How to Replace Divots at a Polo Match
Polo is a fast-paced game that has four players on each side competing against one another to score goals. Add in two mounted officials, and 10 horses pound the grass field. It's no wonder that grass is torn up by the horses' hooves. Divots, or small chunks of grass and dirt, open up throughout the field. It's important to replace the divots for the competitors' safety and for the maintenance of the field. It's become second nature in polo to do so. There is even a fun social aspect to divot replacement.
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Instructions
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How to Replace Divots at a Polo Match
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Find the piece of grass and match it with the crater in the ground. You might have to look around for few moments because it might not be right next to where the impression was made.
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2
Pick up the mound of grass and gently place it on the exposed soil like a piece in a puzzle.
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3
Step on it gently with your foot. You are finished when the divot is smoothly blended in with the earth surrounding it.
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Tips & Warnings
Participate in divot stomping at halftime. Spectators walk onto the field to help replace the divots. It's become a polo tradition. The fans get to socialize with one another while helping to ready the field for play after intermission.
Some groundskeepers prefer to fill the divot with a sand-based soil after the match.
Divots aren't always cleanly broken. There might be a piece of grass that is broken into two or three parts. You just have to find the pieces and repair them the best you can.
The sooner the divots are repaired, the better. If you're playing a game and there are no fans, don't wait for after the celebration the next week to fix the divots. Do it after the match.
