There is an old saying “Dead men tell no lies”But did you know that there is an identical one in golf?
That’s right… with golf, the equivalent is, “The divot never lies.”
I’ll be honest, I don’t know if that’s a saying or not, but it’s 100% true. If you’ve been playing the game for any amount of time, you know that a divot can tell the full story of a golf shot.
There’s nothing better than hitting a perfect shot, looking down, and seeing the perfect divot to match. On the other hand, it’s frustrating when you hit a bad shot and the divot confirms it, which just adds insult to injury.
What if there was a tool that could help you to reverse engineer your swing and hit it more consistently?
Luckily, there is… introducing the Divot Board. This revolutionary training aid could be the right tool for you to improve your shot and score lower.
Divot Board Review
Unfortunately, we don’t always get to practice on real grass and see what story the divot actually tells. Most golfers practice indoors or outdoors on a mat, especially in winter.
While hitting from mats is better than nothing, you don’t get to see your divot to help analyze your swing. The good news is that you can see your divot to help analyze your swing. Divot BoardYou can practice indoors or outside and instantly grasp the divot patterns. This will allow you to adjust your swing as necessary to straighten the ball and eventually, improve your ball striking ability.
What is the? Divot Board?
The divot boardIt is a unique tool for training. It’s a small board that helps you get instant feedback from your swing, even if you’re practicing inside.
It gives you instant feedback on every swing you make to identify your divot pattern. Knowing your divot patterns makes it much easier to analyze your swing patterns, and make adjustments if necessary.
With each swing and “divot” you make, you can tell if you hit it straight, pull, push, fat, or hit one thin. You can also get instant feedback so that you can make any adjustments right away. You don’t have to sync it to an app like some training aids to analyze your swing.
The basic principle of ball flight laws is the basis of the device. The ball will use one of nine shot patterns depending upon your swing and clubface at impact.
Take this example:
- If you pull the ball, your divot is to the left of target. The face will determine if it’s a pull draw, straight pull, or pull cut.
- Your divot will also show a straight shot if you hit it.
- If you push the golfball, your divot is to the right of your target. Just like the other example, the face at impact will determine if it’s a push cut, straight push, or push draw.
It is easier to modify your swing when you have a better understanding these laws.
Not to mention, it’s very user-friendly WithoutAny complicated setup on your side.
How to Use Divot Board
The cool thing about this board is that it’s incredibly easy to use, unlike most training aids. You can grab the club and take the board out of its box and begin swinging.
You need to ensure you have enough space to use this new gadget. While the dimensions itself are small (22” long x 6” wide), you need to have enough room to swing the club. Additionally, you will need to have a stable surface for the board to be used.
Here’s how to use the divotboard in four steps:
- Place the board so that your target is on the board. As if the ball were going to hit a hole on a golf course, or driving range, set up the ball on the board.
- Once you’re in a good setup, take a normal swing as if you’re hitting a real golf ball. Don’t focus on the board, act as if you’re hitting a ball on the range or course.
- Your swing will transform the turf from green to yellow, where a normal divot would appear. After you finish the swing, now it’s time to do some detective work and read your divot. Is it straight at you target? Right? Left?
- Reset the board. After you “make a divot” you can instantly adjust the board by resetting it with your hand or club. If the course is difficult, you can brush the turf in the opposite direction.
Then, it’s time to analyze and assess your divot to make necessary swing changes as needed.
Assessing Your Divot
You will notice certain tendencies in your game after you have swung a few times. Old habits are hard to break, as you’ll see in golf.
For example, maybe you’re too far over the top and the divot is always left of the target. Or, maybe you’re too shallow, and your divot is facing right.
When reading your divot like an expert golfer, you should consider three things: direction, depth, as well as the divot to ball position.
Divot Direction
The first thing to consider is the DirectionThe divot. Is it right? Left? Or straight at your target.
If it’s straight, great job, you just hit one of the hardest shots in golf… a straight one! But you still want to make sure the face is square at impact, otherwise it’ll be a straight ball flight but have a fade or draw.
Meanwhile, if it’s left or right, you might need to make some backswing or downswing changes to improve your ball striking.
If you’re like most golfers, you’ll probably find a divot going left, as a result of an over the top move. If this sounds familiar, and you’d like to correct it, check out our post on how to shallowen your swing.
Depth of Divot
While the direction is important, don’t forget about the depth of the divot as well. While you won’t actually take any turf with you on this training aid, you can still get a good idea of the depth.
So how “deep” should your divot be? Once I heard a coach say, “Your divots should look like a thin strip of bacon.”
This is a great example, if you think about. A good divot should not be more than one inch below the grass. It should be the same width as a slice of bacon. If it’s deeper than that, chances are you’re going to hit it fat and end up way short.
With this device, you’ll also notice if you don’t get any divot at all. If the grass barely changes from green to white, you’re likely going to thin the ball and sail the green.
Depending on which club you hit, the size of your divots can change. They should be larger with short irons and wedges than with longer clubs. The divot will be smaller if you have longer clubs. Your swing naturally becomes shallower with longer clubs.
Ball Location – Divot
The last thing to consider is where the divot is relative to the ball. Ideally, you want to hit the ball, then the turf… not the other way around.
If you watch golf on TV, I’m sure you’ve seen this when they use the slow motion camera to illustrate the point. A player will hit the ball and then the grass, leaving the divot far ahead of the ball.
Amateur golfers can make some poor moves and end-up hitting grass, not the golf ball. This can lead to all sorts of mishits. To ensure that you hit the ball down and through, it should be about 1-2 inches in front.
All three factors should be considered when assessing your divot and making the necessary adjustments.
FAQs about the Divot Board
Do you have any questions about this innovative training aid? We have the answers you are looking for in the FAQ section.
Do you ever hit real golf balls using it?
The device is not able to hit real golf balls. Instead, you take swings and learn from the divot before making adjustments as necessary.
What’s great about this training is its portability. Since it’s so small, you can take it to the driving range with you and use it in between hitting range balls.
For example, if you’re on the range hitting pull cuts, you can use the board to verify the divot pattern going left. Next, adjust your swing to achieve a straight divot using the board. After you have practiced it several times, hit some balls on the range to perfect your swing.
Can you purchase a replacement pad for your existing pad?
You can purchase a replacement pad for a fraction the cost of the original investment. The replacement pad is easy-to-install and can last between 1,000 – 3,000 adult swings. If it’s a junior using the device, it can last up to 6,000 swings!
Is this similar to the DownUnder board
No, Board downUnderBradley Hughes offers a swing trainer that will help improve your posture and other aspects of your game. It creates a stable lower body and encourages upper-body rotation to make a consistent swing.
If you want to have a full swing session, you can use them both together. The same applies for the Orange WhipBalance trainer is also available, which is a similar device that helps with balance.
Final Thoughts on Divot Board
Remember, divots don’t lie!
If your divot is left, you’re pulling the ball. If your divot right, you’re pushing the ball. The clubface at impact will determine what the ball does in air. The size and location of the clubface at impact can also tell you a lot more about your swing.
You can be a better ball striker if you understand the basics of ball flight.
Even if you can’t make it to the driving range or course as much as you’d like, this training aid will help you groove a great swing at home. Plus, it’s so small and portable that you can take it to the practice tee for a more efficient session.
