Trying to Fix Casting… Now I'm Shanking

[KP96]

Hello -

General question here.

I recently watched a few good YouTube videos on lag and I believe I actually incorporated the tips into my swing.  It felt as though the clubhead was behind my back longer (just a feel) and I wasn't turning my forearms early as I normally do (and losing all my lag).

It felt great in my backyard without a ball, but I went to the range tonight and all I hit was shanks and, if I was lucky, a really weak push.

Clearly I'm not closing my clubface.  I tried adding a lot of body turn early and swinging from my hips, I tried actually closing the clubface with my hands (I know...terrible...I was getting very frustrated) and nothing worked.

I'm sure I would need to post my swing here, but my understanding is that it is very common for shanks to pop up when someone is actually learning how to retain lag.

What I am hoping to find some help on is a feel or move that I am supposed to do (that I'm clearly not doing) that will square the clubface.  I thought it was by adding more body turn, but I exaggerated that at the range and, at best, I was still hitting a weak push with a wide open clubface.

Any help would really be greatly appreciated, as I am trying to get rid of my casting once and for all.

[iacas]

Lag happens.

It's not really something you "do." It's the result of other things done well.

[Vinsk]

4 minutes ago, KP96 said:

I'm sure I would need to post my swing here

Well...yeah. This kind of mechanical practice really should be done with video. You’re shown what the proper movement is you’re trying to achieve...then you do it very, very slowly. Over and over. You’ve got to make sure the feel you’re acquiring is producing the position you’re looking for. How you hit the ball needs to be further down the line for now. 

[onkey]

I went through something very similar after a swing improvement session (lesson) and it terrified me.  My teaching pro told me it was just an adjustment period that old muscle memory was fighting.  He told me to just relax and go out and hit balls at the range for a few more days and it should all fall into place.  The next day, I was hitting the ball better than I ever had in the past.

I hope you have a similar experience.

[DrvFrShow]

If you're hitting blocks you're likely coming in too shallow or too inside to out. Or you're not clearing your hips and you're getting stuck. I'd work on hitting your take away positions correctly. It's a real pain because you have to know them and you'll have to stop and look where the club is, and check the club face orientation. This sets up your transition and downswing. While you can still get it into the slot from about anywhere it makes it easier. Then there's tempo and getting all the parts to work in sync. Yeah, that. 

Basically get everything in sequence and lag will come. I really wouldn't worry about it unless you're casting.

 

[KP96]

10 hours ago, DrvFrShow said:

If you're hitting blocks you're likely coming in too shallow or too inside to out. Or you're not clearing your hips and you're getting stuck. I'd work on hitting your take away positions correctly. It's a real pain because you have to know them and you'll have to stop and look where the club is, and check the club face orientation. This sets up your transition and downswing. While you can still get it into the slot from about anywhere it makes it easier. Then there's tempo and getting all the parts to work in sync. Yeah, that. 

Basically get everything in sequence and lag will come. I really wouldn't worry about it unless you're casting.

 

That's the thing.  I'm a chronic caster.  My last 2 rounds have been 84 and 83, so I'm a pretty decent golfer, but that's because I practice my short game more than my long game.  I don't think I'll ever get to the next level if I continue to cast the club on all my long swings.  I am pretty straight but have inconsistent contact (I still duff the ball on occasion) and my distance is poor.

[Grizvok]

3 minutes ago, KP96 said:

That's the thing.  I'm a chronic caster.  My last 2 rounds have been 84 and 83, so I'm a pretty decent golfer, but that's because I practice my short game more than my long game.  I don't think I'll ever get to the next level if I continue to cast the club on all my long swings.  I am pretty straight but have inconsistent contact (I still duff the ball on occasion) and my distance is poor.

Why focus your practice on something that is statistically shown to be less impactful on your ability to score better?

[DrvFrShow]

13 hours ago, KP96 said:

That's the thing.  I'm a chronic caster.  My last 2 rounds have been 84 and 83, so I'm a pretty decent golfer, but that's because I practice my short game more than my long game.  I don't think I'll ever get to the next level if I continue to cast the club on all my long swings.  I am pretty straight but have inconsistent contact (I still duff the ball on occasion) and my distance is poor.

If you're worried about it, take a lesson. There are a lot of pros out there who can help. 

[xrayvizhen]

Heed my warning before it’s too late! As someone with the exact same problem as you and judging from your handicap, somewhat at the same level of golfing competence as you, do not, I repeat…do NOT take any advice from anyone on this forum or anywhere on the entire internet, other than this: Find a local real live golf instructor and take a lesson, or a series of lessons.  Let him or her look at your swing and determine the best method for going about solving the issue.  More than likely, you’ve had your swing for a good long while and it’s become your natural swing. To change it will require lots of work and lots and lots of practice

The cause can be anything from the setup, to a bad move on the backswing or if you’re like me, to something in the transition. There are those who say, because the time from the top of the backswing to impact is so minuscule, something 2/10’ths of a second, once you start the downswing it’s too late. It will be what it will be, so the problem is somewhere “up there.”

You (and me) can play decently, albeit inconsistently, with this swing turning in some really good scores as well as really lousy ones, often from one week to the next, sometimes even from the front nine to the back  (Last week I shot 44/35 =79) More than likely you’ll be taking a step backwards before you can take two steps forward. To make changes to your golf swing in season without your scores going through the roof will be tough. Wait until the fall.

I’m still working at it. A year from now so will you.