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Practice Swings & Divots

Diane

Diane

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Someone told me recently that you're not supposed to take a divot on your practice swing. I started watching people and noticed it's about 50/50 of those who do/don't. I played with a guy who took divots on his practice swings and none on his actual shot. That was odd, but anyway - do you take a divot on your practice swing? Why or why not?
 
I only take practice swings on the tee box or if I am waiting, so I do not take a divot. If I am struggling, I will take a practice swing, but otherwise, I find it hurts my game.
 
I take a practice swing that intentionally brushes the grass. I have already gotten my feet set for the actual shot, so once I take the practice swing to judge where the clubhead is in relationship to my ball, I move my feet in to get the distance correct and swing away. If I took a divot, it was an accident and I reset and start over.

Funny story! I was playing with two friends and on a par 3, friend A was taking practice swings, took a huge divot and covered friend B in dirt. Friend B turned, brushed himself off, and returned the favor. I was laughing so hard I couldn't have swung if I wanted to.
 
Part of my pre-shot routine is one practice swing. That one practice swing is to feel my release through impact. I never take a divot with my practice swings. :comp:
 
for some reason I rarely take a divot at all practice swing or real... that's prolly why I top the ball so much I am almost scared to hit the ground I don't know why.
 
Zero practice swings here, I have no clue exactly what a practice swing is supposed to be showing me. Plus what if that swing was the 1 good shot & I wasted it on a practice swing?:D
 
For every iron shot should you be taking a divot? I noticed while watching pro golf this past weekend they take out huge shots with almost every iron shot....am i doing something wrong? I barely ever take a divot while using my irons, is this why i am "topping" the ball?
 
That is probably a question for our ask the pro section. You will get a lot of different opinions here, but surely he can help you most.

That said, there are many kinds of golf swings, and some take divots and some do not. I take one with every iron shot, but many do not.
 
JB said:
That is probably a question for our ask the pro section. You will get a lot of different opinions here, but surely he can help you most.

That said, there are many kinds of golf swings, and some take divots and some do not. I take one with every iron shot, but many do not.
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Just something to try I guess.....I just feel sorry for the gardners lol:banghead:
 
No divot, but usually my practice swing is not a real swing. I usually try to make the practice swing at 75% speed to focus on a single swing thought.
 
Usually I don't even take a practice swing. Just walk up, try to make sure I'm set up correctly, and swing away. Most of the time I don't even take a divot, but have started to on occasion.

Unless, of course, I'm digging furrows starting 6" behind the ball...:beat-up:
 
I don’t usually take any practice swings.
 
AHacker'sHacker said:
I don’t usually take any practice swings.
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Why do the pros take so long to hit then? Just always wondered this. They take forever it seems. They know there game, they know they are the best in the world so why don't they just go right up there and hit it? They take a few practice swings step back, then take a few more then finally hit it.
 
clg82 said:
Why do the pros take so long to hit then? Just always wondered this. They take forever it seems. They know there game, they know they are the best in the world so why don't they just go right up there and hit it? They take a few practice swings step back, then take a few more then finally hit it.
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And that's what slows the courses up, every hacker out there thinks they have to act like a pro.
 
clg82 said:
Why do the pros take so long to hit then? Just always wondered this. They take forever it seems. They know there game, they know they are the best in the world so why don't they just go right up there and hit it? They take a few practice swings step back, then take a few more then finally hit it.
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They are playing for a million bucks. We're not.
 
I call my whiffs a practice swing just to avoid embarassment divot or not..
 
We used to say (to each other) that if you are so bad you miss the ball we aren't gonna count that one! haha
 
Well I guess I'm in the minority here ..... I take three practice swings and do take divots ..... sometimes usually with my wedges.
 
I usually take one "practice" swing, no divot. It's not really a practice swing though, I just make sure that when the club is parallel to the groung the head is straight up, rotate back and through. Then I step up and hit it. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.
 
I only do one practice swing and never take a divot, throws my tempo and groove off since I am more trying to create muscle memory for the shot/shape I am attempting than actually practicing the "hitting" part of the ball. Never had a problem with the actual strike so it just messes me up. Usually brush the grass a little though, cause it seems when I swing in air I always hit it thin.

Plus on a side note I have seen lots of people take divots on their practice swing and actually hurt themselves (hands, wrists, back etc) cause they dug to Botswana or the like! Which is weird if you think about it because I haven't seen as many get hurt when they take a huge divot during an actual shot...........weird, huh?:confused2:
 
Smallville said:
They are playing for a million bucks. We're not.
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ROFL! :D

IF I ever do ANYTHING for a million bucks I'm gonna take my time, PERIOD! :banana:

Although there are a few "quick" strikers on tour now, more so than there used to be it seems sometimes. 'Memeber when Sergio had (some would argue he still "has") that God-awful waggle that lasted like 70 seconds, whew it made me nervous/uncomfortable when he actually went for it cause I didn't expect it!
 
Some golf courses are not divot friendly with their firm turf. The pros play on what I call very divot friendly turf. :cool:
 
Jimmyboy said:
Well I guess I'm in the minority here ..... I take three practice swings and do take divots ..... sometimes usually with my wedges.
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Then you have a big chunk of grass missing right next to your ball - doesn't that affect your shot?

On another note - doesn't it take you forever to swing, clean your club, swing, clean your club, swing, clean your club and then finally hit your ball - on every shot?
 
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