How to Replace Divots in Golf

Nothing beats the feeling of a pure, compressed iron shot launching toward the pin. But the elation can be followed by a a twinge of guilt as you see the perfect rectangle of turf - your divot - soaring through the air. Understanding how to properly repair that divot is one of the most fundamental yet overlooked skills in golf. This guide will walk you through exactly why it matters, when to replace the pelt, when to use sand, and the simple steps to do it right every time, leaving the course in better shape than you found it.

Why Fixing Divots is Non-Negotiable in Golf

Leaving a gaping hole in the fairway isn’t just bad manners, it has a significant impact on the course and the golfers who play after you. As a player and a coach, I see the difference proper care makes. It’s a simple act of responsibility that reflects a true respect for the game.

1. Preserves the Health of the Course

This is the most important reason. A properly replaced divot pelt (the piece of turf you just took out) can start healing almost immediately. The roots can re-engage with the soil, and with a little water and sun, the grass will recover within a week or two. An unrepaired divot, however, is a different story. The exposed soil is vulnerable to drying out, which kills the surrounding grassroots from the side. Weeds can take hold, and the scar can take months to fully heal on its own. Every unrepaired divot is a small wound that, when multiplied by hundreds of golfers, can seriously degrade the quality of the playing surface.

2. Ensures Fair Playing Conditions for Everyone

Imagine hitting a perfect drive right down the middle, only to find your ball resting in someone else’s old, un-repaired divot. It's one of the most frustrating moments in golf. That small hole can turn an easy go at the green into a difficult recovery shot, potentially costing you strokes for a problem you didn’t create. By fixing your divot, you’re not just taking care of the course, you're taking care of your fellow golfers and ensuring they get the fair lie they deserve.

3. It Upholds the Spirit and Etiquette of the Game

Golf is built on a foundation of integrity, honor, and respect. Caring for the course is a physical demonstration of these principles. Walking forward to find and fix your divot shows that you care about more than just your own score. It is a sign of a seasoned, responsible golfer. Leaving the course better than you found it - repairing your divots, fixing ball marks, raking bunkers - is a core tenet of the sport.

Not All Divots Are Created Equal: Pelt vs. Powder

Before youできます learn how to fix a divot, you need to be able to identify what kind of divot you've created. The repair method depends entirely on whether the turf came out cleanly or disintegrated on impact.

The Clean Divot Pelt

This is the ideal result - a solid Mat of turf, often rectangular, that lands a few feet in front of where your ball was. It’s sometimes referred to as a "bacon strip." This happens when your swing bottoms out at the right point, compressing the ball and then taking a shallow slice of turf after impact. These intact divots are perfect for replacing because the root system is largely undisturbed. Certain grass types, like Bentgrass or Fescue, are more likely to create these clean pelts.

The Exploded or Shattered Divot

Sometimes, especially on a very powerful or slightly mishandled shot, the turf doesn’t come out cleanly. It might explode into several small pieces or powderize completely, leaving behind just bare earth. This is more common with grasses that have a rhizome-based root structure, like Bermuda, or in dry conditions. When a divot shatters, there is no single piece to put back. Trying to collect the tiny scraps is ineffective and a waste of time.

Method 1: How to Replace a Clean Divot Pelt

You’ve hit a great shot and produced a beautiful, intact piece of turf. This is fantastic news - it’s the easiest and most effective type of divot to repair. Follow these simple steps.

Step 1: Locate the Divot

Don't just admire your shot and walk to the green. The first order of business is to find your airborne pelt. More often than not, it has flown forward in the direction of your shot. Take a moment to walk the few yards ahead of your divot mark and retrieve it. Sometimes on a windy day it may have blown slightly to the side. Take care not to step on it before you pick it up.

Step 2: Check the Orientation

Look at the divot mark in the ground and the piece of turf in your hand. The pelt has a specific shape and direction. You want to place it back in the hole the same way it came out, matching the shape like a puzzle piece and ensuring the blades of grass are running in the same direction as the surrounding fairway. If you put it in backwards or upside down, the roots won’t be able to re-establish themselves in the soil.

Step 3: Place and Press Firmly

Gently place the pelt back into its original hole. The next step is the most important one: press it down firmly. Use your foot to step on the entire surface of the replaced divot. You want to press the roots firmly into the soil below, removing any air pockets between the pelt and the earth. This contact is vital for the healing process. The goal is for the replaced divot to be perfectly flush with the ground. If it's sticking up, it can be snagged and torn out again by a lawnmower, which damages both the fairway and the mower blades.

And that’s it! In a few days, that divot will begin to heal and knit itself back into the fairway.

Method 2: How to Use Sand and Seed Mix

What about when your divot explodes and there's no pelt to replace? This is where the divot mix - usually a combination of sand, soil, and grass seed - comes into play. Most golf carts are equipped with bottles of this mix for this very reason. You can also често find them on par-3 tee boxes.

Step 1: Grab the Divot Mix

If your cart has a divot bottle, bring it with you to the divot. If not, check the teeing area or ask a course marshal if there are refill stations available. Never just scrape loose dirt or leaves into the hole, use the prepared mix provided by a golf course superintendent.

Step 2: Fill the Divot Level with the Ground

Pour the mix into the bare earth where your divot was. The key here is not to overfill it. It’s one of the most common mistakes a golfer can make in this process. You want the top of the sand mix to be level with the soil, allowing the surrounding blades of grass to rise above it slightly. A heaping mound of sand will be scalped by mowers, spreading sand everywhere but where it is needed and potentially dulling the blades. An under-filled divot still leaves a problematic depression for the next player.

Step 3: Smooth it Out

Using the sole of your shoe or the back of your club head, lightly smooth the surface of the sand mix. Make sure it's flat and evenly distributed within the divot area. This creates a good surface for the new seeds to germinate and provides alevel lie for a future golf shot before the grass fully grows back in.

Common Divot Repair Mistakes to Avoid at All Costs

As a coach, I've seen it all. Here are the most frequent errors that can do more harm than good.

• Forgetting to Step on the Pelt: Just placing the turf back without pressing it down is almost useless. Without firm contact between the roots and soil, it will dry out and die.
• Overfilling with Sand: Creating a miniature sand dune in the middle of the fairway is a major problem for the maintenance crew and their equipment. Level is the goal.
• Replacing a Shattered Divot: Don't try to be a hero piecing together a divot that exploded into tiny bits. It's an exercise in futility. Just use the sand.
• Ignoring It Altogether: The worst mistake of all. Taking a few seconds to fix your divot is a small price to pay for a great course experience for everyone.

Final Thoughts

Properly repairing your divots is a small action with a huge collective impact on the golf course’s health. It’s a core responsibility we share as golfers, a simple habit that shows respect for the game, the grounds crew, and our fellow players. By mastering these two simple methods - replacing the pelt or seeding the hole - you contribute to better playing conditions for everyone.

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