Taking divot with the iron clubs

[Gobble_It]

Is there any tips to do that consitently ?

I hit the ball decently but rarely take any divot with my irons. I think this is the reason my iron distance is quite mediocre (7i ~ 120 yards).

Thanks

[jvincent]

You have to hit down on the ball. That is the only way.

If you picture a spot just past the ball and try hitting that, with the ball getting in the way of the club, you will take a divot.

[justsomeguy]

Saw this on the FGI forum:

Do the clip the tee drill... Once you can do it with a ball teed, then do it with the ball on the ground.

It is rather simple, you merely attempt to focus on your golf stroke causing the club head to hit the little ball then clip the tee that is about 4" in front on line with the ball.

Do it first with just chip shots, then pitches, then full shots. I find that warming up with this and having the feet together does wonders for hitting good shots, solid contact. Once you think that is easy, then do it with the feet together and eyes closed.

[sillywilly]

something BCmist told me really helped. If I have my hands infront of the ball at impact and my left wrist flat... i take a divot. I never used to last year and this year I can't hit a ball without taking a divot

[jvincent]

I challenge anyone on this forum to a divot-off.

Ask Geoff if you have a chance.

[GarthM]

Like jvincent said, picture a spot about 4 inches in front of the ball and hit to that spot. It will feel very awkward at first however it works. In Bobby Clampett's book (can't remember the title right now) he calls it a "forward swing bottom" where the deepest part of your divot is 4 inches in front of where the ball is. If you do this you will ensure you hit the ball first and take a divot. Your distance will improve as you have not only used all the loft on the club, but have probably de-lofted it to a degree. You will see much improved ball striking.

[GarthM]

I challenge anyone on this forum to a divot-off.

Ask Geoff if you have a chance.

I may take that challenge.....

[jvincent]

Easy money.

[rancherJ]

I challenge anyone on this forum to a divot-off.

I'm like a "bacon strip" you?

[Big Johnny69]

I'm like a "bacon strip" you?

Garth, if you take as deep a divot as John, you guys should never be allowed to play the same golf course on the same day. They'd have to close the course to re-fill and re-sod the fwys. John takes massive and massively deep divots. I've never seen anyone close.

When I caddied for him in the Citizen last year, I had to carry the divots back with two hands because they were so big and heavy.

[jvincent]

I'm like a "bacon strip" you?

I think Geoff's description is pretty accurate.

The funny thing is when I first started I was a sweeper and rarely took a divot.

Once I figured out how to hit down on the ball, divot city. The only club I consistently don't take divots with are driver off the tee.

[Marcos]

Mine are like beaver tails.Big and fat.LOL

I'm like a "bacon strip" you?

[retread]

LBH rips the meanest divots I have ever seen. Last year I paced out a 2 foot divot he took that ended up 24 yards down the fairway.


retread.

[Gofish2]

I understand the theory behind taking divots, but have a bit of trouble understanding where the optimum point is. Watching the pros, i notice that some hardly take any and some take lots and I cant see a correlation between divot and distance at the pro level. Can one of our resident experts break down the science ?

[jvincent]

The size of the divot depends on the type of shot you are trying to hit, the club you are using, and the lie.

If I'm hitting a 3i from a flat lie in the fairway, I'll take a small divot.

If I'm trying to hit a full wedge with a lot of spin on it, it will look like a backhoe has been on the course. Especially if the ground is soft.

Downhill vs uphill lies can also make a difference.

[Bouche]

When I was inbetween clubs I used to put the ball a little further back in my stance then I normally do and hit down on the ball that way I get more yardage and more spin. I guess it all depends on the shot you wanna take and sometimes the divot comes when you dont want it to "the chunkeroo" but I always try to make a divot unless i have no grass under my ball and im by the green.

I would love to tak the divot challenge....120 yard lobwedge with a Tiger Divot

[leftylucas]

Is there any tips to do that consitently ?

I hit the ball decently but rarely take any divot with my irons. I think this is the reason my iron distance is quite mediocre (7i ~ 120 yards).

Thanks

I also had a very arch type swing with little or no divot but I did not suffer from the shorts like you are mentioning. Tom Watson for the longest time did not take many divots but there is no doubt that the drills above will help you get a better contact on the ball. One thing for sure you must be awesome in a fairway bunker like me!! The point is to make solid downward contact on the ball and let the divots fly where and how they may.

[mberube]

Try this drill. Forward the clip to around 5 minutes. You will learn quickly that hitting the board is not pleasant and learn to hit down.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=44fev4wqC6U

Mike

[LBH]

LBH rips the meanest divots I have ever seen. Last year I paced out a 2 foot divot he took that ended up 24 yards down the fairway.


retread.

That might explain my back problems...

[CH59]

The best way to learn to hit down on the ball is by hitting chip shots with a Sand Wedge or Lob Wedge. Place the ball back in your stance until you can consistently hit the ball first with a slightly descending blow and then the club contacts the ground.
Feel like you are compressing the ball against the turf with the clubface. Once you feel confident with chips, just increase the length of your swings and try to recreate the feeling of hitting the ball first with a slightly descending blow. The divot will take care of itself. Swing through the ball.

[Gobble_It]

Thanks for all the tips guys..I'll try a couple and see how it goes
1) hitting a tee 4-5 inches ahead of the ball
2) start hands at impact position , then full swing
3) chipping motion, keep pronated wrist

[CH59]

I understand the theory behind taking divots, but have a bit of trouble understanding where the optimum point is. Watching the pros, i notice that some hardly take any and some take lots and I cant see a correlation between divot and distance at the pro level. Can one of our resident experts break down the science ?

Some Pros have a more upright swing with a steeper angle into the ball which creates a bigger divot and some of them have flatter swings where the clubhead approaches the ball from a shallower angle and therefore a shallower or smaller divot is produced.
Sounds good doesn't it?

[jvincent]

If you have seen me swing you would see that flat swing planes can also take deep divots.

[Gobble_It]

I tried the tee in front of ball drill on the range and found it very awkward at first...but I am now taking divot more often; however they are still a bit behind the ball (1/4 ball) or just a small one in front...I probably need to shift my weight to the left a bit more on downswing.

Out on the course, I don't even think about this technique and just go...it seems to help . I hit the iron crisp, straight and the balls jump off the face quite nicely (compressed)...Will keep practicing.

Yes, I get the ball out of the long bunker every time

I also had a very arch type swing with little or no divot but I did not suffer from the shorts like you are mentioning. Tom Watson for the longest time did not take many divots but there is no doubt that the drills above will help you get a better contact on the ball. One thing for sure you must be awesome in a fairway bunker like me!! The point is to make solid downward contact on the ball and let the divots fly where and how they may.