A chunk of turf and soil displaced by a golf club during a shot, particularly with iron clubs on approach shots. Proper golf etiquette requires players to replace or repair divots to maintain course conditions.
From Scottish 'divot,' meaning 'a piece of turf,' originally used in construction for roofing material. The term entered golf vocabulary naturally as the sport developed in Scotland, where disturbing the turf was a common result of iron play.
Taking a proper divot after hitting the ball (not before) is actually a sign of good iron play, indicating that the club is striking down on the ball with the correct angle of attack. Professional golfers can take divots over 6 inches long and several inches deep, and tour courses have crews specifically dedicated to replacing thousands of divots after each round.
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