Little or no divots!

Hi guys, I was wondering what different views you have on factors affecting the taking of a divot. I know the majority of people will insist I should be hitting down on the ball but when I do try that i always catch it fat. I can play my irons quite well but I lack control and only bruise the grass. My iron shots are straight and carry good distances. I have played with moving the ball position - still no divot.
Any assistance would be gratefully appreciated.

Hi,

Well! The object of a golf swing is not taking a divot, its hitting the ball to your target. A divot is indicative that the ball has been struck well and probably into the clubs sweetspot.

Often divots are not taken due to lifting up in the downswing or pulling up with the arms often due to tension.

Try swinging with your arms relaxed and fully extending through impact. Also ensure you maintain your spine angle and knee flex.

I would say stop listening to the "majority of people" if the bolded part is a true statement. The maintenance people are really happy that you are only bruising the grass. Seriously though, how solid do your shots feel when you hit a good one? How far do you generally hit a 7 iron? How about trajectory: high or low?

Here is an interesting look at divots:

http://www.paulwilsongolf.com/golf_tip_21.htm

About 150, it does vary and I get a lot of roll on them. If I hit a green it does roll off the majority of the time. My ball flight is high.

Don'y worry about it, if they are going staright and the distances are fine then why fix something that isn't broken?

No doubt your playing partners are trying to throw you off your game by making you focus on divots and not where you want to put the ball.

That makes sense. Sweep the ball, increase loft, not much backspin. You could probably get another ten yards and more backspin if you came in steeper to the ball and took a divot. I depends on how comfortable you are with what you are doing now. If you are scoring pretty well the change might not be worth it.

hi
i don't often take a divot it more like i shave the grass off to just where the soil starts.
i think it down to my flat plane swing and i sweep into the ball a lot more.
if you have a flat plane swing that could be why.
cheers
bill

A proper divot is the result of your hands being ahead of the clubhead at impact/separation. This is the proper way to strike all clubs and is the only way to 'compress' the golf ball.

There is a difference between hitting down on the ball and compressing the ball.

hi
i think it will also depend on the clubs you use. if you use wide sole clubs they slid through the grass and stops the club face digging into the soil.
also with the long irons you sweep into the ball more so tale lass of a divot. with the short irons and wedged you have a sharp upright swing and come into the ball sharper and take a bigger divot.
cheer
bill

Totally agree, Don't worry about it I don't take divots not much of ones anyway...My distances are on the short side, but I'm fairly straight...
Now my short game needs work...

I love this game...The learning never stops...

Thanks for all your coments guys. Don't get me wrong, i'm very happy with my iron play, it just frustrates me when i suffer a lack of control with the ball (essential as my game is mostly played on links courses). When you knock a 6 iron within a yard of the pin and see it roll off the green, it's sole destroying!

Well thats the major advantage of taking a divot versus not taking one. Someone that takes a divot can attack the flag and someone that doesn't take one needs to have the ball land short and run up to the flag.

Watching golf on TV doesn't help either. The guys on the circuit are taking out dollar sized divots everytime because they are attacking with every shot. However, I find it does help to study the turf after I hit the ball even if there is little digging going on to see how I'm aiming at impact.


Tim.