Regressed to the Point of Not Even Making Contact

[billchao 1,547]

39 minutes ago, colin007 said:

When I hit that pull hook, it's with the highest smash factor I can achieve, it's prolly like 1.51 and it literally moves completely sideways at its apex without any vertical movement for what seems to be about 7 seconds and then it ends up in Canadia.

There's a simple fix for that: play holes that face west.

[boogielicious 1,898]

22 hours ago, colin007 said:

When I hit that pull hook, it's with the highest smash factor I can achieve, it's prolly like 1.51 and it literally moves completely sideways at its apex without any vertical movement for what seems to be about 7 seconds and then it ends up in Canadia.

They appear to defy the laws of physics, don't they!

22 hours ago, billchao said:

There's a simple fix for that: play holes that face west.

Or, just play the fairway of the next hole over. 

[billchao 1,547]

1 hour ago, boogielicious said:

Or, just play the fairway of the next hole over. 

Gives you the best angle of approach on the dogleg for birdie, didn't you know?

[boogielicious 1,898]

1 hour ago, billchao said:

Gives you the best angle of approach on the dogleg for birdie, didn't you know?

I do now!!!

[Mr Puddle 10]

I am going to be controversial, but know I am right. Forget everything your pro has told you, and go back to what you where doing. This may take a few weeks, but you will get better again. You may not get better than you once were, but you will start enjoying the game again, and that's all that matters. I play with some guys with awful swings, but they have learned to make that swing work for them. Save your money, and mug off the pro. 

[IowaGreg 43]

12 minutes ago, Mr Puddle said:

I play with some guys with awful swings, but they have learned to make that swing work for them.

LOL - I occasionally play with a guy that takes a baseball stance.  Wide and the right foot is back.  Squats so low that toe of the driver is pointing skyward.  When he connects, it's typically 225-250 yds.  Not bad for a 75 yr old.......  not even close to any kind of "orthodox" golf stance, but it works for him.

[baller7345 29]

On 6/18/2019 at 8:04 PM, DrvFrShow said:

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.

It depends.  I've never had them crop up more than a few days, but usually when I hit one it is when I'm trying to baby a shot (such as hitting my PW [125-135] to a 100 yard pin]).  I typically end up having very little tension (or at least feel that way) as I'm usually just trying to have the club feel like it simply falls into the ball.

You're 100% right though.  Immediately after it happens I'm terrified of every iron shot even if I don't shank another one all day.

[Mr Puddle 10]

On 6/21/2019 at 6:03 PM, IowaGreg said:

LOL - I occasionally play with a guy that takes a baseball stance.  Wide and the right foot is back.  Squats so low that toe of the driver is pointing skyward.  When he connects, it's typically 225-250 yds.  Not bad for a 75 yr old.......  not even close to any kind of "orthodox" golf stance, but it works for him.

Yep, and if he had a gold lesson he would never be the same again

[edomingox 5]

It is quite possible for things to get worse before they get better.  But things don't get better until you make a change out of your comfort zone.  When you are out of your comfort zone, then you know things are changing.

I also figured out that the most important part of your game is your strategy.  Even an awful swing can break 80.  You just have to stop going for every green on a par 5, hitting at every pin tucked behind a bunker or near water, or pulling out driver on a narrow fairway on a short par 4. 

[gbogey 88]

On 6/21/2019 at 12:26 PM, baller7345 said:

It depends.  I've never had them crop up more than a few days, but usually when I hit one it is when I'm trying to baby a shot (such as hitting my PW [125-135] to a 100 yard pin]).  I typically end up having very little tension (or at least feel that way) as I'm usually just trying to have the club feel like it simply falls into the ball.

You're 100% right though.  Immediately after it happens I'm terrified of every iron shot even if I don't shank another one all day.

So any thoughts as to what to do to get your head right after a shank? Until recently my only experience with shanks have been at the range and then I know how to work through it, but yesterday was the 3rd round this year with shanks - never happened on the course before then.  Have to admit yesterday it played with my mind and messed up quite a few shots after that.

[Vinsk 1,132]

4 minutes ago, gbogey said:

So any thoughts as to what to do to get your head right after a shank? Until recently my only experience with shanks have been at the range and then I know how to work through it, but yesterday was the 3rd round this year with shanks - never happened on the course before then.  Have to admit yesterday it played with my mind and messed up quite a few shots after that.

