Divot Details
By Paul Wilson
Are you one of those golfers that's struggling to solve the
mystery of how the pros take those perfect divots with each iron
shot they hit? If you said yes, you may want to keep reading
because the mystery is finally going to be solved.
Understanding the Divot
A proper divot is actually taken after the ball has been hit.
This means that the club is descending as it approaches the
ball. It makes contact with the ball, then it enters the ground
to take the divot. The depth of the divot is relative to the
amount the club is descending as it approaches the ball. The
more descending the club, the deeper the divot. If the club is
not descending, it won't take a divot (unless you were to
severely dip your upper body or spine angle during the
downswing). There are 2 fundamentals you need in order to take a
proper divot. They are:
1. Arm Extension
Most average players try to hit the ball solely with their hands
and arms instead of the their body. Hitting with the hands and
arms causes the arm muscles to contract or buckle as the club
swings through impact. The harder the person hits, the more
their arms will contract. If the person's arms contract, it
narrows the arc that the club is swinging on (this buckling of
the arms is referred to as a "chicken wing"). If the arc
narrows, it's not able to impact the ground and take the divot.
Instead, it skims the surface or comes up so high on the ball it
will start to approach the equator of the ball. This narrowing
arc produces thin or topped shots.
Are you one of those golfers that's struggling to solve the
mystery of how the pros take those perfect divots with each iron
shot they hit? If you said yes, you may want to keep reading
because the mystery is finally going to be solved.
In looking to solve the mystery of not taking a divot, people
feel they have to hit down on the ball to get the club to enter
the ground. As I just explained, this will never work because
you are hitting. The harder you hit, the more the arms will
buckle, the less divot you will take. What you should be doing
is relaxing your arms as you swing the club and not trying to
hit anything. The feeling should be that the weight of the club
is pulling your arms out to their widest point. This pulling
sensation can only occur if your arms are relaxed. A great way
to understand it would be to imagine a weight swinging on a
piece of string. Your club is the weight and your arms are the
string. As it swings, the string is pulled to its widest point.
This means it is maximizing the width of the arc its swinging
on. If your arms are relaxed, the weight of the swinging club
will pull your arms out as well thus maximizing you arc. Keeping
the arms extended is the first part to taking a divot. Now,
let's take a look at how the body rotation makes the club to
descend.
2. Body Rotation
The proper body rotation throughout the golf swing is what
creates the divot because it causes the club to descend at
impact. Think of it this way, if you were to hit the ball
standing on one leg you would have one axis between your head,
body and leg. This means that the club would be swinging around
a single axis because your head would not be moving. This also
means that the club would only swing at ground level and pick
the ball off of the surface without taking a divot.
Because you're going to hit the ball with both legs on the
ground, it means that you have 1 top (head) and 2 bottoms (legs)
to an axis. When you rotate into the backswing, you create your
first axis between your head. body and right leg. As you start
the lower body rotation on the way down, it forces your head to
stay behind the ball at impact.
As you make the move to create your second axis between your
head, body and left leg. Because your head stays behind the ball
you are actually lower at impact than you were at address. If
you keep your arms extended throughout the downswing your club
will descend as it hits the ball thus taking a divot.
Hitting With Arms
If you are someone who hits at the ball solely with your arms it
means you are not using your legs so you don't get the head
staying behind the ball through impact. The hitting also
contracts your arms instead of allowing them to extend. This
contraction pulls the arms off of the ground.
Sliding Laterally
Likewise, if your body slides laterally through the shot instead
of turning, your upper body will tilt too much to the right
through impact forcing the club to hit behind the ball too much.
What you should be doing in order to take proper divots is to
work on your body rotation. In your backswing, you should move
your head overtop of your right instep. This will create your
first axis between your head, body and right leg. Then, keep
your head back as you approach impact. Once the ball is hit,
your head then moves overtop of your left leg to create your
second axis between your head, body an left leg. So really you
have a floating top (your head) to an axis.
Although it's difficult to describe without pictures I think you
get the point. In order to take proper divots you have to relax
your arms to maximize the width of your arc. Then, you have to
connect that arc to a rotating body. Because you are going
between 2 pivot points it tilts your body to the right through
impact. This tilting puts you lower than you were at address
thus making the club descend as it approaches the ball.
Paul Wilson
Creator - Swing Machine Golf
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