Nina Caldwell
Taking shallow divots is an important aspect of golf as it can improve your game and save your body from injuries. A divot is the amount of grass or turf that is removed or disturbed when a golfer swings their club and hits the ball. When a golfer takes a big divot, it means that their club head is coming down too steeply, which can cause the ball to go lower and shorter than intended. To avoid this, golfers should aim for a shallow angle of attack, with the clubhead interacting with the turf just before hitting the ball. This will result in a shallow divot, improved ball contact, and reduced impact on the golfer's wrists, elbows, and shoulders.
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What You'll Learn
- Shallow divots lead to better contact with the ball and save your wrists, elbows and shoulders from breaking down
- Avoid a steep swing plane to prevent deep divots
- The Swing Under a String Drill can help shallow your swing plane
- Avoid hitting down on the ball—swing up to a T-finish
- Keep your divots relatively square with the same shallow depth from start to finish
Shallow divots lead to better contact with the ball and save your wrists, elbows and shoulders from breaking down
Shallow divots are not only good for better contact with the ball but also save your wrists, elbows, and shoulders from breaking down. If you are taking a big divot every time, you will soon start feeling the physical effects. The secret to becoming a better ball striker is not necessarily hitting down steeply on the golf ball to produce a huge divot.
To shallow out your divots, you need to shallow out your swing plane. If your swing plane is too steep, you will hit down on the ball dramatically and may push the ball down into the ground, killing your distance. A steep angle of attack can also result in shots that are too low or too high. When you release late, you tend to come in more shallow and take divots that are not as deep.
To practice, you can try the Swing Under a String Drill. Another way to practice is to hit balls off a tee. Take a 7 iron and place the ball on a tee, but tee it very low so that it is barely above the level of the dirt. Now hit full shots off the tee and make sure that the tee remains undisturbed. Your golf divot should start about an inch in front of the tee, and the tee should not be clipped or broken.
If you are taking shallow divots, you will be able to control the dynamic loft and compress the ball against the turf. The result will be a nice, shallow divot.
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Avoid a steep swing plane to prevent deep divots
A steep swing plane can cause your club head to come down too steep, resulting in deep divots. To prevent this, you should aim for a shallow swing plane. This means that the clubhead does not point to the sky as much on the downswing, and the shaft stays relatively flat in relation to the ground.
A steep swing plane can cause the club to get more vertical in the downswing, creating a negative angle of attack and resulting in severe contact with the ball. This can lead to taking bigger divots and causing physical strain on your wrists, elbows, and shoulders.
To achieve a shallow swing plane, you can try the Swing Under a String Drill. This drill helps you get on a more inside path and shallow out your swing plane. Another tip is to focus on the movement of your lead shoulder during the takeaway or backswing. By moving your lead shoulder down, you can stabilize the center of your shoulders, which is key to keeping your head steady during the swing.
Additionally, you can practice hitting balls off a tee with a 7-iron. Place the ball on a tee that is barely above the level of the dirt and hit full shots without disturbing the tee. This drill helps you achieve the ideal divot position, which should start about an inch in front of the tee.
By avoiding a steep swing plane and implementing these drills and techniques, you can prevent deep divots and improve your golf swing.
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The Swing Under a String Drill can help shallow your swing plane
Shallowing your swing plane is critical to taking shallow divots in golf. When you take a divot that is too deep, it means your club head is coming down too steeply, which can cause physical pain in your wrists, elbows, and shoulders.
To shallow your swing plane, you can try the Swing Under a String Drill. This involves tying a piece of string (around 5 feet long) to two tees, with your ball placed in the middle of the string and underneath it. When you swing, ensure that your club head stays inside the swing (towards your body) and does not go outside the string. This helps you groove your golf swing on the takeaway and after impact, preventing you from coming over the top or too far inside.
Another drill to shallow your swing plane is to use an alignment stick and a noodle or headcover. Place the alignment stick in the ground at a 45-degree angle and position yourself so that the noodle touches the top of your wrist. When you swing back and through, your hands should pass just below the noodle. This drill helps you maintain the same plane throughout your swing, improving efficiency.
