When golfers use their irons they hit a divot behind the ball wouldn’t it be a more efficient transfer of energy if they did not hit a divot?

Question

When golfers use their irons they hit a divot behind the ball wouldn’t it be a more efficient transfer of energy if they did not hit a divot?

In: Physics

Answer 1

Hockey players actually do this!!
Others have explained the answer well, but something you might find interesting is that this IS how hockey players hit a slapshot. 
They hit the ice before the puck in order to bend and flex their stick. All that energy gets stored in the stick and as they follow through the stick snaps back to straight launching the puck.
It’s more effective because the stick “snaps” much faster than the human swing.