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5 reasons you don’t take divots

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Should you take a divot? It’s a fair question I’m asked a lot, and my short answer is “yes.”

For most shots hit from the turf, most great strikers of the ball take a divot a few inches in front of the golf ball. Not all, mind you, as it is an individual thing, but most do. The club descent at the bottom of the swing, known as the attack angle, is about 4 degrees down for a 6 iron for tour pros. If that’s the case, what creates it, what do you have to do to facilitate this? Many golfers struggle in this area. They either take a divot behind the ball or take no divot at all. Why?

Here are a few reasons you can’t take a divot, or “find the bottom” as we say:

A Flat Swing

If a player tends to swing the club around his body, he will struggle with taking turf. Flat swings can produce shallow attack angles, and create wide swing bottoms than don’t come into impact steeply enough. I say CAN, because remember, I’m referring to the downswing.

Some flat backswings come over the top from there and create enough steepness to find turf, even too much turf, such as the the “in-and-over” move so common in many players. But when the downswing is really wide and around, it’s very difficult to get a divot. If this is your problem, try simply standing a bit closer and swinging more UP.  “Reach for the sky,” I often tell my players. Hitting balls from a side-hill, below-your-feet lie is good for this problem. It may force you to reach up a bit and hit down more

“Hang Back”

Bad-Golfer

When a player’s center of mass tends to stay on the back foot, with considerable rear side bend (I call it hang back), the bottom of the swing arc can be too far behind the ball and the club is ascending when it reaches impact. This shallow attack angle will not take much, if any, turf. Again, I say CAN because some players who have a lot of rear side bend counter it with a very late release — “lag” if you will. They come in sufficiently steep.

But most golfers do not.

If you’re guilty of hanging back, try putting more weight on your front foot, and keeping it there, much like the “stack-and-tilt” method promotes. In any case, you’ll have to feel like you are hitting from a downhill lie to keep your rear side from diving too far under the ball. Hang back NEVER occurs in a vacuum; it is always the result of another move —  sometimes a “reverse pivot,” sometimes an over-the-top move, sometimes trying to add loft… but rarely does one do it in and of itself.

Shortening the Swing Radius

Screen Shot 2015-04-07 at 3.30.48 PM

The goal of impact is to create a position very similar to the one at address. Not identical, of course, because of swing dynamics, but similar. This includes a similar arm length into impact.

At address, the lead arm is extended and the rear arm is slightly bent. This position is the one which we need to achieve coming into the golf ball, but if the rear arm (right for righties) gets extended, you can be sure that the left arm will be contracted.

The all too common “chicken wing” is usually the result of casting the club very early and shortening the radius of the left arm as a necessary deterrent to hitting behind the ball.  Again, like everything else in the golf swing, nothing happens in and of itself. A poor swing position is the result of another poor move that preceded it. Try simulating your address position with the lead arm EXTENDED and the trail arm slightly flexed in by your rig cage.

Raising the Swing Center

Screen Shot 2015-04-07 at 3.37.21 PM

I call this “bailing out,” meaning as the player comes into impact, he raises up, or stands taller, coming out of his original address bend. Here we go again: it’s usually the result of a swing plane that is far too steep in transition (starting the downswing). If the club is headed for a crash, as a very steep shaft will be, the only recourse is to bail out to avoid the dreaded fat shot.

The correction here is learning to transition a bit flatter, with the shaft of the club more similar to its original incline, in order to “stay in the shot.” You cannot simply “stop standing up.” It is usually the result of too steep a downswing starting down. Sound familiar? See above!

Try hitting some balls from a tee with the golf club not grounded, that is, off the ground about as high as the golf ball. Feel more “baseball-like” with your approach into the ball and this will help you “stay in the shot.”

The Release

RoryMcIlroyWRX

Lastly, there is always release point to consider. Any player’s hands should be a little ahead of the club head (called forward shaft lean) to hit down sufficiently to take a divot. That does NOT mean those who tend to release early cannot take a divot. If your center of mass is sufficiently forward, and the ball is positioned correctly for YOUR release, you can hit it early enough in your arc to take a divot.

