Are Divots Pointing Left A Good Thing In Golf (Video) - by Peter Finch
Are Divots Pointing Left A Good Thing In Golf (Video) - by Peter Finch

So what we need to now look at is the fact is if divots are traveling off to the left-hand side, is it a bad thing to be seeing? A lot of people do get a little bit obsessed with divots and maybe get a little bit too much into what they actually mean without knowing the full reasons behind it. So we've already spoken about swing arc. We've already spoken about path. How it will naturally, the club will travel more to an inside position as you strike down and through. So if it is going slightly off to the left-hand side, you can still hit straight shots.

But having said that, if you are aligned very, very well that club is moving from out to in and you're taking deep divots that are traveling too far left, that is not a good thing unless you're specifically trying to play a fade. However, even with that being said, the most technically correct way to play a fade and certainly the way to play a fade which will give the most distance and the most control is to actually move the body so it aims left of target line. And that will allow swing path to naturally move from out to in without having that over the top movement. With that over the top movement in the downswing, that is where you start to lose power. Now technical changes that you can make to really try and improve that divot pattern and just a general kind of overlook of how your downswing should be looking. As you are getting set up, you want that ball position nice and middle with the 8 iron that I have, getting set up, taking it away, moving it nice and wide back to its halfway position where that club is pretty much in front of the hands, getting that nice, big shoulder turn on the way back. But as you are coming down, you want the weight to be transferring left. You want that club to be just dropping in slightly behind if you are concerned about getting that over the top pattern, and then as it moves into the ball just getting those hands ahead. Now that's going to get the arc of the club moving from the inside, the path of the club moving from the inside. And as that path moves from the inside, getting those hands ahead and striking through, and actually trying to get that club extending more down towards the target rather than moving on the inside of the body. Now if you want to try and get that divot nice and straight towards the target that is the way that you're going to do it. And using that type of method will produce straight shots. But just remember when you are looking at divot patterns, try and understand and try and realize a 100% exactly what they mean. And if you have the availability, get yourself to a pro with a launch monitor, and you can look into it that little bit deeper. 2016-06-08

So what we need to now look at is the fact is if divots are traveling off to the left-hand side, is it a bad thing to be seeing? A lot of people do get a little bit obsessed with divots and maybe get a little bit too much into what they actually mean without knowing the full reasons behind it. So we've already spoken about swing arc. We've already spoken about path. How it will naturally, the club will travel more to an inside position as you strike down and through. So if it is going slightly off to the left-hand side, you can still hit straight shots.

But having said that, if you are aligned very, very well that club is moving from out to in and you're taking deep divots that are traveling too far left, that is not a good thing unless you're specifically trying to play a fade. However, even with that being said, the most technically correct way to play a fade and certainly the way to play a fade which will give the most distance and the most control is to actually move the body so it aims left of target line. And that will allow swing path to naturally move from out to in without having that over the top movement.

With that over the top movement in the downswing, that is where you start to lose power. Now technical changes that you can make to really try and improve that divot pattern and just a general kind of overlook of how your downswing should be looking. As you are getting set up, you want that ball position nice and middle with the 8 iron that I have, getting set up, taking it away, moving it nice and wide back to its halfway position where that club is pretty much in front of the hands, getting that nice, big shoulder turn on the way back.

But as you are coming down, you want the weight to be transferring left. You want that club to be just dropping in slightly behind if you are concerned about getting that over the top pattern, and then as it moves into the ball just getting those hands ahead. Now that's going to get the arc of the club moving from the inside, the path of the club moving from the inside. And as that path moves from the inside, getting those hands ahead and striking through, and actually trying to get that club extending more down towards the target rather than moving on the inside of the body.

Now if you want to try and get that divot nice and straight towards the target that is the way that you're going to do it. And using that type of method will produce straight shots. But just remember when you are looking at divot patterns, try and understand and try and realize a 100% exactly what they mean. And if you have the availability, get yourself to a pro with a launch monitor, and you can look into it that little bit deeper.