consistent divots with irons

[MK7Golf21]

So I can get divots in front of the ball with ease on my practice swings but alot of times (especially say 3-6 iron) when I actually hit the ball I dont take a divot. Sometimes Il take a practice swing and a nice divot will go flying in the air, a divot that would be in front of the ball if I were hitting but cant get these kind of divots when striking a ball really. I could take divots all day in front of the ball position on practice swings. Anyone else do this?

[juststeve]

One of the major things that distinguishes good ball strikers from erratic ones is that the good ball strikers touch ground in the same place on every swing. There can be a lot of reasons for the inconsistency but you will never play to your potential until you can create a consistent divot pattern swing after swing. You might investigate whether you are experiencing a change in your spine angle, whether you have too much lateral movement in your swing, or whether you are swinging at the ball with the hands instead of swing through the impact zone. You might want to find your natural divot position by swinging without a ball, making that consistent and then introduce the ball.

Steve

[MK7Golf21]

[quote name='juststeve' timestamp='1309532662' post='3355955']
One of the major things that distinguishes good ball strikers from erratic ones is that the good ball strikers touch ground in the same place on every swing. There can be a lot of reasons for the inconsistency but you will never play to your potential until you can create a consistent divot pattern swing after swing. You might investigate whether you are experiencing a change in your spine angle, whether you have too much lateral movement in your swing, or whether you are swinging at the ball with the hands instead of swing through the impact zone. [b]You might want to find your natural divot position by swinging without a ball, making that consistent and then introduce the ball.
[/b]
Steve
[/quote]

well thats the thing. My low point is in the same spot everytime on practice swings, after the ball. I can see it, I believe my lowpoint is still after the ball on strikes but I dont take a divot like I can do with ease on practice swings. Its when I actually impact a ball that a divot doesnt go flying, I think the impact of the ball or something might play a role.

[juststeve]

If you're making consistent divots with practice swings then you are 1/2 way home. Now you need to put the practice swing on the ball which usually means fighting the tendency to hit at the ball and just swing the club instead. Make a good swing and allow it to collect the ball on the way through. The presence of the ball is obviously effecting the path of your swing and that's mental, not physical.

Steve

[cbellamore]

yeah its good to take a few practice swings and then have a buddy just place a ball down on the ground and keep that same tempo going and try to not notice the ball there and get a nice flow going


this helped me a lot with my ball striking recently and ive gone from one of the worst sweepers to hitting down on the ball normally now

[baseballfrk8998]

You could be lifting your head up slightly too.. I find myself doing the exact same thing from time to time and occasionally it will result in thin shots..

Some of the slow motion shots of K.J. today showed him still looking down exactly where he'd made contact long after he'd actually made contact.. I haven't been playing long but I'd say that it looked textbook..

[carrera]

Swings without a ball (like your practice swings) don't really count for much because you don't need to square the face. Many folks swing "great" without a ball but likely the face is wide open at impact.

PS, I must note that it isn't proper etiquette to take a divot with practice swings.

[MK7Golf21]

i hit down on the ball but alot of times I will just graze the grass after the ball instead of a divot esp with longer irons. TBO most, in fact nearly all, amatures I see dont take consistent divots, Im actually surprised that alot of the posters talk like they have it down.

[MK7Golf21]

so coming back to this topic. I recently went to a pro tournament since I created this thread. I noticed how much all the players hit down on the ball and create a divot after the ball so I was determined to get more consistent with this. I strike the ball good imo but I want better divots, like the pros. I mean if they do this, its necassary to get this down. Went to the range recently and tried looking after the ball at address, maybe an inch or so. Instantly I was creating pro divots after the ball and the strikes were good.

[Poser]

[quote name='Redjeep83' timestamp='1310236542' post='3377435']
so coming back to this topic. I recently went to a pro tournament since I created this thread. I noticed how much all the players hit down on the ball and create a divot after the ball so I was determined to get more consistent with this. I strike the ball good imo but I want better divots, like the pros. I mean if they do this, its necassary to get this down. Went to the range recently and tried looking down after the ball at address, maybe an inch or so. Instantly I was creating pro divots after the ball and the strikes were good.
[/quote]

Not all of them are hitting huge divots. Alot of the greatest players were pickers of the golf ball.

[MK7Golf21]

[quote name='poser' timestamp='1310238558' post='3377474']
[quote name='Redjeep83' timestamp='1310236542' post='3377435']
so coming back to this topic. I recently went to a pro tournament since I created this thread. I noticed how much all the players hit down on the ball and create a divot after the ball so I was determined to get more consistent with this. I strike the ball good imo but I want better divots, like the pros. I mean if they do this, its necassary to get this down. Went to the range recently and tried looking down after the ball at address, maybe an inch or so. Instantly I was creating pro divots after the ball and the strikes were good.
[/quote]

Not all of them are hitting huge divots. Alot of the greatest players were pickers of the golf ball.
[/quote]

yea, well most of the ones I saw. Cink, Day, Stricker, duval, daly, vegas, johnson, etc. pretty much all of them were getting consistent divots after the ball on the range and the course. Something I hadnt noticed to that extreme until I saw them hit the ball live. It totally eliminates the thin shot too.

[FATC1TY]

I've noticed on my best ball striking days, even when I've flattened my swing, is that I take a very healthy long divot. My goal is to MAKE the divot, rather than to HIT the ball.

When my divot swings out with my path, points to where I aimed, I can almost bet a beer in the clubhouse the ball will be close to where I wanted it.

Obviously with the longer clubs, it's harder to make yourself hit down on it well enough rather than pick it, but your divot should be shorter and shallower I think.

You might eliminate the thin shot, but you will introduce the fat shot if you tend to start mashing down on the ball and thinking too much.

[MK7Golf21]

[quote name='FATC1TY' timestamp='1310241426' post='3377559']
I've noticed on my best ball striking days, even when I've flattened my swing, is that I take a very healthy long divot. My goal is to MAKE the divot, rather than to HIT the ball.

When my divot swings out with my path, points to where I aimed, I can almost bet a beer in the clubhouse the ball will be close to where I wanted it.

Obviously with the longer clubs, it's harder to make yourself hit down on it well enough rather than pick it, but your divot should be shorter and shallower I think.

You might eliminate the thin shot, but you will introduce the fat shot if you tend to start mashing down on the ball and thinking too much.
[/quote]

yea, i think when I was looking at the ball I would hit it and not get a heathy divot. When I look slightly after the ball I try to take out the grass after the ball creating the heathy divot and the pure shot. I hit alot of shots where I didnt even feel the ball and a divot went flying in the air with the ball flying downrange. This seems to work for me, when i was trying to hit behind the ball with bunker shots I would look slightly behind the ball.