Regressed to the Point of Not Even Making Contact

[Bearhawk]

So I’ve been playing since high school (10 years) but never regularly until about 4 years ago. Worked with my old high school coach and in that first year of playing 2-3 times a week was able to break 90 about half the time.

 

Last year my game got progressively worse from about June on. From slowly sliding down to back over 100 and hitting low 45 degree open face slices every time with my irons to struggling to make contact at all. This spring I decided that I was going to fix it properly. Have taken 4 lessons (same pro) and hit the range 3 times a week for the last 10 weeks to no avail. Still can’t make contact beyond a 1/2 swing and even that is iffy.

 

I know nobody can diagnose the mechanical faults without a video but has anyone experienced something this drastic? If so did something specific help? I only bring this up because I can feel myself losing motivation every failed range session to even take a slight step forward.

[billchao]

37 minutes ago, Bearhawk said:

So I’ve been playing since high school (10 years) but never regularly until about 4 years ago. Worked with my old high school coach and in that first year of playing 2-3 times a week was able to break 90 about half the time.

 

Last year my game got progressively worse from about June on. From slowly sliding down to back over 100 and hitting low 45 degree open face slices every time with my irons to struggling to make contact at all. This spring I decided that I was going to fix it properly. Have taken 4 lessons (same pro) and hit the range 3 times a week for the last 10 weeks to no avail. Still can’t make contact beyond a 1/2 swing and even that is iffy.

 

I know nobody can diagnose the mechanical faults without a video but has anyone experienced something this drastic? If so did something specific help? I only bring this up because I can feel myself losing motivation every failed range session to even take a slight step forward.

Tennis is a great sport 😜

But seriously, take some video, start a swing thread. Or sign up for evolvr.com and get instruction. 45° open face doesn't even sound possible, are you sure you're not just shanking the ball?

[Vinsk]

58 minutes ago, Bearhawk said:

hitting low 45 degree open face slices every time with my irons t

That’s a shank. In the tone of Prince Humperdinck, ‘Iocane...is bet my life on it.’

I’m quite certain if you do the board/head cover/pool noodle drill where you place the object on the far side of your ball at address to where center contact clears the object but the toe touches it...those 45* slices will disappear if you miss the object. 

This is why video is so important. You’re most likely not arriving with an open club face. You’re hitting the hosel. 

Save the struggle and get good help soon. I’ve had the shanks for over 20 years. Yes they’ve come and gone. But so do cockroaches.

[dennyjones]

9 hours ago, Vinsk said:

Save the struggle and get good help soon. I’ve had the shanks for over 20 years. Yes they’ve come and gone. But so do cockroaches.

ha ha...

[Bearhawk]

12 hours ago, Vinsk said:

That’s a shank. In the tone of Prince Humperdinck, ‘Iocane...is bet my life on it.’

I’m quite certain if you do the board/head cover/pool noodle drill where you place the object on the far side of your ball at address to where center contact clears the object but the toe touches it...those 45* slices will disappear if you miss the object. 

This is why video is so important. You’re most likely not arriving with an open club face. You’re hitting the hosel. 

This could very well be, as I’ve noticed even my decent shots feel “heels.” I just took a good look at my most common practice clubs and I noticed the strike marks are mostly in the heel. Strange, because I used to be chronically off the toe..

 

I appreciate the feedback.

[garyt]

On 5/28/2019 at 9:14 PM, billchao said:

Tennis is a great sport 😜

But seriously, take some video, start a swing thread. Or sign up for evolvr.com and get instruction. 45° open face doesn't even sound possible, are you sure you're not just shanking the ball?

Man, I feel the OP's pain. I'm doing the same thing. I have no idea how many degrees the face is open but I'm hitting the ball almost sideways and not off the hosel. Sometimes I think I'm letting my right hand turn under rather than over and some times it feels like I'm stalling my turn. Probably a combination of both. But you can hit it dead right without hitting the hosel.

[billchao]

1 hour ago, garyt said:

But you can hit it dead right without hitting the hosel.

Yea, you can shank it off the toe or the bottom of the clubhead, too.

"Dead right" isn't very descriptive in terms of ball flight. The OP specifically stated he was hitting low and 45° to the right, which suggests some form of shank. If the shot was hit solidly with an extremely open face, the added loft would make it launch higher.

[garyt]

1 hour ago, billchao said:

Yea, you can shank it off the toe or the bottom of the clubhead, too.

