By Thomas Detry
The first thing you need to do is assess how deep the divot is and where within the divot the ball is lying. If it has rolled to the back of the divot it’s going to be trickier to play, but if it stands at the front and you can see the whole of the back of the ball then you can get all the club face on it – and that’s a much easier shot.
Take as much lost as possible
When you’re in a divot in the fairway you should not try and be too cute and always try and keep it in play, and using a club with more loft should ensure a good contact and should advance the ball 60-70-80 yards, depending on the lie and circumstance. I usually opt for something like my 52° gap wedge because it’s not likely that you’ll get it out with a 7 or 6-iron, or something longer.
Choke down on the club
Because we’re going to hit more of the ground during the shot, grip a few inches further down the club. Not quite as far down as to touch the metal shaft, but very close to the edge of the grip. This allows me to have a solid grip to go through the divot.
Swing with a steeper attack
Position the ball slightly back in your stance and swing as steep as you can while hitting the ball fi rst. Don’t be afraid to practice if you get a spot on a grassed driving range prior to play – it will help you prepare should the situation ever occur out on the course.
