Shanks, Video Included

[Shanks13]

Hello all.

I have been having issues with the shanks lately and cannot figure out the reason after watching my swing in slow motion the last couple night.

Can anyone tell what may be causing this?

Thanks for any help

[dkling8]

I have this problem from time to time too. I find it's when I'm set up a little bit too close to the ball, and my weight is too much on my heels at address. Your video shows some of both of those things in my opinion.

Maybe you could try backing off the ball a bit, and making sure your weight feels more toward the balls of your feet.

[mchepp]

Well, sadly the quality of the video is not great. Most of the swing is a blur. When it comes to getting help there is direct correlation between high quality video and the quality of the help you will get from that video. If you are really serious about golf get decent camera for capturing your swing. It will pay for itself with the improved pace at which you improve.

All that being said looks to me that you start down a bit steep with you right elbow way behind you. You have to throw the club at the ball or you will miss it. 2 things you can look at quickly to help you.

This video from mvmac.

And read this thread on how the elbow should move. You look a lot like Erik in the red picture in the beginning of this thread.

http://thesandtrap.com/t/54238/elbow-position-and-its-effects-on-the-downswing

[notsohard]

Originally Posted by Shanks13

Can anyone tell what may be causing this?

leave the lamb shanks alone.

[cipher]

Try and make some swings banking your right foot(heel) down as well just with a partial punch follow through.  You are extending up too much early and it might force you to come more from the inside.  I agree with mchepp on the downswing part.  A lot of golfers including myself have had issues with this over the years.

[BirdieNumNums]

First of all, I'll echo the high definition camera comment, but wouldn't say it's always a game changer.

Second of all, I've battled the shanks for awhile and feel I've finally "fixed" it.  Your swing looks pretty solid, what I think you struggle with is something I fixed recently in my own swing.  I might be wrong, but give it a shot.

To me, it seems at the top of your backswing your club face is faced improperly.  It seems the face is overly closed.  What I do now is before every swing, take a slow practice swing and check position at the top.  You currently look to have the toe of your club facing your between you left shoulder and back some where.  While you want your toe to be pointing closer from midback to your right shoulder.  Layoff of it some at the top.

2 things I do to get the feel down is, 1.) start some practice swings from the top and make sure you've got the correct position at the top. 2.) do some practice swing with a wall behind you, try and feel your swing climbing up the wall and staying connected as much as possible at the finish of the backswing.

Hopefully this helps, it might not, and it might be something that I can't gather from your video.  If its not this, keep searching for tips, it's worth it.  I just had my first full swing shank free round in 5-6 months this Saturday.

[saevel25]

your hands don't get nearly deep enough. If your able to pause it were your hands are waist high, you see daylight between your left arm and your chest. Put a towel under your left arm, and make sure it stays there through out the backswing and into the finish, were it can drop since your left arm will break down.

Also, going into the finish, your back heel comes off the ground, and your weight is going to the front of your right foot. This can push your hands out away from your body, bringing the hozel into play. I have this trouble with spinning out with an aggressive lower body. I can't tell from the angle, but i might guess you don't get your weight forward enough. From my experience if you fly your foot out like that, its because your weight is back and your using the front part of the right foot to brace against the ground. A good tip on this forum is, push the toes of your right foot to the top of the shoe. This makes it virtually impossible to do what your doing. It will allow you to bank into the inside of your right foot, and get your weight forward at impact. This will also keep your weight more towards the center of your feet, keeping your hips back, and allowing room for the club to move. When i play bad, i've actually hit my right thigh before with the golf club.

I wonder if you struggle with hitting the ball high to, you finish with your hands very high. Its hard to tell what the hands are doing with out a "Face-On" view.

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by dkling8

I have this problem from time to time too. I find it's when I'm set up a little bit too close to the ball, and my weight is too much on my heels at address. Your video shows some of both of those things in my opinion.

Agree there is too much weight towards the heels at set-up, that's basically the first thing I would adress and see how that works.  I think the distance away from the ball is fine.

[Shanks13]

Thank you all for the input.

Sorry about the resolution, i need to get an actual camera other than my iphone.

[Shanks13]

One thing I have been working on is to not finish so high in the follow through.

Does anyone know what is causing such a high follow through?