Need Help to Fix shanks.....again!!!!

[jbrunk]

Ok I am just about on the verge of quitting this stupid game. Fresh off my best round of the year 2 weeks ago (74), I know have hit 2 shanks in my last round (81) and almost an entire bucket yesterday.

I have tried everything:
1. straightening my swing path (it is too far inside)
2. Improve balance (weight evenly distributed in middle of foot)
3. Staying back (not jumping at the ball)
4. Hitting half shots (I am even shanking half shots!
5. Any other drill you can think of to fix these.

Aside from starting all over from scratch, I need help. I don't understand how I can go from hitting 13 greens to not even being able to hit the ball.

Important Note: I am hitting my driver perfectly on the sweet spot almost every time.

Please help!!!!!!!!

[shootin4par]

Re: Need Help to Fix shanks.....again!!!!

try making the lead arm and the club shaft closer to a straighter line at address. Also, in your swing do you try and pull the butt end down the target line?

[GolfJunkieSr]

Re: Need Help to Fix shanks.....again!!!!

First thing to remember with the shanks, is that suicide is not a option. They will eventually go away. Time permitting, put your clubs a way for a few days, while getting this poor swing problem out of your mind. You would do well to focus on a one piece take away, and down swing, while maintaining good weight transfer, and basically going back to the basics of your good swing.

What I do when the little devil shows up is to focus on a straight back, and straight through swing, with firmer wrists. I do this because my shanks are caused by going back too far inside, with too quick of break of my wrists, which brings me back from to far inside. The little devil ususally shows up in my short irons.

Other causes could be a restricted pivot, way too much wrist action, too little shoulder turn, poor weight distribution, or throwing the club down from the top causing an out side in swing. A good teacher, seeing your swing, would be able to identify one, or all the problems causing this swing problem.

If you give up the game because of the shanks, then the shanks won...GJS

[tigress]

Re: Need Help to Fix shanks.....again!!!!

First off, don't think about shanking (I know easier said than done once they've started). Concentrate on keeping a relaxed grip and relaxed forearms.

Pat

[jbrunk]

Re: Need Help to Fix shanks.....again!!!!

Unfortunately, these creep up every year in the spring when I am starting to play more, but it has never happened this late in the season. This is the time of year that I "make my handicap". That is what is so frustrating.

Shootin:
I do try and pull the butt end of the club down during the downswing. As far as putting the club more in line with left arm, that requires a considerable forward press, yes?

[shootin4par]

Re: Need Help to Fix shanks.....again!!!!

Unfortunately, these creep up every year in the spring when I am starting to play more, but it has never happened this late in the season. This is the time of year that I "make my handicap". That is what is so frustrating.

Shootin:
I do try and pull the butt end of the club down during the downswing. As far as putting the club more in line with left arm, that requires a considerable forward press, yes?

pulling the butt end down the target line can be the cause of your shanks. I will expand later, I have another tee time this afternoon

[Robert O' Keeffe]

Re: Need Help to Fix shanks.....again!!!!

From what you write, you seem to have a good setup etc and all your basics are good. From experience, I think that a problem we overlook is being too anxious to get back down to the ball from the top, and we tend to get the club there before the hands. hence the clubface opens and the hozzle hits the ball, causing the shank. What I try to do to counteract this is concentrate on a soft grip feel and feel the weight of the clubhead. Get some thought into your head that you get in your practice game and this should help.
regards, Robert

[shootin4par]

Re: Need Help to Fix shanks.....again!!!!

jbrunk,
this is hard for me to explain so if someone else can help out, that would be great.
here goes,
if you pull the butt end of the club down the target line you will pull the club off plane. When you pull the club down the target line you are in essence trying to pull the club on a line, but the swing plane is a circle. Do you understand the concept of an inside/square/inside swing? Well then that means in order for the clubhead to go inside/square/inside then the butt end of the club must do the same. So if you pull the the butt end down the target line you will make the face go inside out, off plane, and will retard the natural release of the forearms. If you pull too far down the target line you will leave the club face open, lead with the hosel, which can push the ball right or shank, if the club face is not open you can hit big draws or hooks as well. also, since the natural release of the forearms is retarded then you will have a good chance of flipping the hands into impact

Here is how I have learned to stay on plane, I was taught this by a certain instructor who seems to know a lot about the golf swing. I am just pasting from another post I wrote,
Swing left. I was told that in order to fix it I needed to swing left. but while doing this I needed to look 1-2 dimples on the inside of the back of the ball and direct my pointer finger there. many people try to swing too much inside out, I was one of them, some even pull the butt end of the club down the target line. by doing either one of these you get your down swing off plane and have an unatural release of the club face. so swing left with your body while directing your finger a little on the inside of the back of the ball. keep your spine angle and stay behind the ball, dont lunge.

hopefully I kept the explanation simple enough, sorry if it is a little cloudy
good luck in the search

[pnearn]

Re: Need Help to Fix shanks.....again!!!!

