THE CLUB AT IMPACT The golf ball only knows and responds to one thing: the club at impact. At impact the ball collects all the information it needs to determine which direction, what distance and what trajectory to take, no matter who is swinging the club! One of the most common faults with beginning and intermediate players is their lack of ability to create a divot in the correct position. Every great ball striker will always hit the ground in the correct place in relation to the golf ball. Every good player will hit the ground, with the exception of driver and putter. Some players take deep divots; others barely touch the ground and pick the ball cleanly. But each of these players is hitting the ground, either a lot or a little. Although there is no correct way to touch the ground, each way will cause a different outcome of the golf ball. Someone who takes a deep divot will do well in bad lies and tend to have a lower ball flight. On the other hand, someone who takes a more shallow divot and brushes the grass will tend to see more of a consistent ball strike, but could struggle with different lies and grasses.
Incorrect Low Point
Josh Nahm Director of Instruction joshn@thenationalgolfclub.com
Correct Low Point Descending Blow
In order to be successful, hitting the ground is not enough on its own. You have to hit the ground in the correct location. The major mistake people make when taking divots is to make the divot too far behind the golf ball. The ideal place for a divot to start is after the ball and continuing a few inches in front of where the golf ball was sitting. There are several ways to practice this idea. The first is to draw a line and place a few golf balls on that line. The line will give you an idea of where your divot is starting after you hit the golf ball. If you are struggling with hitting behind the ball, you can place a thin towel about five inches behind the ball to start the drill. Then, do your best to take swings without touching or moving the towel. As you improve, you can start to move the towel closer to the golf ball at the start of the drill — but be sure to always leave enough room for the sole of your club to hit the ground (about two inches). ADDITIONAL HELPFUL TIPS Check out Josh’s videos at joshnahmgolf.com to improve your swing and distance and sign up for online lessons! SCHEDULE A PRIVATE LESSON Josh is available for private member lessons: One-hour lessons are $150 Junior one-hour lessons $125 Please call or email Josh to schedule your lesson: joshn@thenationalgolfclub.com joshnahmgolf.com 910.610.7094 Page 6
