The Shanks

I just noticed my sorry attempt at a picture. It didn't quite come out how I submitted it. The two circles that represent golf balls should have been one directly over or above the other.

I seem to have bouts without warning..usually when i'm playing pretty well!!..8 iron & shorter..just when you put pressure on your game

You can check a few things..Important..first check your Posture is not changing as you swing...

It is generally a swing path problem either to much inside/outside. first you need to find out which you do. Carefully look at the shape & direction of divots when you fire one of the hosel to establish which way the club path was.

On the course you can then have a few practice swings along the correct path before hitting your next shot. On the practice range I find if I can hit a few full shots with a driver/wood it sorts itself out. (nice smooth take-away)

The problem that I have is I get lazy & roll my wrists on the backswing allowing the club to come inside to much combined with my knuckle count increasing from the address position at halfway back..I then get too steep on the downswing & pull across (out to in) to compensate.

All I do now is a few practice swings maintaining posture /knuckle count & concentrate on a nice low smooth take-away..it almost feels If I have to keep the club face looking at the ball & target line longer

hope this helps

I went to the range today and hit a small bucket of balls - first time out since last bad round. Started with driver - never a problem. Then hit 7/SW/5/2 (util) - no problems except slicing a bit because I was trying to make sure I did not take club back inside.

Made sure I had weight on balls of feet - not on heels - this may have been my main problem and I was lunging at the ball.

Even tried adressing with hosel at ball and still hit ball OK. Then tried putting ball at toe and again it went OK. ???

I think that I too get lazy - I always hit first 1/2 bucket of balls OK - Besides the shanking problem, I have had several pains aches in back, elbow and right forearm - I think that if I hit too many balls, fatigue sets in and I start lunging or wafting at the ball.

Thanks all for your comments - Frinds just called to ask us to play on Sunday, so that may be the real test. Won't hit more than a dozen balls before playing!

Ain't that the truth! I guess that's golf for you - sometimes you couldn't shank the ball even if you tried, but other times....

Glad to see there are so many people with useful advice. I have rarely experienced shanks on the course - usually I only do it when I have a bad lie / ball below feet etc. It seems to be more of a good golfers problem (and I'm not quite there yet ).

One thing I heard which might help (or might not) - I was chatting to a friend who's a 5 handicap and he said that if the shanks creep in on the course, it's almost always on his short irons into the green. He said that to overcome the anxiety he simply concentrates on taking a really meaty divot. That might be worth a try....

Interesting point about low handicapers experiencing shanks more than others. When I was going through it and before I got a clue: I noticed that I was trying to be to precise. Thus the reason for them showing up first in the short irons. In retrospect I would catch myself forgetting that the shaft wasn't pointing right down into and through the sweetspot of the clubface. I'd have to mentally remind myself that it was actually a couple of inches out on top of or above the shaft.

People have said this, including my club pro - I thought he was trying to make feel better. When you have a case of the shanks, you don't feel like a strong player.

Update - Played for the first time in 10 days today. Low key game with wife & friend. Very tentative on first nine. Pulled a few second shots, chipping & putting were rusty - never shanked anything, but score was 44 - not too good.

Back nine, birdied 10th. missed short putts on both par 5,s for birdie. In the end shot 39 for 83 but all 3 dropped shots were due to hooked drives ending up in very bad lies in rough. No shanks and a lot looser.

Will try again on Tuesday - normal round is sub-80, so we will see if we can get back to that soon.

Main things I am doing are:
- keep weight on balls of feet, not heels
- Good posture and alignment
- swing back slow and start downswing slow.

Drives were mostly good (one went 285 yds!), but sprayed a few - Maybe this is my next problem

Short update - Played in League today- Shot 41 (incl lost ball triple on one hole) and 40 (including lost ball double). Both bad holes due to offline drive (It was VERY windy).

Did shank two iron shots - not too badly and got away with par/bogey. Also mi**** two shots - kind of lazy lack of energy shots - it WAS a hot day.

Still lack confidence, but at least score is improving slightly.

OK - I think it is fixed! Shot 79 & 77 in leagues recently and hit lots of greens in regualtion.

What helped most:

- Proper weight distribution and knee flex. Hard to describe, but weight neither back on heels nor too far forward - just nicely balanced to provide a stable platform for swing and then some knee flex, but not so much as to look like I was sitting.
- Proper posture - bottom of spine high as possible, straight back (but relaxed)
- Play less ( just 3X a week!)and don't hit too many balls before game!
- Make sure no forward press and take club back slowly making some space between arms and body.
- Soft grip and swing easy (back slow and start down slow too)

First two seemed to help most.