Is there anything quite as unfair and downright despicable as landing in a divot in the middle of the fairway? I know I have cursed the golfing gods and those that govern the game for this deeply unjust experience.

They even changed this dumb rule for a short time in 2019 before changing it back because they could not determine the exact nature/age of a divot. The USGA and the R & A reversed their relief from a divot rule change because of a general commitment to golfers playing the ball as it lies on the course and the lack of clarity around the definition of a divot. Golfing low blows: Landing in a divot is, in my opinion, a hangover from the bad old days of too many stupid rules in golf.

Divot Lies Plague Low Handicappers

Golf is a game of millimetres with swings affected by tiny changes to lie and stance. Rounds of golf are a mix of good luck and bad luck, when it comes to the rub of the green. Finding your ball sitting down in a shallow hole on bare dirt in the middle of the fairway is a shocking experience for the golfer mid-round. Suddenly, life seems very unfair, and it is hard not to take such rotten luck personally.

Divot lies plague low handicappers, more often, because they tend to strategically hit shots into similar locations on the fairway hoping to achieve geographical advantages for their next stroke.

Landing in a Divot Divides Golfers

A discussion amongst golfers about the dirty divot can divide golfing audiences. Many share my conviction on the divots deep injustice to the diligently toiling golfer, whilst some shrug their shoulders and say just get on with the game. Ned Kelly, if he had played the game, would probably say, “such is life.” The thing about golf is that an average round of competitive golf takes around four plus hours and during that time a lot happens between your ears. The game demands a great deal of concentration. There are putts to make over a variety of inclinations. There are lies and stances to be undertaken over all sorts of terrains. There can be wind and rain or sweltering heat. Then, there are your playing partners, who can be intensely irritating, especially over four hours. Do not forget the demons inside your own head! Now, picture yourself having contended with all these challenges in their diversity, walking up to your golf ball after a perfectly struck shot and finding your ball landing in a divot. Enough said.

Photo by Damir Spanic on Unsplash