If you’d like me to analyze your swing, go to my Facebook page or contact me ([email protected]) about my online swing analysis program.

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Dennis Clark is a PGA Master Professional. Clark has taught the game of golf for more than 30 years to golfers all across the country, and is recognized as one of the leading teachers in the country by all the major golf publications. He is also is a seven-time PGA award winner who has earned the following distinctions: -- Teacher of the Year, Philadelphia Section PGA -- Teacher of the Year, Golfers Journal -- Top Teacher in Pennsylvania, Golf Magazine -- Top Teacher in Mid Atlantic Region, Golf Digest -- Earned PGA Advanced Specialty certification in Teaching/Coaching Golf -- Achieved Master Professional Status (held by less than 2 percent of PGA members) -- PGA Merchandiser of the Year, Tri State Section PGA -- Golf Professional of the Year, Tri State Section PGA -- Presidents Plaque Award for Promotion and Growth of the Game of Golf -- Junior Golf Leader, Tri State section PGA -- Served on Tri State PGA Board of Directors. Clark is also former Director of Golf and Instruction at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort. Dennis now teaches at Bobby Clampett's Impact Zone Golf Indoor Performance Center in Naples, FL. .

23 Comments

23 Comments

  1. Joe D

    Jul 13, 2016 at 2:15 am

    Since I went to a more upright swing my distance and accuracy improved significantly. It may be worthy to note that while most will take a divot with short irons, generally long irons will tend to be picked clean or swept. Even the pros that rip a long divot with short irons will take a very shallow divot, if any, with the long irons.

  2. Shankadoodle

    Sep 17, 2015 at 2:51 am

    Dennis , maybe you could help with my struggles (difficult with no video I know) i have always been a picker but recently it’s beyond a joke like I’ll hit the bottom grooves more than I’d like to then hit a top then miss completely and when I try to divot the ground during a practice swing I actually can’t get down to the floor I miss the ground completely, do i need more forward bend? When I try that I seem to bail out and miss anyway . I never thought I casted much I get decent distances off my irons 155 7 iron not sure you would get that far with a flip? Even though I fatted my driver yesterday!

  3. BigBoy

    Apr 14, 2015 at 5:22 pm

    Divots are not necessary.

  4. Dennis Clark

    Apr 11, 2015 at 3:00 pm

    Dave, the AA is only part of it. All divots are produced with a negative attack angle, but it has to with where the ball is struck on the arc, and how much forward shaft lean one has. IOW, Ive seen shallow AA with hands in front, and I’ve also seen steep AA with same amount of forward shaft lean…also dont discount 4 degrees, its more than it seems. Thx for reading

  5. dave boyd

    Apr 11, 2015 at 9:14 am

    the attack angle is about 4 degrees down for a 6 iron would it then be even less than that for longer irons. Would not think that 4 degrees would produce much of a divot.
    Thanks for the good article

  6. Rock

    Apr 10, 2015 at 1:49 pm

    Thanks for the great thread

    Any tips or drills for a strong player that stands up on his toes at impact kinda like Matt Every? I have tried everything but still tend to do it all to often

    Thanks!

  7. Dennis Clark

    Apr 10, 2015 at 8:51 am

    Adam, a baseball swing is a flat swing, that’s why I’m confused. You could send a video. I have an on line service, Id be happy to look

  8. Mat

    Apr 10, 2015 at 12:42 am

    Reason #6 :

    You play in the desert Southwest, and know that a “divot” in some cases would result in a broken wrist.

