Shanking

[vr4nothing]

As a new player, how long did it take you to stop shanking balls?

[st0wgolf08]

As a new player, how long did it take you to stop shanking balls?

As soon as you realize you need to stand farther away. try it, shanking comes from hitting the hosel, which is where the head and shaft meet. Good luck

[jb1982]

I've been playing since I was 7, and playing at least twice a week for the past 3 years. I still have problems with shanking it from time to time. For me, it usually takes a few buckets of balls at the range and taking some 3/4 swings with my wedges. Just remember shanks come from hitting the hosel not the toe. So don't get any closer to the ball.

Good luck!!

[MiniMoe]

from my experience, skanks are caused by one of two things.. coming over the top and swinging outside to in, or the more common hitting the ball from too far inside the line (swinging inside to out).

standing farther from the ball does not fix swinging too much from the inside, it makes it worse.

This will help. Put a 2x4 on the outside of the golf ball about 2 inches from you ball, pointing down the target line. Hit the ball without hitting the 2x4. This will get you to swing the club down the line... it will help with the over-the-top and too far from the inside. Everything about the swing should be down the line to the target.

[David in FL]

Stop? LOL. I hit a dead cold skanker on a short par 4 on Sunday. Took a double as a result. Shot 77. Doncha just love this d@m game?!

MiniMoe is right. A lot of shanks result from coming over the top. Although it's a little counter intuitive, standing too far away from the ball will often result in a lunging, over the top move that will cause the shank that you're trying to prevent. The 2x4 drill is a great one. On the course, try.......I mean really try to hit the ball with the toe of your club. You won't be able to, and you won't hit a shank either.

[TommyD69]

You never stop! I don't care who you are!

Additionally, all you need to do is HEAR THE WORD $h@nk and you will do it... for the rest of the day!!!!

You can think it..... JUST DON'T SAY IT!

I have tried the 2X4 thing, or even a shoe box, but to me this only addresses the symptoms but not the cause of the dreaded “Hozell” shot (as Tin Cups caddy called it… he wouldn’t say it either).

I believe that when you "carry your hands too low" in the hitting area, they force the club head away from your body, and brings the neck into the ball SHHHHHHIVER!!!!

Look at good players hands at impact, centrifugal force is pulling the hands down (at the wrists) towards the ground (forming almost a straight line between your forearms and the shaft of the club), which I believe is where you want them to be. Any manipulation on your part to try and "maintain the address angle" of your forearms and the club shaft at impact will force the club head out away from you.

Try it at address. Carry your hands low at address and the club will get longer.... Carry your hands higher at address and the club gets shorter. But, remember what Harvey Penick said, “this is a one aspirin fix, don’t take the whole bottle”. You still want to maintain a good angle AT ADDRESS between your forearms and the club shaft. Just let centrifugal force work for you in the hitting zone.

This is what I believe to be true, and in my case, it definitely DOES work.

Your findings may vary, but keep trying, and GOOD LUCK!

[Jay-Bird]

Playing alone the other day I was sitting in a good lay-up position, about 145 out, uphill & over water to the green when the group on the green waved me through. It was a normal 8-iron. I'd hit a few good 8irons already, and I wasn't nervous about the shot at all. I stepped up after the normal preshot routine and shanked it at a dead 45º angle into the water. Laughable.

[flopdarock]

hillside lies above my feet get me to shank city really quick

[jambalaya]

Yo, never. You will shank less though. Three weeks ago I am playing good golf for the first 8 holes. Good drives, solid irons shots, good putting. I step up to the Par 3 9th and shanky doodle dandy not once but twice. The round went straight to hell from there. It has been a trend lately for me and it usually happens on a Par 3. Weird.

[elchene]

I remember shanking 15 in a row in Florida... I hope I didn't hurt anyone. Shanking comes from the hosel leading into impact. My case of shanks came from squeezing in my left hand and not letting the club get into the "trigger finger" at the top.

[vr4nothing]

I guess a better question would be how long did it take you to make consistent shots? I've hit about 350 range balls so far and I only hit the ball straight about 1/3 of the time -- the rest are shanks, skulls, or fat shots. I can count on one hand the number of slices and hooks I've it, but right now I either hit a great shot or a horrible one.

[David in FL]

I guess a better question would be how long did it take you to make consistent shots? I've hit about 350 range balls so far and I only hit the ball straight about 1/3 of the time -- the rest are shanks, skulls, or fat shots. I can count on one hand the number of slices and hooks I've it, but right now I either hit a great shot or a horrible one.

Now

that's probably a better question.....even though we were having fun with the shank thang.......kind of...... I can't really answer because it's just been too long since I took up the game......40+ years now. What I would offer is that 350 range balls is nothing. The good news is that it's so little in the grand scheme that you haven't even started to develop any bad habits. I'd highly recommend taking a lesson or two just to have someone put your hands on the club properly and teach you the basic fundamentals of the golf swing. Do that, and you'll be having fun and playing the game in no time at all. Welcome to the madness!

[vr4nothing]

Now

I signed up for and took a lesson this past Wednesday before I had ever swung a club.

My teacher said I was doing better than a lot of people he's taught for weeks straight, which made me feel pretty good. He could have just been blowing smoke, but I'll never know. He also told me to hit the range 2 - 3 days a week for a month then come back for another lesson, so I'm doing exactly that.