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I sent it right down the middle of the fairway. I walked along feeling good, but
The ball fits perfectly inside the hole someone dug.
It feels unfair. I can't move it according to the rules, either. But if I play here like usual, I miss nine times out of ten.
There is a specific way to hit it.
01Why do I miss in a divot?
It's because the ball is below the floor. This changes two things.
| What | why |
|---|---|
| The club hits the dirt before it touches the ball. | The ball is inside the hollow. |
| The ball isn't flying. | The club cannot go under the ball. |
| The distance becomes shorter. | The speed drops due to dirt resistance. |
If you sweep the ball as usual, the club hits the back wall of the hollow first. That results in a fat shot.
So, you have to hit it in the divot.
02Change only three things
- One ball toward the right footThe angle at which the club comes down becomes steeper. It hits the ball first.
- Shift a little more weight to the left footAbout 60/40. Please load it on the left side from the beginning.
- Hold one club shorter and one club longer.Since the distance is shorter, use a longer club and a shorter grip.
03Why do I have to hit it hard?
The back of the hollow stands like a wall rather than the front.
If you sweep, the club gets caught on the wall first.
If you strike downwards from above, it goes over the wall and hits the back of the ball right away.
You just need to hit it with the feeling of "striking the ball into the ground."
It is normal to dig into the grass in a divot. Don't try to make it look pretty.
04First, look at where the ball is placed.
Even the same divot can vary in difficulty depending on its position.
- Front of the pit (towards the target)It's relatively easy. You just need to tap it a little harder than usual.
- In the middle of the hollowPlease apply all three of the above.
- Back of the hollow (attached to the wall)It's the hardest part. Give up on the distance and focus on pulling it out.
- The place filled with sandThink of it as a bunker. Even if you hit it a little behind, it will go out.
If you are stuck to the back wall, give up on being greedy.
Don't aim for the green; it's better to use a wedge to hit the ball to the front of the fairway.
It doesn't work out properly anyway. The one who sacrifices a stroke and hits the next shot comfortably wins.
05What will the club hold?
A club with a high loft is advantageous in a divot.
- Wood and utility clubs have wide soles and get caught in recesses. Please avoid them.
- With irons, it is safer to choose one shorter than a 7-iron. You need a high loft to get under the ball.
- If there is a long distance left, splitting the trip into two is also an option.
If I use a long iron to cover the distance, I usually hit a top ball.
Two short times are better than one long time.
06Lower your expectations
Even pros find it difficult to get the ball onto the green from a divot.
- Consider the distance to be about one club less.
- The ball flies low and rolls a lot. Plan to land it in front of the green.
- There is no backspin. It won't stop even if it lands on the green.
The goal here isn't to hit it well. It's to just get it over the net.
It's like the story where escaping from the rough comes first ([[LINK:L06]]).
07And one more thing
Please make sure to fill in the holes I dug before you leave. Just fill them with sand and press them down with your feet.
The next person might place the ball in the same spot as me.
That is the minimum observed at a golf course.
In the next part, I will cover how to visually verify the caddie's "adjust to the left."
