When using an iron, the club should take a divot in front of the ball's position.
Why? The process works like this:
On the downswing, the clubhead should hit the ball first then continue in a downward motion a little bit after hitting the ball. This will remove a piece of turf (the divot) that is squeezed between the clubhead and the ball.
Taking a divot has several benefits. It gives the ball backspin and produces a straighter shot. In addition, when you take a divot, the ball normally travels further.
