Is this a shank?

[Newbie Collection Agency]

Went out tonight and hit 150 at my clubs practice ground - 80% of them shot off the club to the right of target line about 45 degrees. Very short and a horrible "clack" sound.

Just to clarify - is this a shank?

Anyway I got home after the session I happened to notice the clubface of my seven iron. Here it is .....



What the heck is going on!?!

When I got home and told my wife (she plays) I was demonstrating my swing a little in the living room - she noticed that I was picking the club up a little on the takeaway and also taking it inside the plane. Not sure if I was doing this on the practice ground or not - could that fault cause this type of shot?

I am a 17 handicap and played on and off for 10 years.

All help greatly appreciated.

Paul.

[NCGolfer]

You would, as they say in Tin Cup, the laterals. Yes the shanks.

I have had this problem at the range every once in a while...usually after a pretty decent layoff between rounds or practices. 90% of the time it is because my setup is bad. If my swing is getting too flat or if I'm swinging around my body, it seems to happen more often. I will focus on bending over from the waist a little more and making my angle of attack a bit steeper. You may hit a few fat at first, but it's better than the alternative.

The short term fix (to avoid going mad) is to address the ball towards the toe of the club and take a normal swing. I often have to step back go through my entire pre-shot routing and make sure I'm doing everything right. Just slow down on the range...don't beat balls any faster.

[iacas]

The short term fix (to avoid going mad) is to address the ball towards the toe of the club and take a normal swing. I often have to step back go through my entire pre-shot routing and make sure I'm doing everything right. Just slow down on the range...don't beat balls any faster.

The alternative method to addressing the ball on the toe is to address the ball on the HEEL of the club. It sounds weird, but what happens is that your body subconsciously knows it's there and will pull the club in a little bit to avoid the shank.

[Itchy]

There is really only one explanation for hitting a shank, decelaration. You slow the club head at impact, you hit a shank. I would recommend shortening your back swing and working on making sure you are accelerating through the hitting zone. I might also think that the reason you are hitting so many shots off or near the hozel is that you are set up too far away from the ball, try moving the ball closer to you in your stance, when are are too far away, you will have a tendancy to reach for the ball at impact. Without seeing your swing difficult to say really, but that is what I would recommend.