That weak fade costing you 20 yards? The pulls when you’re trying to draw it? Look at your divots. If they’re pointing significantly left (we’re talking 10 degrees or more), they’re showing you exactly what’s wrong.
Your divot direction reveals your swing path at impact. Ignore what your divots tell you and you’ll pile on band-aid fixes that make things worse. Learn to read them and you’ll understand your swing better than most club golfers.
A quick note on what divots actually show: Technically, divot direction shows your swing direction or the overall arc of your swing rather than the precise club path at the exact moment of impact. Because of attack angle (how steeply you’re hitting down), the actual path can differ slightly from what the divot shows. But, for practical purposes, especially for recreational golfers, divot direction is one of the most useful diagnostic tools you have. It reveals patterns immediately, without a launch monitor, and the fixes that address divot direction also fix path problems.
Why divot direction matters more than ball flight
Most golfers chase ball flight without understanding what creates it. They see a slice and compensate by aiming left or changing their grip. The swing path stays broken.
Ball flight lies. A pull-slice can come from an over-the-top swing with an open face. A straight shot can come from a path five degrees left with a face equally closed. You’re getting lucky with compensations, not building a repeatable swing.






















