To fix a divot in golf, either put the chunk of turf back in its hole, roots down, and press it firmly with your foot, or fill the hole with the sand and seed mix that many courses provide and smooth it level. Which method is best depends on the grass and on the course’s own policy. Replacing works well when the divot comes out in one intact piece, which is common with many cool-season grasses. Filling is usually preferred when the divot shatters or on warm-season grasses such as Bermuda. Whichever method your course uses, fixing your divots quickly helps the turf recover and keeps fairways fair for everyone.
What a divot is
A divot is the piece of turf removed by the club when it strikes the ground during a shot, and the word is also used for the hole it leaves behind. Taking a divot is a normal part of golf, especially with irons and wedges, where a good strike often brushes or takes turf just after hitting the ball. The problem is not the divot itself but leaving it unrepaired. An open divot hole takes time to grow back, can leave another golfer with a poor lie, and, across many rounds, can leave fairways and tee boxes scarred and uneven.
Replace or fill: which method to use
| Method | How to do it | Best when |
|---|---|---|
| Replace the turf | Put the divot back in the hole with roots down and step on it firmly | The divot is in one piece, often on cool-season grasses such as bentgrass, ryegrass or bluegrass |
| Fill with divot mix | Pour sand and seed mix into the hole and smooth it level with your foot or club | The divot has broken apart, or on warm-season grasses such as Bermuda and zoysia |
| Replace and fill | Replace the turf, then add a little mix around the edges | Some courses request this to help the edges knit together |
Cool-season grasses often grow in bunches, so a replaced divot can reroot. Many warm-season grasses spread by runners and tend to recover better when the hole is filled, so courses in warmer regions often ask players to fill rather than replace. Always follow the course’s signs, scorecard or pro shop advice.
How to replace a divot step by step
- Find the divot. Look just ahead of the divot hole, usually in the direction of your shot.
- Pick up the whole piece if it is intact, keeping the soil attached.
- Place it back in the hole with the roots facing down, matching its shape to the hole as closely as possible.
- Press it down firmly by stepping on it so the roots contact the soil.
- Check the surface is level with the surrounding grass.
How to fill a divot with mix step by step
- Use the course’s mix, often carried in a bottle on the cart or golf bag, or in boxes on tee boxes.
- Pour enough mix to fill the hole to the level of the surrounding ground.
- Smooth it with your foot or the sole of your club so it is flat, not mounded.
- Avoid overfilling, which creates a bump that mowers can scalp.
- Brush away spilled mix from the surrounding grass.
Why fixing divots matters
A replaced or filled divot usually recovers much faster than an open hole. Replacing turf keeps living grass in place, while divot mix provides seed and a level surface for new growth or for runners to spread into. Unrepaired divots leave depressions where balls can come to rest, creating unfair lies for later players. On busy courses, the number of divots taken every day is large, so golfers repairing their own divots makes a real difference to course quality between maintenance visits.
Divots on tee boxes
Tee boxes, especially on par 3s, often see heavy divot damage. Many courses provide divot mix in boxes or bottles on tees. Fill your divot holes after your shot and avoid creating unnecessary divots when you are simply practicing your swing. Taking practice swings to the side of the teeing area, or making swings that just brush the grass, helps protect the surface. Some golfers also choose to tee up irons on par 3s, which can reduce the amount of turf removed.
The rules on divots and divot holes
Under the Rules of Golf, a divot hole in the general area is not an abnormal course condition, so there is normally no free relief if your ball lands in one. You must play the ball as it lies, unless the committee has marked the area as ground under repair or adopted a Local Rule that gives relief. Rule 8.1 also means you should not replace a divot in a divot hole, or press down turf, in a way that improves the conditions for your own next stroke. Repair your own divots after you play. In the teeing area, you have more freedom to alter the ground before playing. Rules note: these points follow the Rules of Golf published by the R&A and USGA; check the current official Rules and your committee for any Local Rules.
Playing from a divot hole
Landing in someone else’s unrepaired divot is frustrating, but it happens. From a divot, many golfers play the ball slightly back in their stance, take a little more club, keep their weight a little forward and make a steeper swing to hit down on the ball. The shot often comes out lower and may run more than usual. Accepting a less aggressive target is sensible, since distance and spin are harder to control from these lies.
Divot etiquette and helping the course
Good divot etiquette is simple. Repair every divot you make, and if you see another open divot hole near your ball or on the tee, repair that too. If your cart has a divot mix bottle, refill it when prompted. When walking, many golfers carry a small bottle of mix clipped to their bag. On practice ranges, follow the facility’s guidance, which often asks golfers to hit from the back edge of an existing divot line so the turf is taken in a neat strip rather than scattered patches.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving divots unrepaired. Open holes take much longer to recover.
- Replacing divots upside down. Roots must face down to regrow.
- Overfilling with mix. Mounds can be scalped by mowers.
- Ignoring the course’s policy. Some courses want replacement, others want filling.
- Taking unnecessary divots with practice swings on tees.
- Repairing a divot to improve your own lie before playing, which the Rules do not allow.
Frequently asked questions
Should I replace or fill my divots?
Follow your course’s policy. Many courses with cool-season grasses prefer replacement, while many warm-season courses prefer filling with mix.
Is taking a divot a sign of a good swing?
With irons, a shallow divot taken just after the ball often shows a descending strike, though it is not required for a good shot.
Do you get relief from a divot hole?
Normally no. You must play the ball as it lies unless a Local Rule or ground under repair marking provides relief.
