[Kim Maengnyeong's Golf English Conversation] "The Difference Between Divot and Divot Mark"

You must always fill in the divot marks you make.

The spring course is incomplete.

Amateur golfers especially struggle with divot holes. The torn pieces of grass during a shot are called divots, and the remaining marks are divot holes. They are also referred to as 'divot marks' or 'pitch holes.' According to golf rules, no relief can be given. If the divot is not properly repaired immediately after the shot, the next player will be at a disadvantage. The grass pieces must be placed back in their original position and stepped on (Fix divots for the next golfers).

If you do not repair your divots, you are not worthy of being called a golfer (No golfer is worthy of the name who does not put back his divot). Most players curse, "Darn it! My ball is sitting in a divot hole," when their ball lands in one. It is understandable to feel frustrated if your shot was good but the ball ends up in a divot hole. However, the fundamental principle of golf is to play the ball as it lies (ball as it is).

A shot from a divot hole is as difficult as a "small bunker on the fairway." The answer is a punch shot. Use a club one length longer than usual, but grip it 2-3 cm lower. The ball should be positioned in the center of your stance. Distribute your weight 60% on your left foot and 40% on your right. Grip your club firmly with your left hand, stabilize your lower body, and reduce your swing to 70%. Execute a precise down blow (When hitting out of a divot hole, hit down at the ball).

Imagine creating another divot hole. If the divot is shallow, you can follow through as in a normal swing. However, since the club may push inward during the swing, it is better to close the clubface slightly more than usual. The trajectory is generally low with a lot of roll. This is an essential factor to remember when targeting the green. You need to calculate a shot that lands in front of the target. The key here is confidence.

A: Oh, no! My shot just landed in a divot hole! (Ah! Nae gong-i banggeum divot hole-e deureogatneyo!)

B: What bad luck. Golfer should really try to replace the divots they make (Un-i eopseuneyo. Jagi mandeun divot jaguk-eun bandeusi mewo-ya haeyo).

A: How do I recover from here? (Yeogiseo eotteoke beoseonajyo?)

B: Grip your club firmly with your left hand and try a downward attack on the ball to extract it (Oen son-euro geurip-eul ganghage jabgo gong-eul wieseo araero jjigeochiseyo).

Written by Kim Maengnyeong, Golf Columnist