    • Dennis Clark

      Apr 10, 2015 at 8:54 am

      LOL! Agreed, that’s why Harvey Penick taught such a flat move…”picking” is way to play for sure

  9. Dennis Clark

    Apr 9, 2015 at 9:07 pm

    Author’s note: Remember the title is “5 reasons you cant take a divot”
    …should have added “IF YOU WANT to take one”…nobody is saying you HAVE to. But when you hear about “pickers and sweepers” go watch them up close; you’ll see some turf fly, maybe not much but some on the mid to short irons

  10. marcel

    Apr 9, 2015 at 7:34 pm

    divots are overrated – i dont play divots and it had little difference on the distance or direction. reading golf instructions is like becoming a surgeon on online Uni… please give yourself a xmas pressie and get a golf coach… everyone is different and proper coach will fix you in no time.

  11. RG

    Apr 9, 2015 at 6:37 pm

    Hey Dennis,
    When I was a kid I watched Nancy Lopez at the Citrus Open and I remember thinking that you could re-sod your yard with the divots she took in a round. Then years later I saw Watson and that guy leaves no visible trace that he was even on the course. Sweeper supreme.
    So my question: Isn’t divot size /length/depth somewhat of a personal thing and can’t you have success with very little turf interaction ( especially hitting hybrids/FWs) ?

    • Dennis Clark

      Apr 9, 2015 at 9:04 pm

      Domingo Lopez, her dad, taught her to “deeg, Nancy deeg”…Watson took a divot albeit a slighter one. Trevino dug ditches. Its all individual.

    • TMTC

      Apr 10, 2015 at 7:06 pm

      Jack Nicklaus never took divots either.
      When and if he did they weren’t worth mentioning they were so shallow.
      TMTC

      • Dennis clark

        Apr 10, 2015 at 10:53 pm

        Another reverse C era player…the most shallow divots ever during that era. A lot of bad backs but not many divots.

  12. Dennis Clark

    Apr 9, 2015 at 3:59 pm

    why do you want to flatten your swing?

    • Adam

      Apr 9, 2015 at 9:16 pm

      Dennis,
      I have a baseball swing that causes me to have a very upright swing, I normally do not take a divot, I usually hit it straight and low or get enough of good contact with hit it straight with a mid flight. my upright swing causes me to come though impact like the pic in #4, any suggestions to flatten the swing to I can stay in posture and compress the ball/make a divot?

    • Shankadoodle

      Sep 17, 2015 at 2:41 am

      I think he’s got the idea of flat swing/upright swing topsy turvy, not realising the baseball swing is the flattest golf swing to have, albeit upright thought of in a conventional manner. Maybe this thought may help him understand ‘The more the butt of the club points to the sky during the swing the steeper the swing is’.

  13. Adam

    Apr 9, 2015 at 3:11 pm

    Dennis, I am a #4… What do you suggest I do to flatten my swing?
    Thank you

  14. Dennis Clark

    Apr 9, 2015 at 3:04 pm

    Phil you are correct about set up, no question. But it is not a panacea. Ive seen quite good set ups make poor swings, but make no mistake: a poor set up, especially grip or posture, will very often misdirect a swing. Thx

    • Philip

      Apr 9, 2015 at 5:33 pm

      Okay, thanks. Maybe all those swing drills just helped me get my swing good enough and consistent enough to where it finally clicked with my setup. Like everything in life – little bit of this, little bit of that.

  15. Philip

    Apr 9, 2015 at 1:19 pm

    I mean Dennis … sorry ’bout that

  16. Philip

    Apr 9, 2015 at 1:19 pm

    Denis, I have a question regards the issues above and ways to correct them. If you could (i.e. the golfer is willing and patient enough) would you tend to focus more on a person’s set-up and finding their optimal swing triggers versus trying to adjust the swing through drills? I have been able to trace all my swing flaws back to my setup and triggers and can now tell by feel whether I am about to make a solid swing. If not, I can back off and know the adjustment I need to make to get my optimal feel before swinging. I’ve had no permanent success with swing drills in the past compared to working on my setup. Do most people just do better with drills and I happened to be one that didn’t?

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Instruction

Clement: Stop ripping off your swing with this drill!