No.😆 It either bothers you or it doesn’t. I’ve been infected with shanks for 30 years. They come and go, unpredictably, and I just have to deal with it like any other viral illness. It’ll run it’s course and be gone. Once I hit a shank on the course it’s like getting gum on your shoe on a hot day. 

[Double Mocha Man 158]

9 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

 Once I hit a shank on the course it’s like getting gum on your shoe on a hot day. 

Nice analogy!

[Bearhawk 1]

Thanks for all the replies, this community is pretty great. I know there is no substitute for a video but here is just a little background of how I got to where I am.

 

I started playing in summer leagues when I was in middle school. Played a few times a year in high school until my senior year when I played on the varsity golf team. (after football ended for good) I could count on one hand the amount of times I played in college and once I came back home spent a few years playing about twice a month with friend, now granted that usually meant Saturdays with more beer in my bar then clubs.

Fast forward to spring 2017 and I decided that I wanted to improve to the point of the game at least being consistently fun. Started playing ever Sunday morning with my father and guys he worked with and hitting the range 1-2 times a week. By August I really felt like I was making progress and started to consistently shoot in the mid 80s. 

Then out of nowhere something happened and it has been a downward spiral ever since. Went from mid 80s, to struggling to break 90 to shanking every other iron shot and being back to triple digits. This spring I thought I could work it out and get back on the “break 80” track due to having a lot more free time. As soon as the snow melted I was at the range 3-5 times a week,  had 4 sessions with a pro and tried to get back to basics. I have made some improvements especially in long clubs. I’m not kidding when I say I can hit a 3 wood off the deck three times as consistently as I can hit a full PW. The irons are still an almost always either fat to the point of not making contact with the ball or shanked to the right. When I played Sunday I literally used a 5H for everything inside 150 up to pitch and just tried to choke down and slow the swing accordingly.

 

The point of the long winded post is to just see if anyone here has experienced something like this? I mean we all get the shanks from time to time but not lasting a year and a half 🤦‍♂️.

 

thanks again

[JGus 36]

31 minutes ago, Bearhawk said:

I’m not kidding when I say I can hit a 3 wood off the deck three times as consistently as I can hit a full PW. The irons are still an almost always either fat to the point of not making contact with the ball or shanked to the right. When I played Sunday I literally used a 5H for everything inside 150 up to pitch and just tried to choke down and slow the swing accordingly.

The point of the long winded post is to just see if anyone here has experienced something like this? I mean we all get the shanks from time to time but not lasting a year and a half 🤦‍♂️.

Just a thought as I'm not an instructor, and it's almost impossible to say what is wrong without seeing a video, but my first thought is that you are not shifting/transferring your weight forward in order to make proper contact with your irons, it sounds like you are hanging back on your rear foot.  With driver, fairway woods, and hybrid's you can get a way with this a lot more than you can with an iron.

Or it could possibly be that you are casting, which would cause you to hit fat shots.

As others have said, to receive the right advice you will need to post a video in the My Swing Thread.

Edited July 2 by JGus
Added comment

[Vinsk 1,132]

38 minutes ago, Bearhawk said:

I mean we all get the shanks from time to time but not lasting a year and a half 🤦‍♂️.

🙋‍♂️ 30.

[iceman777 8]

Posted this in another topic. I was hitting shots as well as possible, when out of the blue, I started hitting ,irons especially, low and right. Finally figured it out.  When I started my backswing, I was turning my hands and wrists over, causing an open clubface at contact, and the low, right shots. I simply start my backswing thinking turn shoulders , and keep the hands/wrists steady on the way back.  Bingo.. Worth a try. Good luck

[baller7345 29]

On 7/1/2019 at 10:25 AM, gbogey said:

So any thoughts as to what to do to get your head right after a shank? Until recently my only experience with shanks have been at the range and then I know how to work through it, but yesterday was the 3rd round this year with shanks - never happened on the course before then.  Have to admit yesterday it played with my mind and messed up quite a few shots after that.

Not really.  I tend to place the ball out on the toe on the next shot and make sure I'm swinging full even if it might come up a bit short.  If they are really bad there is no stopping them.  If they are a minor case more than likely the less you think about it the better.

If they are every shot then I typically suffer through it till I finish whichever 9 I'm on and go to the range and swing till I stop shanking.  Then leave and hope I come back tomorrow with everything where it should be.