Shankorama

Where the h*ll do the shanks come from and why???  Suddenly I have developed a bad case of the shanks.  If I go out to hit some balls the first few are fine and then suddenly the shanks start and just get worse, and worse, and worse.  I have never had this problem in the 30+ years I have played golf.  I am a 10-12 handicap and I am becoming very frustrated and discouraged.  HELP!!!!

Are you trying to hit a draw/trying to swing from in to out? Try hitting slice after slice on the driving range. It helped me hit the ball more in the center of the face, and it's relatively easy to straighten back out.

Not trying to hit a draw or a slice, I am just trying to hit it straight.  This just came totally out of the blue and I CANNOT understand what I am doing wrong.  I can place something just outside the ball and stop shanking, but as soon as I remove it they return.  It is unbelievable.

Record your swing, something has changed.  Maybe post it here for help.  I had the same problem off and on for three years.  Make sure you are not coming over the top, casting, unbalanced, or have bad posture.    Placing something outside the ball probably forces you to come more from the inside.  When you remove it you might be coming back over the top and swiping across the ball.

Yes, I definitely think it is a "coming over the top" issue.  Nothing feels any different and another odd thing is I don't do it nearly as bad with my woods and never with the driver.  Thanks for the tips, everyone keep them coming, I am dying here!

Thanks!  I will give it a try!

Also you could be hip thrusting toward the ball. When I had the shanks, I was early extending and trying to hit a draw. Also, if you spin out and come over the top you could also get the hozel out to the ball. Or, you could be too far from the ball (also related to early extension) and be diving down at the ball too much.

Everyone has their own cause of the shanks. Figuring out what your key issues are is part of the fun!

Keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that this doesn't jinx me, but believe it or not one thing that appears to be helping tremendously is a change in my grip.  I am going to wait and see if it continues to help before I post what I did!

Many reasons for skanks, I've had them all.

Try this simple prescription -  keep your back to the ball a bit longer (eliminates over the top).

Go get 'em Tiger!

I'll add my two cents:

1)  For me, when I'm not hitting the ball well, a bad turn is often the cause.  A poor turn may cause you to sway, dip or any number of bad swing mechanics.

2)  Slow down.  I often find when I'm hitting poorly, I've gotten too quick in my swing.

only thing that helps me when I get the shanks chipping is setting up with the ball almost at the toe rather than at the sweet spot.

It appears to have been my grip!  Now, how the hell is that possible???!!?!?!

Did you stengthen it?  If so, I just went through that change as well in my lessons.  It seems it forces you to come more from the inside, because if you don't you will snap hook the heck out of the ball.

I used to use a neutral interlocking grip and here is what I have done:  I take a basic "baseball" grip with my left thumb going down the right side of the shaft and my right thumb going down the left side of the shaft.  I rest my left thumb inside the pocket formed by my right palm.  Looking down on it it looks maybe a little stronger, but not much.  I don't know exactly what this has done for me, but it seems that my right wrist hinges a little less than it did with the interlock.  Whatever it did it has helped a lot.

not accelarating through the ball was my problem

That was my problem right hand not getting through the ball combined with not making a full shoulder turn.  Tightened my grip rather than adjusting though.