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Country: gb Page generated at: Saturday, 14 March 2026 at 2:54:10 Greenwich Mean Time
golf-tips
Iron play
When should you be taking a divot?

published: Dec 13, 2019

|

updated: Jul 11, 2023

When should you be taking a divot?

Andrew WrightLink

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There aren’t many better feelings than a crisply struck iron shot. But when should you take a divot? Elite coach Dan Whittaker gives his take

memorial tournament prize money

I’m often asked about divots and, to be honest, there’s no right or wrong. Most of it comes down to your swing – those with a steeper angle of attack will naturally take bigger divots. But there are some general rules which I explain in my video…

Taking divots: The main points

When should you take a divot? Well, it depends.

With your short irons, you’re likely to remove more turf due to the differences in set-up. The shorter club means you’ll be closer to the ball which steepens the attack angle.

As you work through the bag towards the longer clubs, the strike should shallow out but it depends on the angle you retain between your left arm and the shaft.

Want to learn more? You’ll have to watch the video…

Dan Whittaker is an elite golf swing and performance coach based at High Legh. For more information, visit his website or click here for more advice.

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