Shanking Misery!

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Re: Shanking Misery!

This is really weird, because I have very recently developed the exact same problem. I am a lefty who started playing regularly about 18 months back, and my handicap has come down from 28 to 20 in this time and I've been playing better than ever over the last 2 months. Suddenly, three days ago, I kept shanking shots, and hitting shots a lot shorter than I normally do, but mainly the shanking thing, and I couldn't figure it out. I partly put it down to the fact it was really, really cold, and I couldn't grip the club as I normally would as my hands were numb, but this didn't seem to affect my playing partner's game, so maybe it is something more integral to my game!

I have taken some advice from everyone above and will try and implement these at the range today.

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Re: Shanking Misery!

One thing I am confused with is this....

I see mentioned here that one way to counteract the shanking problem is to put the weight on to the heels more, but I read an article somewhere else where they mention the opposite - see below:

"Easiest thing in the world to fix is a shank. When a person shanks, 99% of the time he is standing too close to the ball and his weight is on the heels instead of the whole foot. Try placing the club 1 ball length toward you from the ball (the ball would be just above the toe) and make your swing from there. When you swing and your arms extend because of it you will hit the ball instead of the hosel, or shank of the club. This exercise should get you back to swinging the way you were and not steering it as it sounds like you are doing. Good luck."

So, which is correct, should I try and put more or less weight on my heels?

[JohnP]

Re: Shanking Misery!

Quick update guys, and thanks for all the help.

Things that work:

i) Ditch the 60 degree wedge for a while until they're gone

ii) This is a great link http://www.ritson-sole.com/golftips/2002/july2002.htm

iii) Use a 52 degree wedge max until your confidence returns, play the ball well back in the stance, hood the clubface over - this is ugly but it works and restores confidence.

iv) Short backswing, long follow through - Dave Pelz advice and good! - helps promote a nice smooth swing.

v) If they do surface again (in practice) they will be gone next day almost guaranteed, don't be worried, they are not forever, don't leave the range almost in tears like I did! - if they surface on the course, go to a less lofted club until further notice!

vi) Keep your legs real quiet, as you are only swinging at 50 - 75% you should be able to keep your legs really square with very little movement then drop the club down so it feels like its just the arms doing the work (the hips will turn of course, but it will seem like they just follow the arms) This tip and the Dave Pelz one were magic!

Good luck - That's all folks!

[Durtman]

Re: Shanking Misery!

I remember playing in a tournament some years ago... One of my playing partners laid the ball up nicely near a lake. The green was on the other side of the lake about 100 yards away. He shanked his first one into the lake, then dropped... another shank into the lake. The rest of us just stood there and watched as he shanked 9 balls into the water. Then he was out of balls and had to withdraw. An amazing thing.

I shank occasionally and find that its because my swing path is too much from the inside.

I wasn't in a tournament but I have a buddy that has the shanks right now. In the last two rounds I've played with him he's shanked balls into the same pond 5 times one round and 4 the last before dropping one closer to the pin...just a little 50-60 yard pitch. I think he was mainly leaving his club way open and catching the ground with the toe before impact. He now owns an F2 hosel-less wedge...he says its gonna drop 10 strokes from his game...I'll see this weekend.

[killer]

Re: Shanking Misery!

no problem chessbum,
As say a very flat swing is when you take the club back too much on the inside, a pro told me to place a head cover 4ft back from the object ball and as you take your club back the club head will pass over the headcover remember though the headcover has to be only a couple of inches in side the target line. the feeling i had when i first tried was that i was swinging way outside but i saw this on a video and i was swinging just inside the line
so my swing now feels to me like i take the club out wide creating width=more power but then on the down swing i feel that i have to hit from the inside and this works very well for me in fact i dont think that shanked a ball since using this swing let me know how you get on

[vp27519]

Re: Shanking Misery!

Hi John,

My understanding of a shank is for the right hander - a shot sharp to the right off the club. If this is so, every now and then, the shank rears its ugly head in my chipping. I queried this with my coach and he told me it is because I was coming out of the shot. I was too eager to see where it was going. He told me to keep spine angle and watch the club hit the ball.

I hope this helps.

[greaves1]

Re: Shanking Misery!

I've had 'em too. In my case definitely standing too close to the ball and trying to smash it into the turf like the pro that I am not! The tip about addressing the ball at the toe of the club is exactly how I got rid the shanks. Every now and again they creep back and I need to remind myself of what to do to correct it.

Best of luck,

Mike

[fuego444]

Re: Shanking Misery!

I recently just got over a horrible case of the S word with all of my pitches so I thought I would chime in here to let you all know what my problem was. I am a 9 handicap and have hit a few S***** in the past like pretty much everyone, but never to this degree. I was literally hitting 95% of my pitches at the range right of the hosel.

I first checked my setup/grip and everything looked good. I tried concentrating on really accelerating through the ball and getting my club face square at impact, but it did no good.

After 2 straight days of going to the range in hopes that they would have magically disappeared (they didn't) I went to see my pro.

10 minutes with my pro and he had me hitting my pitches pure again.

The fix? I was simply swinging way to much with my arms and had very little shoulder turn and it was causing me to have a very irratic swing path.

As soon as I started concentrating on making a good shoulder turn and keeping the triangle formed by my arms connected with my chest, I didn't hit another off the hosel.

Just because it is a short shot with a short backswing doesn't mean the arms do all the work. Get those shoulders turned and it may help you out like it did me.

[GoBucks]

Re: Shanking Misery!

The fix? I was simply swinging way to much with my arms and had very little shoulder turn and it was causing me to have a very irratic swing path.

As soon as I started concentrating on making a good shoulder turn and keeping the triangle formed by my arms connected with my chest, I didn't hit another off the hosel.

Just because it is a short shot with a short backswing doesn't mean the arms do all the work. Get those shoulders turned and it may help you out like it did me.

That was something I really concentrated on with I s**nked while chipping (as well as not keeping my hands so close to my body) and now when I chip I initiate my swing with a front shoulder turn.