Setup

[Stuart]

I've been struggling with the shanks for about 2 years. Even when I'm playing well I usually see one rear its ugly head per round. Its something that's been driving me totally crazy. Even when I shoot good scores, if I shank in a round it destroys my joy. Anyways as you can imagine i've been trying to figure it out for a while now. So here it is. Setup. Setup. Setup. When I shank its because I'm unknowingly setting up with my shoulders open to the target, causing me to have a crappy shoulder turn, which leads to more of an upright swing that inevitably goes over the top and results in a hosel rocket. So if you have been struggling with the shanks and can't figure it out. Check out your setup. Make sure you shoulders line up with your feet and hips. If not then you are forced to make huge compensations.

[596]

We discussed the dreaded shanks in a thread a few weeks ago.  After about 120 balls at the range I can get hit by the shanks in heart beat.  I have zero idea why.  On the course I shank maybe 1 out of 500 shots.  I have zero idea why : )

I'm not waiting for the shanks to try your theory.  I'm going to try this tomorrow on the range.  I'm going to setup as you state and see what happens.  I'm hoping that a shank will result as this would help me alot when they rear their ugly heads.

[Robato]

I've gone through a few periods of shanks myself, and I still hit a few if my concentration wavers. I'll tell you what helps me the most. I think I understand the reasons why they happen in my swing, cuz it feels like I went through hell and back to find out. This helps me when they rear their ugly head, so that I can get back on track immediately. Nothing is worse than that feeling in the middle of a good round, so I say embrace it when it comes at the range, and take lessons and study to find out why. The mystery is gone for me, so I dont have to panic when it happens again.

[596]

I "think" my shanks occur because I leave the club face "square" (don't know if this is the right term) in the backswing and it just screws up everything at impact.

I will admit that I know nothing about all the things people say about, spine angle, flying elbows, rotating this and that, sliding here and there, angling the forearm at this angle and blah, blah blah.....   I just setup and use as simple a backswing as I can, accelerate nice and smooth and .....................PLAY GOLF!!

As far as the shanks are concerned they scare the poopoo out of me when they hit me.  So I'm headed to the range tomorrow o try and reproduce a shankable swing.  I learn more from an intentional bad swing then I do an unintentional great swing : )

[Deryck Griffith]

Originally Posted by 596

I "think" my shanks occur because I leave the club face "square" (don't know if this is the right term) in the backswing and it just screws up everything at impact.

Leaving the clubface square? Isn't a shank caused by hitting the ball with the hosel which to me, means that you are turning and "moving towards the ball" on the downswing which can either cause casting promoting the hosel hit or reducing the distance betwen you and ball which also can cause the hosel hit.

The fix in my mind would be to ensure that slide your hips towards the target which can be accomplished by having your right knee (if you are a righty) move towards the target on the downswing.  Your right foot should roll to it's inseam vs. lifting onto the toes.

This will get your body into a nice position on the front foot, keep the shaft on plane and prevent the hosel hit.