Divot Filling: the good, the bad, and the ugly

Leaving divots is an intentional part of Golf.  Filling them is as well. While often we are able to find and replace any divot we take, sometimes this is not a possibility. The alternative is filling the divot with divot mix, which- when done correctly- is a simple and quick task. But not everyone knows what a correctly filled divot should look like, so we thought it might be useful to show you.

The Good

Correctly filling a divot requires only two steps.  The first is to add divot mix, which is provided in every cart. Pour in enough mix to bring the divot area level to the rest of the ground (remember you want the mix to be level with the ground, not the leaf tips of the turf). The second and final step is to lightly pack the mix into place- a single step should do. And there you have it, a correctly filled divot that will now heal over quickly and evenly.
















The Bad
There are two ways for a divot filling to go bad.  The first is not filling the divot until it's level, leaving the mix shallow. The second is when the divot mix is left heaping on top of the divot. When this happens it is our tee and fairway mowers that pick up all the excess divot mix, which is not good for the blades. Piles of mix are also more likely to wash out, blow away, or be scattered by other players. Any way that it might happen, the loss of mix (and so seed) slows the recovery time.

The Ugly
Divot filling only turns ugly when it's left undone! We fill divots to speed up the recovery process.  The faster a divot can be regrown, the faster the playing surface is whole again. Filling divots correctly also helps to protect the aesthetics of the course, and the machines that we use to maintain it.  Everyone wins, so please do your part!


See you on the course!
Elliott Dowling