Additionally, you can try kneeling on the driving range and taking practice swings, keeping the clubhead close to the ground. This will help you achieve a shallower swing plane by promoting a more rounded golf swing and improving your awareness of how your arms rotate during the swing.
By implementing these drills, you can effectively shallow your swing plane, leading to improved ball contact, increased distance, and reduced strain on your body.
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Avoid hitting down on the ball—swing up to a T-finish
Hitting down on the golf ball is a common piece of golfing advice, but it is often misunderstood. While the intent is good, many golfers interpret "hitting down" as swinging steeply into the ball, which can lead to chunked shots, poor contact, and frustration.
To shallow your divots, you need to shallow out your swing plane. A steep swing plane will cause your club head to come down too steep, and you will hit down on the ball dramatically. This can cause you to push the ball down into the ground and kill your distance. A steep angle of attack can also mean shots that are too low or too high.
To shallow your swing plane, you can try the Swing Under a String Drill. This drill will help you get on a more inside path.
Instead of hitting down on the ball, you should swing up to a T-finish. This means focusing on your weight transferring to the lead side and continuing your finish until all the weight is on the lead side. You want your golf club to strike the ball first and then take a divot as it continues through the low point. This will give you better contact with the ball and save your wrists, elbows, and shoulders from breaking down.
To practice this, you can use an alignment stick. Tape it down the shaft of your club so it extends past the grip and runs along your lead side. Then, make small swings where the club only reaches waist-high on both sides. Focus on keeping the stick from slapping your lead side. As you get more consistent, build up to fuller swings. The goal is to prevent early release and hold your wrist angles through impact for better compression.
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Keep your divots relatively square with the same shallow depth from start to finish
To keep your divots relatively square with the same shallow depth from start to finish, you must first understand the importance of the angle of attack and the role of shaft lean.
The angle of attack refers to the angle at which the clubhead approaches the ball, and this angle determines the depth of the divot. A steep angle of attack will result in deeper divots, while a shallow angle will produce shallower divots. Therefore, to achieve a shallow divot, you should aim for a relatively shallow angle of attack. This can be achieved by ensuring your swing plane is not too steep; a steep swing plane will cause the clubhead to descend too steeply, resulting in deeper divots.
The key to achieving a shallow divot is to focus on the finish of your swing and ensure you are not "hitting down" on the ball excessively. The phrase "swing up to a T finish facing the target" emphasizes the importance of swinging up towards the target instead of focusing on hitting down. This upward swing will help you achieve a shallow divot.
Additionally, achieving forward shaft lean is critical for taking a divot in front of the ball, which is crucial for consistency in iron shots. Forward shaft lean is the result of having lag in your golf swing, which allows more time for your hands to get in front of the ball before impact. This forward shaft lean enables you to make contact with the ball first and then brush the grass, creating a shallow divot.
To practice this, you can use the Swing Under a String Drill or the drill suggested by Chuck from Rotary Swing: place a ball on a tee, with the tee barely above the level of the dirt. Then, use a 7 iron to hit full shots, ensuring that the tee remains undisturbed. This drill helps you achieve the proper shaft lean and divot position in front of the ball.
By focusing on a shallower angle of attack, swinging up towards the target, and achieving forward shaft lean, you can keep your divots relatively square with the same shallow depth throughout your game.
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Frequently asked questions
If you're taking a big divot, it means that your club head is coming down too steep. This can cause physical strain on your wrists, elbows, and shoulders.
You want your attack angle to be relatively shallow to avoid making extremely deep divots. Hitting down on the ball is good, but it's important not to overdo it. The best players in the world with a 7-iron average between 4.5 and 5 degrees down.
Try to shallow out your swing plane. You can try the Swing Under a String Drill to help you get on a more inside path. It's also important to have shaft lean, which can be achieved by having lag in your golf swing.
