A Good Divot Produces a Great Shot

Have you ever thought about the divot you make when striking a golf ball? How do you make a perfect divot? Some golfers make the perfect divot and others just strive to even make a divot. The perfect divot is made by hitting the ball first and the turf second. 

Let’s begin by analyzing how you hit a shot.  Place a tee just outside of where you hit the ball marking the position of your ball.  Now, hit your shot.  Do you have a divot?  If so, does it start behind the tee or in front of the tee?  If you hit the turf after you hit your ball, you are hitting the ball correctly.  If you hit the turf before the ball, you need to learn the proper swing technique to make a perfect divot.

The depth of the divot is relative to the length of your club.  The shorter the club, the deeper the divot.  If the divot is too deep, your swing path may be too steep and your posture is incorrect..

Use this approach to hitting better shots which will produce a perfect divot:

• Check your ball position.  If your ball position is too far forward in your stance, you will hit the ground first before you hit the ball.  Play different ball positions to find the perfect one for you.  Ball positions can be adjusted.

• Check for the proper distance away from your club.  As you set up to make a shot, the end of the grip of the club grip you should be a fist and a thumb distance away from your thighs.  By doing this, you are not too close to the ball, which would cause a steeper downswing and a divot that is behind the ball.

• Check your balance at the finish of your swing.  If you lose your balance and fall back away from your target, your weight is not moving forward at impact, thus having you hit the ground first before you hit the ball.  Hold your finish on all your shots to insure proper weight transfer.

One effective way to practice making a divot can be done by placing a tee directly in front of the ball.  As you hit the ball, you should also hit the tee out of the ground.  Also try making your practice swings to an imaginary target on the grass.  If you can hit that leaf or twig, your chances greatly improve in hitting a proper divot.

Try these suggestions and I’ll guarantee you’ll hit better shots as well!

 

 

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