A step-by-step guide, from club selection to ball positioning.
Imagine standing up on the first tee and striping the perfect drive down the middle of the fairway. You’re feeling great as you drive your golf cart down the path to find your perfect drive in a deep..fat..divot. What are the chances, right? With the increased number of golfers frequenting the links, I would say your chances are pretty high during peak season. Unfortunately, an unfilled divot is even more likely.
Here’s your guide to hitting your ball out of a divot.
Assess The Divot And Ball Placement. Take a look to see how deep the divot is and where the ball sits in the divot. If the ball sits anywhere toward the front of the divot, it will be a much more manageable shot. If it sits toward the back, you will need to hit the ball with a steeper angle.
Select A Club. I highly suggest you grab an iron to hit this shot since the ball sits below ground level, so if your measured yardage is longer than the longest iron distance you have in the bag, grab the longest iron.
Decide The Shot. Wherever the ball sits, you are looking to hit a punch shot out of the divot. Your swing size will be at most a 3/4 length, and you will finish low. The goal is to make a deeper divot with your shot, so the ball comes out clean. If the ball sits toward the back of the divot, you will need a steeper angle of attack into the ball. The ball flight won’t be high, but you can expect more spin than usual most of the time.
Position The Ball. Set the ball two revolutions back of center, so it’s positioned for you to hit down.
Stay Down And Steady. If you even take a small peek at where the ball might go, you will most likely top the ball, so make sure you maintain posture and go after the ball. Once you finish, make sure to replace your divot!
Tip provided by: Cathy Kim, PGA/LPGA & Top 25 Instructor
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