The Trouble With Divots

Okay. So you've taken a divot after an outstanding shot on the fairway or even out of the rough. Now what? Admire the result, pat yourself on the back and head off to the green? Don't worry about the divot because someone else will take care of it? Perhaps you don't care that the blemish will be there for weeks on end or the golfer behind you will end up hitting their shot out of the canyon you left behind. It won't repair itself. You have to do your part.

Find the divot or the pieces and patch the divot hole as well as you can. The odds are good the pieces will be full of Poa annua seed head and that a whole piece of turf will likely survive until the next irrigation cycle. This isn't Arizona after all. Last time I checked it rarely gets to +30 C here. If you have a sand/seed bottle sprinkle some on top as a layer of topdressing (all the better for recovery). As a last resort if your divot is AWOL use the sand and fill the hole completely.

It does take extra effort and a little extra time but the results are worth it. Smoother, better looking fairways. And believe me we have some nice fairways thanks to perfect growing weather and good timing with the fertilizer. Lets keep it that way and don't be too quick to blame someone else for "all the divots not repaired" or "it must be that shotgun we just had" (although they are major culprits as we all have seen the group of 4 out there!). Thanks for your help.

I'll be posting a video detailing proper divot and ball mark repair soon. Rehearsals are now underway.

Wade