Practice swings that take up chunks of turf ???

[Bamberdele21]

Is this a normal thing?

Absolutely infuriates me seeing people dig up the ground with their practice swings, especially off the tees! With no regard to repair anything.

I see many people do this, some pretty much before every shot. Then stand there taking an extra 5 seconds to wipe their club afterwards.

5 seconds X 100 shots is around 8 minutes per round. 8 minutes of me wanting to snap their clubs in half. Golf is hard enough without 8 minutes of this torture.

No one ever mentions anything tho so I just go along as if it’s ok. I can’t go on like this anymore.

Please tell me this is not normal

 

[Crow]

It's not normal, say something.

 

[Billysboots]

It’s absolutely not normal. I’ve seen the occasional divot taken during a practice swing, but it genuinely is a once in a blue moon happening, especially on the tee. If someone is doing it regularly then they perhaps shouldn’t have yet taken the leap from range to course.

 

[jim8flog]

Never really understood why players take practice swings for a standard shot in the first place. Why waste a good swing on a practice swing?

However to answer the question it infuriates me when players do nothing to repair the damage they do.

Many years ago there were signs on our tees banning practice swings on them they only got removed when somebody pointed out such a local rule was not allowed.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

My father in law used to do this with his practice tee shot. It was nothing like the actual shot he hit. No idea why he did it, not good.

 

[Oddsocks]

Snap their sticks, prob solved.

 

[Orikoru]

Never really understood why players take practice swings for a standard shot in the first place. Why waste a good swing on a practice swing?

Personally it's just part of my pre-shot routine. A reminder to do everything correctly and helps me visualise where I want my shot to go. A pretty simple routine that doesn't take too long - if I tried to hit a ball now without the practise swing first it would feel weird, sort of rushed and unprepared.

To answer the main post, I don't often take a divot on my actual shot let alone the practise swing. I try not to take one on the practise, if it does happen it was an accident and I'll obviously replace it afterwards.

 

[KenL]

I hate seeing this, especially on a tee.

Divots should not be replaced on the tees though.

 

[SteveW86]

Dont watch the episode of "Tee time tips" where Nick says when playing off a downhill lie to practise taking a divot, as if you dont take one with the practise swing you need to adjust something.

 

[Slab]

I had a mate that did it, did my head in, bad form
Don't play with him these days to know if he still does it

 

[Diamond]

When I had my lessons when I started golf I was told to always take a practice swing. Its something that has stayed with me and part of my routine. With the wetter weather This last fortnight instead of bruising the grass the Club gets mud on it so I have ended up ditching the practice swing unless in heavy rough.

 

[Tashyboy]

I take Practise swings, I am not a divot taker, I tend to pick the ball off the surface. If the ball is above or below feet I deffo take a couple of practice swings as my hands go up or down the shaft.
Does he replace divots, interested to know why you should not replace divots on a tee As Ave never heard about not replacing them before.

 

[Backache]

I take Practise swings, I am not a divot taker, I tend to pick the ball off the surface. If the ball is above or below feet I deffo take a couple of practice swings as my hands go up or down the shaft.
Does he replace divots, interested to know why you should not replace divots on a tee As Ave never heard about not replacing them before.

I remember being told ages ago that you shouldn't replace divots on tees in case someone has one under their foot when they can slip or something. Don't know how much truth there is in it.
On tee shots I always go off the side or back of the tee for a practice swing.

 

[rudebhoy]

I remember being told ages ago that you shouldn't replace divots on tees in case someone has one under their foot when they can slip or something. Don't know how much truth there is in it.
On tee shots I always go off the side or back of the tee for a practice swing.

I wa told off by an elderly member for replacing a divot on a tee box. He reckoned it would cause someone to tee up on a false bit of ground. He said the greenkeepers properly repair all divots on the tee box every morning. No idea whether that's true or not.

 

[Jamesbrown]

I wa told off by an elderly member for replacing a divot on a tee box. He reckoned it would cause someone to tee up on a false bit of ground. He said the greenkeepers properly repair all divots on the tee box every morning. No idea whether that's true or not.

I’ve been taught this as well. Was never sure of the reason and I’ve never asked surprisingly!

 

[Oddsocks]

I wa told off by an elderly member for replacing a divot on a tee box. He reckoned it would cause someone to tee up on a false bit of ground. He said the greenkeepers properly repair all divots on the tee box every morning. No idea whether that's true or not.

This and backaches post although I’ve always found it weird as a seeded divot gives way just as easy.

I generally tee off 1-2 clubs back from the markers as I find the ground generally in better condition.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Could the divot on a tee be one of those things that someone throws out as a comment in the past, is quoted and re-quoted and then suddenly becomes fact? No one knows the origins but we all follow, not quite knowing why? It may be correct, it may not?

 

[Orikoru]

I remember being told ages ago that you shouldn't replace divots on tees in case someone has one under their foot when they can slip or something. Don't know how much truth there is in it.
On tee shots I always go off the side or back of the tee for a practice swing.

I have heard similar, but surely that's the same on the fairway too? Just less likely I guess since you're not all hitting from the same spot.

 

[HowlingGale]

Took the boy out on Sunday for his first time playing at my club. (He's played on municipals before).

2 practice swings on the first tee and two big gouges in the turf ?. All this in from of the pro shop. I told him to replace the divots in an animated way so those watching saw I was 'educating' him.

No harm done and an education to boot.

 

[Tashyboy]

Thanks for the reply’s guys. It’s makes sense. Especially when you have dodgy ankles. Falling over on a tee is not something I would want to do