shank!!!!!!

[drtree216]

Yes, I have started hitting the hosel with at least every second or third iron shot. I have broken down my swing to the bare minimum, then when I start towards the 3/4 swing or greater then here it comes again. Usually I can fix my little bad habits, But not this one! Help!!!

[Ian Hancock]

Re: shank!!!!!!

Drtree,

There have been many things wrote about the sh**Ks and many offer viable cures, personally I have always found that its about commitment to the shot, you sh**k one by fluke then it starts to kill you if you let it, I don't think it's fundimental, I firmly believe that it lies in the mind and this causes you to hold the face open at impact and make it worse.

I suggest you go to the range and hit 50 balls as hard as you can and just let yourself go with know manipulation of any part of the swing.

If it was fundimental, like standing to close to the ball etc Jim Furik would be a first class Sh**ker.


Hope this helps...................they usually go just as quick as they come.


Ian.

[chessbum]

Re: shank!!!!!!

Ian,

I wish it were that easy but in my opinion, you can't just THINK yourself out of the shanks! It's like trying to think yourself out of cancer, heart attack or pregnancy.

Another thing, it is absolutely possible to shank 50 shots in a row and not have a clue as to what is causing it.

I guess that is why I think it's important to understand why it's happening and how to fix it.

Here's a quote from one of Jim McLean's books: "There are many theories on what causes the shank and how to cure it. However, the major cause is swinging the club on the wrong path. The player who hits a shank usually swings the club back on an exaggerated inside path, and then on the downswing, the club swings out over the swing plane with the club's hosel leading a very open clubface and puts the shaft in a layoff position."

Jim McLean, in his book recommends the "Two ball drill" to help cure the shanks. Here's a brief description of the "Two ball drill":

Quoting:

Almost every top teaching pro I know recommends the two ball drill to students suffering from a shank problem. It is a great way to get the club head swinging more down the line through impact, instead of moving dramatically on an inside-out path.

Place a second ball about two or three inches outside the ball you are addressing. Seeing that second ball there will discourage you from swinging out and across your object ball and, instead, virtually force you to swing down the line. Keep inching the outside ball closer to the ball you will hit, until one side of the outer ball is just about even with the toe-end of the club head and until you feel comfortable that you've grooved the proper path.

When you first try this drill you will probably be shocked if you hit both balls. However it dramatically demonstrates the problem, of course, the cure.

Give it a try, it can't hurt.

Chessbum....

[shootin4par]

Re: shank!!!!!!

in your stance does your weight favor the heels of your feet or the balls?

[Ian Hancock]

Re: shank!!!!!!

Chessbum,

You are correct, Jim Mcclean and many other pros have designed drills to eliminate the sh**k, I have these every now and then, but if you look at my swing I am anything but coming from the inside, I tend to have a bad shot coming to much from the outside, I was told to move away from the ball.

It is always a great discussion with many varied opinions but I think none of us really know and as I said the go just as quick as they arrived and in a lot less time than it would take to make a fundimental change............

Therefore I have always thought it is just a mind thing, and by working on a specific drill it does nothing more than take you focus away from the sh**ks.

All good fun


Ian.

[msklar92]

Re: shank!!!!!!

Try and hit the ball with the toe of the club. If it doesn't work fine, but might help you to square off the club face.

[drtree216]

Re: shank!!!!!!

in your stance does your weight favor the heels of your feet or the balls?

Most of the time, I feel like I am on my heels.

[shootin4par]

Re: shank!!!!!!

Most of the time, I feel like I am on my heels.

the two things I would check next woudl be A. too much angle between left arm and club shaft, and B. ask someone when you set up where the ball is in relation to club face

[Bully306]

Re: shank!!!!!!

A. too much angle between left arm and club shaft,

When you say this S4P, are you saying the more angle, the more the club will drift out with the centrifugal forces of the swing? I'm having a nightmare at the minute with shanks come slices come any bloody direction it wants to! I did have a very upright stance which my pro corrected so if i've gone the other way so to speak this would make a lot of sense.

[BrianW]

Re: shank!!!!!!

Are you sure you are hitting the ball with the hosel? It is possible to get similar results if the club face is wide open at contact. This is often caused by a very late uncocking of the wrists resulting in the hands being way ahead of the ball and the club face still closing at impact resulting in the ball looping dramatically right (or left for a lefty). Another test for this is if you strike the ball OK with a chipping action (no cocking of the wrist) it indicates the problem is related to the above.

Regards
Brian

[seerk]

Re: shank!!!!!!

I too have suffered dearly from the dreaded shanks, I went to my local pro and seen my swing on a video and actually seen myself hitting a shank lol. Anyway it came from 2 things which im sure have been mentioned earlier and it was 1: I was coming over the top really badly and 2: i was also fanning the clubface open on the backswing which made it 100% worse. Fixed it by learning to hit a hook by hitting way too much on the inside and strenghtenong up my grip. Now I can hook it for fun and I've gained 50 yards on my drives. I totally agree with it being mostly in the mind but it all stems from a fundamental swing flaw and when you're feeling fine you can get away with it but when you hit 1 or 2 shank it forces you to make that same mistake over and over untill you get a bit of confidence again then it goes away.