The perception of scooping the ball for success has been a longtime issue with golfers. As a way of eliminating that misperception, I hold a golf ball up and demonstrate the difference with my hands of hitting down or trapping the golf ball vs the scoop. Hitting down creates back spin which lifts the ball and scooping creates top spin which leads to little lift and also little control. The hand demonstration quickly gets the golfer into learning the proper way to impact the golf ball.
At this stage, I take the golf ball and place it on the ground with the range stripe just visible on the ground where I want the student to strike down and most importantly through the golf ball. Having the stripe on the ground is helpful for all because it also helps with focus for the golfer who is a body lifter or chest lifter. I stress keeping the triangle created from the shoulders to the belly button down over the stripe point at impact to mirror their set up and most quickly are into a much better impact position.
At this point, I also try to explain that the divot created actually is ahead of the golf ball due to the hitting down process versus the scooper who most likely hits behind the ball or the middle of the ball. Another method that has helped golfers with the striking position is to think of the ball as a clock and strive to hit the ball at 6 o’clock.