Divot Repair

A refresher on divot repair from the club's Divot Digest.

Seed and soil boxes.

Seed and soil boxes are located on the par 3 holes. They are filled with a mixture of sand, peat, and T-1 bentgrass seed.


If your divot is intact, it is best to replace the divot. If the divot explodes then it should be filled with the sand/seed mixture.


There is no need to overfill your divot, simply fill the divot about half-full that then tamp it down firmly.


A properly filled divot will avoid damage to the mowers and allow the new seedlings to grow slightly before they are subject to their first mowing.

Properly filled divot.

Divots that are over filled will be slower to heal because the mowers continuously scalp the young turf.


The mix in the seed and soil boxes should only be used on the tees. Use of the divot mix outside of the tee surface will result in bentgrass contamination.


At NCC we have moved away from the use of seed and soil bottles on golf carts. There are several different types of grass on the golf course. It is important that the proper seed be used in the correct area. This also minimizes waste; seed will germinate if it is exposed to moisture. When you are done filling a divot please make sure to close the lid on the seed and soil box to keep the seed dry. The maintenance crew fills tee divots on a daily basis and fairway divots are filled weekly. It is more efficient for our crew to fill the divots directly, than to spend labor servicing seed and soil bottles.

Always replace your divot.

Always replace your divot - whether the replaced divot will survive is for the maintenance crew to evaluate. Replacing a divot is proper golf etiquette, and guarantees the best course condition for members and guests who play later in the day.


If replacing a tee or fairway divot, replace it in the same direction that it was removed.


Tamp the divot down firmly so that a mower will not pull it out, and so that the severed root are placed back in contact with the soil. This provides the best opportunity for the divot to survive.

Tamp the divot.

A correctly replaced divot may not always grow back, but it will insure a reasonable lie in the rare instance that a ball comes to rest in the divot.


Divots that do not survive will be removed by the maintenance crew, and the void will be filled with the seed and soil mix during the course of routine maintenance.


The membership of NCC is linked by their pride in the unique piece of property that is Naperville Country Club. Members of NCC consider it an extension of their home. While playing the course, the membership takes great pride in caring for the course and leaving it in better condition than they found it. This is manifested through proper golf etiquette of ballmark repair, divot repair ad proper cart usage.

This is obviously a different divot situation that should not even need to be addressed - a divot off of the fifth green this past weekend.