Why make a divot? (from an iron shot in the fairway)

Question

when i watch golf on TV i see them always launch a 200 yard bomb with an iron and launch a divot 15 yards. But i never hit the ball with a divot i don't even scratch the surface on most shots and i have always consider my self as having a good iron game. Does making a divot launch the ball further or higher

Answer 1

A divot is proof that you hit down on the ball and that you got backspin. Hale Irwin never takes a divot and has won major championships. A divot also tells you how well you struck the ball befor you look up. It can be used as a tool to guide yourself to keep your head down too. There is no perfect swing though. Just the one that works for you.

Answer 2

The proper way to hit a long iron or for that matter, any iron is to hit down on the  back lower third of the ball driving the club into the turf which makes the ball climb the club face and the turf( divot) travel 15 yards down the fairway. This usually imparts spin on the ball which should make it check on the green .A divot will usually launch the ball higher.  

Answer 3

You hit the ball on your downswing when hitting your irons, and let the loft of your club get the ball in the air, don't try scoop your ball with irons.

Now when you hit a iron you should be trying to hit after the ball which means you will hit the ball +- 3/4 down the centre of the ball then hitting the turf. reason for doing this is to have consistancy in your ball striking. spin plays a small part in hitting a divot.

Answer 4

The pros are hitting a more descending blow on the ball, which puts more spin on it to stop it on the green, or even back it up.  Do your "picked off the fairway" iron shots check up right away on the green, or do they roll out?  You don't have to take divots, as long as you are happy with the result of your shots, no need to change.

Answer 5

you're a "picker" meaning you pick the ball clean from the grass. That's not necessarily a bad thing but it lends itself to hitting thin on occasion. The reason you see pros send divots every shot is because they are hitting down on the ball, or, hitting the ball with a descending blow. they hit the ball clean and THEN hit the turf. Check out this link. It will make it clear...and God Bless that SwingVision. Brilliant!

http://www.grouchygolf.com/2006/05/golf-...

Answer 6

If you look at the path of a properly hit short iron (the most common divot making tool), you will see that the ball is hit while the club is still in a downward path.  Since the club is going down it will hit the ball, on the way towards hitting the turf.  The scooping of that turf is the divot.  A well executed shot is when the ball simply gets in the way of a good swing.

Longer irons, fairway woods and hybrids are generally struck at a more level part of the swing and at the point of the turf, and therefore making a divot is less apparent, unless a greater amount of spin is needed (eg to stop the ball rather than let it release.)

A 200y bomb and a divot is far less common than a 125y highly launched pitch that lands, and stops dead.  The divot, may go a quarter the way to the hole.  Hope that helps.

Answer 7

the divot ... it's all about spinning the balls. to spin the ball, you need to hit from a steeper angle and hit the ball first. the follow through creates the divot. you see most divots when the player is hitting into the green to make the ball stay on the green.

Answer 8

i think it might be that there putting spin on it but im not sure