Simple Drill for a Powerful Compressed Strike With Your Irons

Are you hesitant to strike the ground when hitting iron shots? You're not alone. Many golfers—especially beginners and intermediate players—fear the idea of “digging” into the turf. But here’s the truth: if you want to improve your contact, gain distance, and strike the ball with confidence, learning to hit down on the ball is essential. In this post, we’ll break down why taking a divot is actually a good thing, explain the concept of low point control, and give you a simple drill to start hitting cleaner, more compressed shots.

Why You Need to Hit Down on the Golf Ball

Many players associate hitting the ground with making a mistake. Maybe you’ve chunked one shot in the past, and the jarring feeling made you swear off taking divots entirely. But if you've hit countless thin shots and only one fat one, chances are you're avoiding ground contact altogether—and that’s holding you back.

The golf club is designed with two critical angles: the clubface and the shaft angle. To get the ball airborne properly, the shaft needs to lean slightly forward at impact. This forward shaft lean delofts the club just enough to compress the ball against the turf. When done correctly, the club actually makes contact with the ball first, and then the ground—resulting in a clean, powerful strike.

If you’re trying to “help” the ball into the air by scooping or flipping your wrists, you’re likely to make contact with the equator (or top) of the ball, causing those frustrating low, thin shots. This is especially common with players who have been told not to take a divot or who are playing on pristine turf and feel nervous about scarring it up.

Understanding Low Point Control

The key to better contact is learning to control the low point of your swing—the spot where the club reaches the bottom of its arc. The best players in the world consistently bottom out their swing four inches in front of the ball, not behind it.

To do this, your weight needs to be moving forward through impact, and your hands should be slightly ahead of the clubhead at the moment of contact. The result? The club strikes the ball first, and then takes a shallow divot just beyond it. This is the secret to creating that crisp, compressed sound and feel you see (and hear) from great ball strikers.

Drill to Take a Proper Divot: The Forward Tee Drill

Here’s a simple but powerful drill to help you start striking the ball properly and taking that all-important divot.

Setup:

Place a golf ball in your regular setup position.

Stick a tee in the ground about 4 inches in front of the ball, just outside the path of your swing.

Execution:

Your goal is to swing in a way that would allow the clubhead to hit the tee after striking the ball.

This trains your eyes and body to focus on hitting through the ball, not trying to lift it.

Think of your clubhead like a hammer and the tee like a nail—your job is to “hammer” the tee into the turf at a 45-degree angle.

Tip: Try this drill with short, punch-style swings at first. Focus on a compact motion and keeping your hands ahead of the clubhead. Over time, you can build up to fuller swings.

Conclusion: Don’t Fear the Turf

Learning to hit the ground isn’t just about mechanics—it’s also about trust. Many players, especially women learning the game at beautiful courses like the Crosby Golf Club in San Diego, resist taking divots because it feels wrong or damaging. But once you experience that soft, compressed strike—the kind that launches the ball high and far—you’ll realize that a bit of turf is a small price to pay for great golf.

If you want better contact, longer shots, and a more enjoyable golf experience, stop trying to “help” the ball into the air. Lean the shaft forward, aim for that tee out front, and take some grass. Your wrists will thank you—and so will your scorecard.