"Dead right" isn't very descriptive in terms of ball flight. The OP specifically stated he was hitting low and 45° to the right, which suggests some form of shank. If the shot was hit solidly with an extremely open face, the added loft would make it launch higher.

Can't speak for the OP of course but I'm hitting low liners that if I was aiming to 2nd base they go to first. And thery go no real distance.

[billchao]

32 minutes ago, garyt said:

Can't speak for the OP of course but I'm hitting low liners that if I was aiming to 2nd base they go to first. And thery go no real distance.

Still sounds like a shank to me. If you were to hit a block it would come out pretty solidly and at most like 12° right or so.

[Vinsk]

3 hours ago, billchao said:

Yea, you can shank it off the toe or the bottom of the clubhead, too.

 Not really Bill. A shank is a shank which is a strike at the hosel. A ‘shank’ has nothing to do with the toe of the club. I’ve had an intimate relationship with shanks for about 30 years and only use the word to describe exactly what it is. I’m only nit-picking to appease the gods appropriately as they are always watching/listening.  😀

[mcanadiens]

10 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

I’ve had an intimate relationship with shanks for about 30 years and only use the word to describe exactly what it is.

When I was young and dumb I used the term shank loosely. 

Once you've hit a real shank, you realize what the genuine article really is and all other mishits only suck a little bit by comparison.

 

[billchao]

32 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

 Not really Bill. A shank is a shank which is a strike at the hosel. A ‘shank’ has nothing to do with the toe of the club. I’ve had an intimate relationship with shanks for about 30 years and only use the word to describe exactly what it is. I’m only nit-picking to appease the gods appropriately as they are always watching/listening.  😀

You can "shank" from off the toe. The clubhead doesn't catch enough of the ball so it deflects off the corner of the club. Same result.

[Vinsk]

Just now, billchao said:

You can "shank" from off the toe. The clubhead doesn't catch enough of the ball so it deflects off the corner of the club. Same result.

That’s not a shank though. It’s desecrating the term ‘shank’ which is only to be used for ...a shank. I admire your courage but this is a breach of shank etiquette and shouldn’t be taken with such a frivolous nature. 

[billchao]

4 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

That’s not a shank though. It’s desecrating the term ‘shank’ which is only to be used for ...a shank. I admire your courage but this is a breach of shank etiquette and shouldn’t be taken with such a frivolous nature. 

I have yet to come across a good term for it. Call it a toe shank if you need to. Again, same result.

Maybe if you didn't put the shank on a pedestal you'd stop hitting them so much 😜

[mcanadiens]

23 minutes ago, billchao said:

I have yet to come across a good term for it. Call it a toe shank if you need to. Again, same result.

Maybe if you didn't put the shank on a pedestal you'd stop hitting them so much 😜

Surely a ball off the toe could put the ball in a similar place as the classic shank, but what about the feel?

Not only does the ball go sideways, but on contact with the hosel you instantly feel like the contents of your stomach just went into your undershorts. Your "toe shank" surely doesn't do that. 

Forgive me for not experimenting to find out.

[billchao]

7 minutes ago, mcanadiens said:

Surely a ball off the toe could put the ball in a similar place as the classic shank, but what about the feel?

Not only does the ball go sideways, but on contact with the hosel you instantly feel like the contents of your stomach just went into your undershorts. Your "toe shank" surely doesn't do that. 

You guys take this thing too seriously. It's a f***ing shank 🙄

BTW it feels great when I hit one off the hosel.

[Vinsk]

3 hours ago, billchao said:

I have yet to come across a good term for it. Call it a toe shank if you need to. Again, same result.

Maybe if you didn't put the shank on a pedestal you'd stop hitting them so much 😜

Well, I agree with that for those of you who only suffer the occasional shank and therefore have the luxury of taking it so light heartedly. For me:

 

[DrvFrShow]

The most difficult shot to hit is the one right after a shank. Shanks get in your head and mess with your mind. I crushed a drive today on the 8th hole. I was looking at an easy pitch onto the green and the possibility of a birdie putt. I shanked the pitch into the bunker which is the worst place for me to be. Fortunately I put my Philly Mick 64 back in the bag and escaped - nothing earth shattering but at least was on the green putting for par which I missed by this much.

I've hit a hosel rocket with a persimmon driver - well you might call it the wrong side of the heel of the club. I've done it with a modern driver too. I think tension causes them. When you're trying too hard.