Nightmare at the range -- came down w/ shanks

[rmgators]

Definitely just hit two buckets of shanks at the range after a recent run of ballstriking that has been as good as ever...this was extremely weird, and frustrating. Anyone been through this? If so, what did you do to fix it?

I took some pictures of my swing recently and found that I was taking the club back waay inside so I'm wondering if I may have overcompensated, taking it back to far outside now (causing a severe out to in downswing?). That or I think I may have been stooping over the ball, weight on the toes rather than on my heels, and perhaps not making a full shoulder turn. I just started playing again, and really am an inexperienced golfer so I guess this shouldn't be wholly unexpected, still frightening nevertheless

[allin]

Lots of tips in online golf magazines for this. For me I just move the ball a little farther away and try to make sure I am clearing the left hip and releasing the club well. It does seem to happen right after I have been playing well and I try to start hitting the ball farther. I believe I start sliding and not releasing the club by trying to hit it to hard. But I am a body swinger with a fairly flat swing. If you swing more upright and with more arms don't try this as a fix.

[rmgators]

Overswinging is probably the cause of this...I've been driver shopping and hitting them by the bunches. Probably need to quiet down the lower body...I'll see how it goes today, thanks for the thoughts

[Finn07]

This definitely has happened to me. Try standing a tiny bit farther away from the ball and take a 7 iron out of your bag and hit quarter shots. Then hit half shots. This is just to make solid contact. Then three quarter shots, then full shots. That should help.

[MaRx]

I have this problem as well! I'll try what Finn said! Thanks!

[cold]

what's your tempo like?

[rmgators]

Thanks guys, I think I was able to solve the problems today. Here is what I did:

1. I used the board (a long 2x4) that separates hitting areas on the grass tees to help keep me on plane (placed it parallel to my target line, a couple inches outside the ball as tpgolf suggested). I did hit the board a couple times on my follow through at first so I think I may have been coming from the inside too much actually?

2. I set up a little farther away from the ball.

3. I concentrated on making a full shoulder turn.

I think the combination of #'s 2 and 3 is really what solved the problem. I hit about 150 balls today. It did not take me long to start hitting my 8 - LW well again, but I shanked quite a few 7 iron shots before I decided to set up a bit further from the ball and really concentrate on making that full shoulder turn. This appears to have solved the problem. Thanks everyone for your thoughts...it is pretty weird striping one and then hitting a dead shank on the next swing, think I've got it worked out though.

[sscameron]

also add to the shoulder turn, your hip rotating through then the shoulder turn. I had the bouts with the shanks a couple of weeks ago which got resolved rather quickly with a stance a couple of inches further away and consistent rotation of the hips with the upper body following.

[Finn07]

Ive actually had the same problem this week with my short irons. Like my SW, GW, PW. I keep skulling them or hitting them real high and right. I dont know what im doing but all of a sudden I feel that I just forgot how to hit them, real weird but this game is real weird. And ive been working my ass of at work and cant get to the range. Although I am watching the British Open now while at work so I cant complain....

[FoosIason]

I can relate... I was hitting a bucket of balls before one of my tourneys... and I kept hitting the ball off the hozzel of the club... very dis heartning... but I was standing a bit close to the ball ...

didnt really matter though because lately I havent been putting well... last 3 rounds... 39 putts,39, 40...

yeah im amazing

but its all mental

[Finn07]

Okay now my sorry ass just went to the range and I too have the shanks. Only with my LW, SW, and GW. It is a complete nightmare. I tried to take my own advice and it worked and then when I put the SW back in my hand off the hosel and dead to the right it goes. I am playing tomorrow and dont know what to do. It truly is incredible that you feel like you are swinging the same and bam it goes dead to the right on the ground. Anyone for a quick fix for tomorrow? I was staring at the inside of the ball and that seemed to help a little but lost tremendous amount of distance. SW was only going about 60 yards doing that. HELP.

Actually what actually causes a shank? I mean I know its hitting it off of the hosel but does that mean coming too far inside or outside?

[sscameron]

most of the time is because people are standing too close to the ball, readjust your stance/distance from the ball, further away of course. Another possible issue is coming too much from the inside.

[Finn07]

Ive done some research and also keeping too much weight on the toes is a big problem shankers have. Im heading back to the range to hopefully correct this problem. Ill let all know how it goes. UGH

[rmgators]

Sorry for putting the thought in your head -- hope I didn't contribute to the problem at all! My swing is pretty screwed up right now...I've pretty much got the shanks taken care of but I think driver shopping set my swing back a few weeks. I was able to hack around the course and still break 90 today thanks to a solid short game (I love you, 60* CG10) but I may have to break down and take a lesson soon.

[Finn07]

No no believe me you had nothing to do with it. Before I even read this thread I was having trouble with my SW and then bam, the dreaded S word started happening. I went back to the range and solved the problem, and the sad thing is I have no clue what I did to correct it. I went there grabbed the S wedge and bam, low and to the right. I pulled out a PW and started hitting fluid shots, grabbed the GW and same thing, grabbed the LW and nice shots again, grabbed the SW and had absolutely no problem. What a strange game we play, thats all I can say. Anyway thanks for the concern but in no way did this thread contribute to my troubles, which hopefully are now gone. I tee it up in an hour so ill let you know how things go.

[BeRight]

That used to happen to me a lot.. I would be playing beautifull one minute then all of a sudden.. gone! shankaroo!

My problem was standing too close to the ball so now i always check the position of my hands in relation to my feet at address.

I realised that was the problem when i compared a video of my shank with a video of my benchmark swing (as i call it).

So that would be my tip.. If you feel you are playing particularly well at any time video the swing and use it as a benchmark for when you are having problems..

[cdriver]

So that would be my tip.. If you feel you are playing particularly well at any time video the swing and use it as a benchmark for when you are having problems..

Now that is a great idea... Thanks. I'm gonna try it the very next time I actually start playing well.

[Trick Shot]

When you get the shanks at the range just stop. Because you're probably just tired from hitting 2 large buckets of balls.