A Correctly Positioned Divot

I believe that divots — at least with irons — are integral to great ball striking.  It’s been my experience that most golfers are not aware of the importance of divots, or what a good divot should look like. 

 Here is a detailed description of what makes up a proper divot:

 Direction: 

• For a right hander, the divot should optimally point just left of target.  The divot occurs after impact, and this is when the club starts to track back to the inside, thus causing the divot to point slightly left.

Depth:

• The optimal depth of a divot should be shallow.  I often refer to it as “removing the green from the grass.”  Moe Norman, the famous Canadian golfer, referred to his divots as “bacon strips.”
• There should be very little digging into the dirt, unless you are hitting multiple shots from one position.
• The inside and outside edges should ideally be of similar depth.
• The depth of a divot is highly dependent on turf conditions. 

Shape: 

• A great divot should be rectangular – similar to the shape of a dollar bill.
• If your divots are in the shape of a trapezoid (which is very common!) your hands are invariably too high at impact, thus getting the toe into the ground too long.  There is also a possibility that your equipment does not fit you.

Where:

• A divot should occur slightly forward of where the ball is resting on the ground.  The divot should start under the forward side of the ball.
• The deepest point of the divot should be 3 inches forward of where the ball contacts the ground. This is the low point of the arc of the swing.

Length:

• The optimal length for a divot is 6 inches. This is once again, highly dependent on turf conditions. With the low point of the arc being ideally 3 inches forward of the ball, this would reason that a sound divot should be twice that length.
• Short divots indicate an attack angle that is too steep.
• Long divots indicate an attack angle that is too shallow with excessive upper body lateral motion.

Take the correct divots and the ball will start to take the correct flight path!

• The first drill is the down slope drill.  Simple enough!  Just watch for allowing your upper body to sneak down the hill as well – try to ensure your head remains over the ball.  At address, make sure you maintain a regular ball position.

Downslope Drill

• The impact bag drill.  Another fairly straightforward exercise here, but the benefit lies in the details.  When the club impacts the bag be sure to get the shaft to contact the upper part of the bag before the club head gets there.  This will ensure that the handle leads the clubhead.  Also, save your joints, club and impact bag by not whaling away at the bag too hard.  You just want a feel to carry over to the real deal.

Impact Bag Drill done Correctly

• The ‘hip press’ drill.  This is a great drill that will give you a very good sense of body position at impact and also provide you with an amazing stretch.  If you slice or fade the ball this is for you! Set up to a ball without a club and your hands on your hips.  While maintaining your head position over the ball drive your hips as far toward the target as your body will allow.  Your back heel should come off the ground slightly as you feel the back leg straighten.  It will feel like you are pointing at the ground with the big toe on your back foot!  Hold for five seconds and release.  Afterwards try this with a club in your hands.

Hip Press Drill

• The towel/line drill works wonders for compressing the ball and taking those ideal ‘bacon strip’ divots.  It ensures that the golfer shifts the weight onto the front foot at impact.  Practice as pictured, making sure the towel provides a slight amount of elevation and all the ensuing divots occur forward of the line of golf balls. 

The Towel/Line Drill in Action

To get a little more sizzle on your shots, irons or woods, try the above drills!

I look forward to the Open Championship tomorrow.  Golfweek has a great slideshow that captures the vibe.  The weather looks good and the rough looks brutal.

It seems that the two Scottish greats, Monty and Sandy Lyle are feuding over who should be Ryder Cup captain first and who cheated! Shame on ya wee laddies!

I look for Padraig and Rory to perform nicely! Here are the latest odds. 

Enjoy!

Here are some simple pointers and facts about what your divots should look like: (speaking as a right hander)

• A post impact divot indicates a descending, downward blow on the back of the ball.  This is imperative for good ball striking. I encourage all golfers to take divots with all full swings off the ground other than the driver.
• A proper divot should begin just forward of where the ball touches the ground.
• The deepest point of a divot should be three inches forward of where the ball touches the ground.  Bobby Clampett in his book, The Impact Zone, states that it should be four inches, but that would mean the divot should be eight inches long and I haven’t seen many good divots that are eight inches long.
• The optimal length of a divot is six inches, but this is often effected by turf conditions.
• There should be very little dirt showing in the divot, with just the ‘green’ or leaves being stripped from the stems of the grass.  Leave the roots behind so the grass can fill back in! Once again this can be effected by turf conditions.
• The correct line for a well struck straight shot should be slightly to the left of the target (for right handers).  This is due to the fact that the divot occurs after the hit and at that point the club has already started to move back to the inside.
• The entry and exit points should be square.  We want dollar bills, no trapezoids!

A Good Divot

In the above picture notice how the tee has been pressed into the ground.  This indicates that the ball was struck prior to the start of the divot – just as it should be!  I also like the fact that the roots are still visible in the dirt.

Firstly, take divots! Secondly, work to refine them, so that they take on the correct shape and direction!  When that starts to happen, you are playing some special golf!