Sh@nking Everything!

[BigDogBK]

I am a 10-13 handicap (streaky). When I was in High School, I was a 2 handicap, but then the "real world" started effecting my practice time.

Over the last several months, I have began shanking everything. In the past I would have an occasional problem with a wedge, but lately, I can even shank a 3 wood!

I have seen my pro, and he can't see anything fundamentally wrong with my swing. I played a lot of baseball growing up, and he thinks it may be casued by my above average hand-eye coordination, hitting everything with the shaft (like a baseball bat). To correct the problem, he had me try to aim slightly inside the ball, and I hit everything pure. I can't say that I am completely happy with this solution.

Any thoughts out there, besides uncontrolled laughter?

[shootin4par]

Re: Sh@nking Everything!

find a new "pro". shanking because of above average hand eye coordintation tell him he did a good job finding a way to hide his incompetence. and yes I do have uncontrollable laughter, but it is not at you, unless you paid for that lesson. Do you have any wrist cock in your left wrist at set up?
go to the short game forum and look up my responses to shanking, there are only so many possibilities

[BigDogBK]

Re: Sh@nking Everything!

I searched for the word "shank" and read those threads.

I am 100% certain that my shanks are caused by my club finishing 1-2" further away from my body than where it begins, thus, hitting balls off the hozel of the club. This is quite the disease.

I would like to throw in the fact that my swing "looks" great. If you were to see me just swing, you would think I was a very low handicapper (like I used to be), but when you see where the ball goes...another story!

Do you have any drill suggestions? It is very possible that my swing is too much arm and not enough shoulder.

Another problem I have, could be related, is that I do not take divits. Even when I hit a shot pure, I pick it clean. Even if I try to play a knock down shot, not divit... My ball flight is very high.

[shootin4par]

Re: Sh@nking Everything!

at set up get your left arm and club shaft in more of a straighter line

[tpg1965]

Re: Sh@nking Everything!

Hi bigdog

Many players are afraid of shanking simply because they don,t understand why it comes about. Realizing why and how you shank is the best way to make sure it is erradicated from your game.

the shank is usually theresult of TENSION . This causes your arms and hands to lock, so they dont work together with your body. Your torso takes over the swing. you push the club through with your body instead of making a coordinated movement with your arms , hands and shoulders.
pushing makes your shoulders move ahead of the clubhead and so the heel of the club is forced towards the ball. the ball then flies off at almost a right-angle to the ball-to-taget line.
A common situation which makes a shank more likely than usual is hitting a small chip under pressure. the desire not to overhit combines with the urgency of the moment and you slow down the club just before impact. unfortunately this lets the shoulders lead the clubhead and a shank is the result.
You need to LOOSEN up and free your hands and arms. Let them swing the club through the without to much help from the right shoulder.

Practice swinging with your feet closer together. the excercise promotes swinging the clubhead with your hands and arms and and avoids moving your right shoulder ahead of the club on the downswing.

If you start to shank on the course simply address the ball off the toe of the club . This is not effective long term cure , it does help you get through 18 holes . then you can sort out the shank on the driving range.

I really hope this is of help to you......Reagards ...Terry

[shootin4par]

Re: Sh@nking Everything!

Hi bigdog

Many players are afraid of shanking simply because they don,t understand why it comes about. Realizing why and how you shank is the best way to make sure it is erradicated from your game.

the shank is usually theresult of TENSION .

if set up is wrong and you are tension free, you will still shank. He already said his club is 1-2 inches further away from address potion when he hits the ball, which leads me to believe that he has too much angle between his left arm and club shaft at address and when he swings centrifigul force releases that angle and that extends the club away from his body.

[nkranga]

Re: Sh@nking Everything!

Must be conincedence...

I have been shanking the last two weekends; handicap is 13; and I also pick the ball clean and hit the ball high!!!! I am guessing one of two things has led to this shanking habbit for me....

1) Trying to "not" pick ball clean and instead hit down on the ball
2) dead hands swing I ma trying to bring into my game(for 60 yards in)

It could be other general issues like

1) weight on toes; losing balance
2) just lazy and not swinging thru
3) Club slipping in hand? I have sent my clubs for regripping - after 80+ rounds!! I hope this is it in my case :-) This is my personal excuse!!!

[shootin4par]

Re: Sh@nking Everything!

you guys crack me up sometimes

[BigDogBK]

Re: Sh@nking Everything!

You guys have offered a lot of ideas. Where to start?

I really want to be good again, and not use a band aid to get there.

[spankit]

Re: Sh@nking Everything!

hey Big Dog:anytime i shank its because i havent rotated ny shoulders to the top of backswing.Too much arms not enough big muscles so to speak.Make sure you do that and see if your shanks stop.David

[shootin4par]

Re: Sh@nking Everything!

You guys have offered a lot of ideas. Where to start?

I really want to be good again, and not use a band aid to get there.

big dog, here is a hint
ALWAYS try the advice that talks about set up first. The set up is the foundation for the swing, ask ANY pro that. Do you really think you dramatically changed your swing and that is why you are all the sudden shanking, when you did not do so before? No,, your set up changed and you did not realize it.

[tpg1965]

Re: Sh@nking Everything!

excellent advice from shootin4par as always.

[BigDogBK]

Re: Sh@nking Everything!

if set up is wrong and you are tension free, you will still shank. He already said his club is 1-2 inches further away from address potion when he hits the ball, which leads me to believe that he has too much angle between his left arm and club shaft at address and when he swings centrifigul force releases that angle and that extends the club away from his body.

I'm going to check out the angle between my left arm and the shaft. I believe that you may be right on this. I'm playing tonight with the wife. I'll report back!

Thank you all for the help. I'm glad I found this forum.

[mister hand]

Re: Sh@nking Everything!

This is timely. I was playing one of the best rounds at my local course (20 handicap), came to the 15th tee and slammed two straight balls directly left into the trees (I'm a leftie). For the remaining holes I went into full limp mode (much like an auto tranny that's lost a gear) and was reduced to attempting hard punch shots.

Yesterday I went back out and hit driver and my woods fine, but lost all confidence over the ball with my irons from the very first hole. Finished up with some decent shots but it was hard to resist the urge to 'steer' the club to the ball in an attempt to avoid blasting it left. Hopefully some of the advice here will help at the range this afternoon.

[Matt10]

Re: Sh@nking Everything!

i've had this happen TWICE in a row. Thankfully they were both practice Par 3s ( i shot an 87 for my Men's League ). But today, after the league round yesterday, i started sh@nkin again. All I could do to stop it was to focus on keeping my arms close to my right side on the downswing, the ball would go up for just a split second then slice left to right.

In my round yesterday for the league, another player mentioned that I was moving my right foot too much on the backswing. So what I did was keep both feet perfectly still - is this bad? He told me to do this for the back 9 and man were my shots PURE, it felt great. So going today at the Par 3 was inevitable, who'd have thought that my shots would become absolutely terrible again.

I really am at wits end, I thought my game was going great yesterday - then today...this. I was ready to find the TRUE power and accuracy I know I have the potential for. I've considered completely reconstructing my swing alltogether. help.