.

Is this anything to worry about ? what could be causing it, someone a the club mention that I could be coming too much from the inside, which at least proves that I;ve stopped coming from the outside

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I wouldn't be too concerned. Its a work in progress and like you say when its good its very good. I think you might be getting overly concerned having gone from digging for gold to sweeping it away much cleaner.

I'm sure Bob and other good golfers may advocate a need to take a slight divot but if you are sweeping it away well I wouldn't worry. There might be the odd thin in there but it will feel much different on the club than a well hit shot that doesn't take a divot either. Concentrate on getting the new swing grooved and enjoy hitting it high and watching it land softly on the greens

 

[RGDave]

...historically have a big in to out swing with not much movement from lower body.
someone a the club mention that I could be coming too much from the inside, which at least proves that I've stopped coming from the outside

You've lost me. Which way were you hitting it?...

I may be able to shed some light (having been firmly in both states, and also a lack-of-divot player).

 

[colint]

Sorry dave, get confused about in / out etc

I was taking the club back OK, but then throwing it to the outside, so hitting from the outside to in across the ball for a slice.

I've been working on almost hitting from the inside to out, and trying to keep the back swing and down swing on similar plains

 

[Ethan]

"arrow straight, great flight/height"


sorry, the problem is what exactly?

 

[colint]

Just feels a bit weird not taking a divot and picking the ball up clean. I've heard no dicot costs distance / spin. The ball was stopping really well on the greens yesterday but they were soaked so couldn't reallt judge

 

[Ethan]

Some players take more divot that others. Some pick the ball off the turf neatly. Wedge makers classify players as diggers, sliders, drivers etc, and suggest bounce angles appropriate for each. You probably don't need too much bounce on your wedges now. You might be told that you need to compress the ball into the turf to get a strong flight, and that needs a divot, but you still compress the ball even if you don't take a divot and the ball flight doesn't lie.

Thin is usually better than fat, and not just in golf!

 

[DCB]

Why not talk it over with your pro. He'll know whats going on as he's the one who got your changes started . If he's any good he'll answer this without any problem.

Are you still having lessons from him ?

 

[colint]

Yes, due back there on Tuesday but will be doing some more practive before then, was just curious really to see if it was something obvious

 

[wormburner]

Don't worry, Tom Watson doesn't

 

[colint]

Really ? Someone told by Jack Nicklaus didn't either, so that's just me, Tom and Jack - think I can live with that

 

[RGDave]

I haven't time to cover all the aspects, but I distinctly remember taking less divot with my swing when I was a push/draw/hook player.
I reckon let it settle for a while. If you want to get back to a crisp ball-turf angle of attack, you will find the answer in there somewhere.
I'll re-visit later maybe with some thoughts.

 

[colint]

Thanks Dave, if it's symptom of a draw / hook then thats good to hear because that's the direction I'm trying to move towards from th slice / fade. I'll see how things go with some more practice / rhythm

 

[wormburner]

Nicklaus took a divot, more so than Watson.

Young Danny lee doesn't either

Btw, I've played for a long time and have never been a big divot player, it also depends on how much bounce you have on your clubs

as long as you hit ball first the length and depth of the divot is pretty much irrelevant. Hogan was probably the best ball striker ever and took long very shallow divots

 

[RGDave]

All good.

t.b.h. the longer the club the less divot anyway. I can (physically) hit my short irons with quite a deep divot and like the resulting shot. But, to do this, I have to stay very still over the shot (not too much weight transferred) and really hit down.

I use this technique to stop the ball (over bunkers) especially on 3/4 shots.

I expect to take some turf with 8/9/wedges but quite often pick 5/6/7 irons pretty cleanly. A very small square of turf gets messed up, but not normally enough to put anything back, other than grass.

 

[viscount17]

I learnt to swing off flat, hard, mats, as a result I rarely take a divot. I will often skin the turf but a divot to me means trouble as it is likely to start behind the ball.