Epson Tour professional Natalie Sheary (New Britain, Connecticut) returns for Episode 6 of her weekly instructional series, “Staying Sharp with Sheary.” The Wake Forest University alumna and past Epson Tour champion at the 2016 W.B. Mason Championship gives advice and drills to keep your game sharp—both physically and mentally—while at home and in practice, as courses continue to reopen.

In this week’s episode, Sheary shows the proper form when hitting out of a divot. After crushing a drive down the middle of the fairway, only to find your ball in a divot with a terrible lie, what’s next?

“Although finding yourself in a divot (or animal depression) isn’t ideal, with the proper setup and club choice, getting out of this is relatively simple,” Sheary said. “Depending on how deep the divot is, setting up for a basic ‘punch’ shot should be sufficient enough to keep you on track. A less than ideal situation on the golf course can be unnerving. However, a divot lie doesn’t have to be."

— Natalie Sheary (@NatSheary) May 20, 2020

Perhaps the most important aspect to make clean contact with the ball in this situation is to execute a steep swing. This shot setup includes choosing a higher lofted club (than what is typical for the yardage), weight on the front leg and forward lean in the shaft. When it comes time for execution, don’t be afraid to make a descending blow on the golf ball—a motion similar to chopping wood—and expect a shorter follow through.

“Keep in mind that landing in a divot in the middle of the fairway is just bad luck and not the result of a bad swing,” said Sheary. “Accepting this will help you maintain a positive attitude as you prepare for that all-important next shot. Practice a few of these shots on the range from time to time. Knowing that you can execute it when needed is half the battle.”

Hitting Out of a Divot in Episode 6 of "Staying Sharp with Sheary"

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