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Please Be A Steward of Golf
One of the most common (and annoying!) breaches of golf etiquette is failing to repair the depression left when a golf ball strikes the putting surface. The greens on a typical golf course can receive 1,000 such depressions on a busy day and if these marks were never repaired it would be like putting on the surface of the moon!
Unrepaired pitch marks (as they are called in the UK) will leave a scar that can take 2-3 weeks to heal and even longer to become level enough with the surrounding surface for a golf ball to roll over without veering off course. Conversely, a well-repaired pitch mark can heal in half that time and will usually allow for an unwavering putt immediately after being repaired.
So, what constitutes a "well-repaired" pitch mark? Studies have conclusively shown that repairing pitch marks using a pushing motion rather than a lifting motion does much less damage to the putting green's root system, a fact most well-intentioned golfers are unaware of. But once this fact is realized, it's easy to understand that an intact root system will promote faster healing than one that has been torn apart. This has long been known by greenskeepers and is the repair method recommended and endorsed by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA).
While any suitable tool (traditional two-pronged divot tool, golf tee, key, etc.) can perform this type of repair when used in the proper way, the design of my "push" style divot tools make it virtually impossible to perform an "improper" repair.
Unlike many other push-type divot tools the thumb indent allows one to intuitively know which side is up. Once held, the prongs of the divot tool are then ergonomically positioned at the proper angle to perform the pushing motion. Lifting the soil and tearing the roots is not a possibility.
Because the pushing method does not tear at the root system very little stress is placed on the prongs, which allows them to be made very thin. An added benefit is that the thinner prongs do less damage to the roots than thicker ones, leaving smaller entry holes, which enables the sod to recover even faster.
Cigar Holder Divot Tools
The cigar holder divot tools are designed with a cradle sized to hold a 50 ring gauge cigar. This helps to keep cigars off of the putting surface where they are very apt to leave burn marks in the grass. But more importantly, they keep the cigar off of dewy greens where they would not only soak up water but also many of the pesticides and herbicides which are necessary to keep golf course turf in pristine condition. Non-smokers can use these tools to prop up their wedge or putter to keep the grips dry.
Materials and Workmanship
In an age where virtually all products are mass-produced and stamped out by the thousands, these unique divot tools are all individually shaped and polished by hand, with attention paid to the smallest details.
The materials come from all over the world - Africa, Asia, Europe and all of the Americas, North, Central and South - and range from exotic tusks, horns, and bones to the world's hardest, densest woods. These materials have been chosen not only for their extraordinary beauty but because their strength and toughness make them very well suited for the stresses imposed on divot tools.
For those of you unfamiliar with wood species, most of these woods are either in, or very close to, the ironwood class of woods. Ironwoods are those woods with a specific gravity of 1.00 or more, so heavy and dense that they will sink in water. In the description of each wooden divot tool I have given the specific gravity of the wood used so an informative decision can be made when comparing different wood species. As a point of reference the specific gravity of the Ash and Rock Maple used to make baseball bats - probably the most familiar of the woods we think of as "hard" - is approximately 0.7.
With their rare combination of beauty, ergonomics, superb materials and fine craftsmanship these divot tools are easily the finest available, anywhere. I'm so sure you won't be disappointed with your purchase I will offer an unconditional guarantee if you are not satisfied with your purchase, for any reason. In addition, I will give a lifetime guarantee on all divot tools against breakage from normal use. Just return the broken divot tool to me and I will replace if free of charge, including shipping.
Styles
In addition to the push-style divot tools I also offer divot tools with a more "traditional" look. I have tried to design these so they can also be used with a pushing motion, but the "proper" usage might not be as immediately intuitive. Their designs are more the result of the peculiar shapes and characteristics of the particular materials they were made from.
When viewing these divot tools please be aware that the one you select is the exact one you will get. I view each one as a work of art, with a shape and grain pattern that makes it unique unto itself. For this reason I don't sell multiples of any single item. When a divot tool is sold it is immediately removed from the site and will be replaced with a different one.
Thank you for visiting and please enjoy browsing the site.
Doug Tanaka
If you have any questions or problems with this website feel free to call me at:
doug@dougtanakadivottools.com
E-mail a friend about Doug Tanaka Divot Tools.
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Featured Product
Giraffe Bone Straight Cigar Holder Divot Tool #1 This divot tool is made from the leg bone of a giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis). The species name of 'camelopardalis' derives from the early Romans who named it from a combination of Camel and Leopard.
Weighing in at upwards of 3,000 lbs and a height of 16-18 feet the leg bones of a giraffe undergo tremendous leverage stress and have developed accordingly, making it arguably the hardest, densest bone you can find. I don't know how it rates on the Moh scale of hardness, but from working with it I know it's harder than Warthog Tusk and perhaps equal to Hippo Tusk. In an unofficial "clink" test, it sounds with a relatively high pitch, not unlike glass or porcelain, which allows it to take an exceptional, glass-like polish.
This particular tool is made from giraffe bone that has been dyed under high heat in a vacuum, a process which creates unpredictable and, oftentimes, spectacular patterns. The dyed bone is often used in the making of custom knife handles. Because the raw pieces are somewhat small and oddly shaped, this tool is a bit shorter than my normal tools, something that might appeal to those wanting a tool that takes up minimal pocket space. Despite its smaller size this piece loses nothing in functionality.
Along with the normal thumb indent I have added a small ridge on the underside of the tool for the index finger to bear against. This makes for a very ergonomic tool, easier to grip when repairing hard, dry greens.
Approximately 2-1/2" long and 3/4" wide. The cigar cradle is 1/2" wide and 1/8" deep, suitable for smaller cigars up to 30 ring gauge.
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