Dear Oufan,

I am glad to hear that you are back on track but I must say that I really don't agree with you when you say "divots are overated".

If you get the swing right and you are coming into the impact zone (talking about irons) you have to pinch the ball between the clubhead and the ground with a decending blow. After the ball has left you can't help but leave at least a small divot. It's a sign of a well struck ball.

Look at every tour player and watch carefully how each one hits with a divot trailing the ball. Most of the time they are even taking divots when the ball is Tee'd up. Picture Stevie Williams picking up Tiger's divots.

The way the club is released through the impact zone is so important. Not only do you need a decending blow but the clubhead should be rotating around the left forearm. One of the BIGGEST reason's people aren't striking the ball well and not taking divots is we are flipping, the very topic of this thread.

In fact, I'll make a VERY BOLD STATEMENT: If you aren't taking at least a tiny divot, you are still conciously or subconciously still flipping the club.

As a test, and this is a great drill to cure flipping, put two balls down. One the ball you are going to hit and the second one 12" behind the first one. Now hit your original ball WITHOUT hitting the second ball. This will start to train you to hit with this decending blow. Think of pounding a nail on a slight angle right down and through the ball.

I know because I worked so hard on this very problem. My irons increased in length by two clubs once I started striking the ball properly. The signature of a well struck ball....is......the .......DIVOT.

Good Luck,

Chessbum....