JBrunk

Heres another thing to try. A while ago I was blocking/shanking everything right. I went for a lesson with my pro and he fixed it in 30 seconds

It was down to my posture and the fact that my hips werent tilted enough. This meant I had no room to swing my arms down and they got 'stuck' behinf my right hip. Result=open club face. A big slice with the driver and woods and an unmentionable with the wedges/short irons

Try this. Stand up straight and make a swing with your arms. See how on the way down your right elbow will hit your right hip. Theres no room to get the right elbow in front of the right hip

Now stand straight and stick your butt out. As far as you can, flex your knees and get your chin up. You should feel like you are far more bent over from the hips and that if you stuck a pole through the bottom of your back it would come out through the belt buckle and down to the ball. Should now have more of a spine angle but the angle should be straight (not hunched at the shoulders). This may well feel unusual and uncomfortable.

Now swing those arms again. This time you should see how theres more room to get that right elbow in front of the right hip (a good few inches) on thw way down and the hands will have the time and room to square up

Try it and see if it helps. This is also another great posture tip for those who slice the ball a lot and want to use the lower body more in the DS

[pnearn]

Re: Need Help to Fix shanks.....again!!!!

Here are some good pictures and article to illustate the point

http://www.golfstudionyc.com/golfposture.htm

[chessbum]

Re: Need Help to Fix shanks.....again!!!!

Stand farther away from the ball. Just try it!!!!!

Chessbum.....

[jambalaya]

Re: Need Help to Fix shanks.....again!!!!

jbrunk,
this is hard for me to explain so if someone else can help out, that would be great.
here goes,
if you pull the butt end of the club down the target line you will pull the club off plane. When you pull the club down the target line you are in essence trying to pull the club on a line, but the swing plane is a circle. Do you understand the concept of an inside/square/inside swing? Well then that means in order for the clubhead to go inside/square/inside then the butt end of the club must do the same. So if you pull the the butt end down the target line you will make the face go inside out, of plane, and will retard the natural release of the forearms. If you pull too far down the target line you will leave the club face open, lead with the hosel, which can push the ball right or shank, if the club face is not open you can hit big draws or hooks as well. also, since the natural release of the forearms is retarded then you will have a good chance of flipping the hands into impact

Here is how I have learned to stay on plane, I was taught this by a certain instructor who seems to know a lot about the golf swing. I am just pasting from another post I wrote,
Swing left. I was told that in order to fix it I needed to swing left. but while doing this I needed to look 1-2 dimples on the inside of the back of the ball and direct my pointer finger there. many people try to swing too much inside out, I was one of them, some even pull the butt end of the club down the target line. by doing either one of these you get your down swing off plane and have an unatural release of the club face. so swing left with your body while directing your finger a little on the inside of the back of the ball. keep your spine angle and stay behind the ball, dont lunge.

hopefully I kept the explanation simple enough, sorry if it is a little cloudy
good luck in the search

Are you left or right handed?

[pnearn]

Re: Need Help to Fix shanks.....again!!!!

Stand farther away from the ball. Just try it!!!!!

Chessbum.....

Be careful with that though. Standing too far leaves you reaching for the ball which puts tension in your arms and tends to lead to a weak armsy swing

Better to let the arms hang naturally but get those hips tilted downwards. That way you still have a lot of room between your hands and hips but your upper arms are still coonected to the chest

[shootin4par]

Re: Need Help to Fix shanks.....again!!!!

Are you left or right handed?

right handed

[shootin4par]

Re: Need Help to Fix shanks.....again!!!!

easy way to judge distance of body and handsl, get into address, take rear hand off club and make a fist with your thumb sticking out, now you should be able to place that between butt end of club and your pelvic area give or take an inch