Being a picker on the golf course means that you typically take little to no divot when taking a swing from the fairway. It is the contrary term to “digger” where players dig under the ball to get more height. As the game of golf has progressed, more and more golfers are transitioning to being pickers, as it helps maximize contact with the ball, thus maximizing speed and distance. There are plenty of Pro Golfers who are pickers, some more well known for it than others.
Below is a list and a breakdown of pro golfers who are pickers.
7 Pro Golfers Who Are Pickers
- Tom Watson
- Steve Stricker
- Freddie Jacobson
- Jack Nicklaus
- Greg Norman
- Moe Norman
- Curtis Strange
Pro Golfers Who Are Pickers Cont.
Below is a further breakdown about how each pro player used picking in their golf game.
Tom Watson
Tom Watson was quite well known for his Picking. According to reports, he started transitioning to picking as course conditions improved throughout the years. He has stated that he benefited from picking especially during rounds with bad weather.
Steve Stricker
Steve Stricker is yet another pro player who was well known for his picking. There are plenty of instructional swing videos that he has done which showcase his “little-to-no-divot” striking form. He has emphasized the importance of distributing weight more towards your back foot to further ensure no divot is taken.
Freddie Jacobson
Jacobson is one of the less well known pickers. He never fully claimed to be a picker, but many experts have reviewed his swing and it seems like for many of his televised shots, he rarely took a deep divot. Despite the fact that he never declared himself as a picker, most of the public view him as such.
Jack Nicklaus
Nicklaus is yet another example of a pro golfer who transitioned to being a picker later in his career. As overall course conditions and maintenance improved, he found it much more beneficial to utilize a pick strategy.
Greg Norman
Greg Norman has sometimes been called the poster boy of picking. According to reports and archived televised PGA games, Greg Norman very frequently took little to no divots on the fairway. He was very much a solid contact player.
Moe Norman
Moe Norman has hundreds of hours of instructional swing video. In many of these swings, it is obvious that Norman takes little to no divot when swinging. According to some interviews, in most conditions, he usually tried to make as much contact with the ball as possible.
Curtis Strange
Curtis Strange was another player who wasn’t as well known for his picking. From the start of his career, it seems that many of his games included a picking strategy. Playing off of the back foot when on the fairway seemed to be quite natural for Strange.