How to Make the Perfect Divot

One good way to work on your golf swing is to watch the professionals play on TV. You might notice that every time they take a swing, they cut a neat divot out of the ground. This is an indicator that their timing at the point of impact with the ball is perfect. Ideally the golf ball is struck just before the downward swing of the club reaches its lowest point. That means a clean swing will dig down into the grass just after connecting with the ball. Here are instructions on how to make a perfect divot when you strike a golf ball.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Driving range
• Tee
• Golf balls
• Fairway iron golf clubs

1. Begin by placing the ball in front of you at a driving range. Hold the club comfortably in your left hand, so at full extension it sits on the grass. Place a golf tee one foot directly ahead of the golf ball.

2. Stand so the ball is about a foot in front of you and a few inches closer to your left foot than your right. Bend the knees slightly and wrap your right hand around the club’s grip below your left hand.

3. Pull your arms back so the club head is raised over your left shoulder. Keep watching the ball, but remember to turn at the waist as well. This is not just an arm movement, a golf swing incorporates the whole body. Put your weight on your left foot.

4. Push of with your left foot onto your right and begin the swing not with the arms, but with the hips. Twist at the waist and left your arms be dragged around behind it. Keep your left elbow locked at all times and swing through the ball to end with your club raised up over your left shoulder. Hitting the ball is not the goal so pay no attention to it. What you want to do is complete a full clean swing that swoops through the balls, slices a divot out of the ground, and nicks the top of the tee’s stem so it flies straight up in the air. If you can get the tee to fly straight up in the air then you will have made a perfect, dollar bill-sized divot.

Tips & Warnings

• A good way to alter your swing is to set up a video camera and record yourself swinging a few dozen times at a driving range. You can then study this footage to see what looks wrong with your swing and consciously alter your swing the next time you go golfing.
• This guide assumes the golfer is right handed, so for a left-handed swing just reverse left and right.

Resources

• Forum on taking the perfect divot

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