What is a shank?

Hello everyone,

I am a relative newbie to the game, what exactly does a shank mean?

A shank is a severe miss hit in which the golf ball is struck by the hosel of the club. On a shank, a player has managed to strike the ball with a part of the club other than the clubface. A shanked shot will scoot a short distance, often out to the right, or might be severely sliced or hook. Someone who shanks a lot might be said to "have the shanks" or to be "shanking it."

^ What he said.

Another common term for a shank is 'hosel rocket', as your ball flight is generally low, and the ball 'rockets' off.

A "shank" is something I don't want to know......at all!

Yeah, that "hosel" sweetspot is NOT very big! The mechanics of a "shank" simply means that the sweetspot of the club has not rotated into Impact...it's pointed out to the right. So learn to rotate the clubface into the ball.

It's something that you definitely do not want to have! I'm entering my final year of high school, and have struggled with the shanks in my earlier years as a high school student. The bad part is that it was during a tournament which mattered the most, such as Regionals. Ah...Regionals. Basically a shank is when your swing path is too vertical and your shoulders come over the top, resulting in the hosel of your club coming down on the ball. I fix this by making sure I do the "squat" position on the backswing. Visit this website on the squat position, it's never failed me in curing my shanks.

http://www.golfonline.com/golfonline/...0_1_sh,00.html

Hope I helped some,

frubalu

There's also the 'toe shank' - where your mis-hit is off the toe of the club, and the clubface is often open. Again, the shot is low, hard, and often to the right (left for lefties). It's usual cause is setting up too far away from the ball, or reaching with the hands and arms at address. You swing back within yourself, and hammer the ball on the toe.

Hosel Rocket ........ What a great name for a race horse!!!

Gambit, the more ignorant you are about a shank, the better for your sanity! i suffered this dreaded disease for three months, and it took me a long time to recover. It can really bring your confidence levels down. So dont go there!!!!

yep you did it to yourself, too late now, i never shanked until i knew what it was and then i got the disease, right after i learned what it was

your a gonner, yep you just ruined a couple golf trips

In addition to what has been correctly posted above, a shank is a piece of metal, that has been filed down to a critical degree of sharpness. It is then used to committ "hari kari" after hitting a golf ball with the hosel of the golf club's business end. GJS

Just pray to god you never get a bad case of the sh, sh, sh, sh.......... Nope, I cant bring myself to say it!

Policeman:
"So Mr Smith, you had just hit your third shank in succession"

Mr Smith:
"That's Correct"

Policeman:
"That's when your playing partner said "just relax, its only a game""

Mr Smith:
"That's correct"

Policeman:
"That's when you hit him in the head with your Pitching Wedge then"

Hosel rocket is great but I prefer worm burner.

As for curing shanks?? EASY MONEY. This golf pro taught me a sweet tip. When you get a case of shanks. Don't change your stance or swing!! Instead pick a blade of grass other small item a half inch inside the ball (toward you) and zone out the ball, just ignore the ball and swing through your new target.
I also hold the club horizontal with standard grip and focus on the toe. I spell the alphabet until I can feel the toe instead of the shaft. When you shank you are swinging the shaft not the head and hit the shaft (hosel) on the ball.

TRY IT!!

Given a shank is where the ball is struck by the Hosel of the club, not the face, I like to think of it as being simply "half an inch" from being a great shot...

Then, I just try to remember to set up a half inch further away from the ball...