Intermediate
Divot
A divot is the strip of turf taken after impact with an iron. Its location and direction reveal your low point and club path — a free, visible feedback tool.
With irons you want to strike the ball first and the ground second, so a proper divot begins at or just past the ball. A divot that starts behind the ball signals a low point too far back (fat contact); one pointing left or right of target reveals club path direction. Reading divots is one of the oldest diagnostic shortcuts in golf and corroborates what a launch monitor measures.
Example
A divot that starts two inches behind the ball confirms the low point is too early — the cause of fat shots.
Related terms
- Attack AngleAttack angle is the vertical direction the clubhead is moving at impact. Negative means hitting down on the ball; positive means hitting up.
- Club PathClub path is the horizontal direction the clubhead is moving through impact, relative to the target line, in degrees. Positive is in-to-out (a draw bias); negative is out-to-in (a fade or slice bias).
- Low PointLow point is where the clubhead reaches the bottom of its arc through impact. Controlling it — keeping it at or just ahead of the ball with irons — is the basis of pure contact.
Related guides & benchmarks
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