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Not the dreaded headcover under the armpit drill! As if your body is defective and can’t function by itself! Have you seen how incredible the human machine is with all the incredible feats of agility all kinds of athletes are accomplishing? You think your body is so defective (the good Lord is laughing his head off at you) that it needs a headcover tucked under the armpit so you can swing like T-Rex?

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How a towel can fix your golf swing

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This is a classic drill that has been used for decades. However, the world of marketed training aids has grown so much during that time that this simple practice has been virtually forgotten. Because why teach people how to play golf using everyday items when you can create and sell a product that reinforces the same thing? Nevertheless, I am here to give you helpful advice without running to the nearest Edwin Watts or adding something to your Amazon cart.

For the “scoring clubs,” having a solid connection between the arms and body during the swing, especially through impact, is paramount to creating long-lasting consistency. And keeping that connection throughout the swing helps rotate the shoulders more to generate more power to help you hit it farther. So, how does this drill work, and what will your game benefit from it? Well, let’s get into it.

Setup

You can use this for basic chip shots up to complete swings. I use this with every club in my bag, up to a 9 or 8-iron. It’s natural to create incrementally more separation between the arms and body as you progress up the set. So doing this with a high iron or a wood is not recommended.

While you set up to hit a ball, simply tuck the towel underneath both armpits. The length of the towel will determine how tight it will be across your chest but don’t make it so loose that it gets in the way of your vision. After both sides are tucked, make some focused swings, keeping both arms firmly connected to the body during the backswing and follow through. (Note: It’s normal to lose connection on your lead arm during your finishing pose.) When you’re ready, put a ball in the way of those swings and get to work.

Get a Better Shoulder Turn

Many of us struggle to have proper shoulder rotation in our golf swing, especially during long layoffs. Making a swing that is all arms and no shoulders is a surefire way to have less control with wedges and less distance with full swings. Notice how I can get in a similar-looking position in both 60° wedge photos. However, one is weak and uncontrollable, while the other is strong and connected. One allows me to use my larger muscles to create my swing, and one doesn’t. The follow-through is another critical point where having a good connection, as well as solid shoulder rotation, is a must. This drill is great for those who tend to have a “chicken wing” form in their lead arm, which happens when it becomes separated from the body through impact.

In full swings, getting your shoulders to rotate in your golf swing is a great way to reinforce proper weight distribution. If your swing is all arms, it’s much harder to get your weight to naturally shift to the inside part of your trail foot in the backswing. Sure, you could make the mistake of “sliding” to get weight on your back foot, but that doesn’t fix the issue. You must turn into your trial leg to generate power. Additionally, look at the difference in separation between my hands and my head in the 8-iron examples. The green picture has more separation and has my hands lower. This will help me lessen my angle of attack and make it easier to hit the inside part of the golf ball, rather than the over-the-top move that the other picture produces.

Stay Better Connected in the Backswing

When you don’t keep everything in your upper body working as one, getting to a good spot at the top of your swing is very hard to do. It would take impeccable timing along with great hand-eye coordination to hit quality shots with any sort of regularity if the arms are working separately from the body.

Notice in the red pictures of both my 60-degree wedge and 8-iron how high my hands are and the fact you can clearly see my shoulder through the gap in my arms. That has happened because the right arm, just above my elbow, has become totally disconnected from my body. That separation causes me to lift my hands as well as lose some of the extension in my left arm. This has been corrected in the green pictures by using this drill to reinforce that connection. It will also make you focus on keeping the lead arm close to your body as well. Because the moment either one loses that relationship, the towel falls.

Conclusion

I have been diligent this year in finding a few drills that target some of the issues that plague my golf game; either by simply forgetting fundamental things or by coming to terms with the faults that have bitten me my whole career. I have found that having a few drills to fall back on to reinforce certain feelings helps me find my game a little easier, and the “towel drill” is most definitely one of them.

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Clement: Why your practice swing never sucks

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You hear that one all the time; I wish I could put my practice swing on the ball! We explain the huge importance of what to focus on to allow the ball to be perfectly in the way of your practice swing. Enjoy!

 

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