
To stop shanking your wedges, you likely need to work on striking the ball more towards the toe of the club, avoiding the heel and hosel. This could be due to standing too close to the ball at address or leaning forward too much during your swing, leading to a heel strike.
How to stop shanking the golf ball?
If you’re trying to understand how to stop shanking the golf ball, you need to understand where the ball makes contact with the club during a shank. To avoid shanking the golf ball, it’s important to lock in on some keys… Have a proper setup and posture…
What are heel hits and Shanks in golf?
Shanks and heel hits sometimes occur when the arms and hands extend out and closer to the ball through impact. Therefore, swing your hands and arms closer to your body, specifically your left thigh. If your hands and arms extend a few inches out at impact the clubface will also move out a few inches.
How to fix a heel hit in golf?
Next, place a ball on the tee and try to hit it. Therefore, to fix the heel hit, place a ball on the inside tee and set up with the club behind the outside tee. Swing the club and hit the ball on inside tee. This opposite motion will help you find the center of the club face for more consistent and accurate golf shots.
Should you hit the ball off the heel of the club?
By hitting the ball consistently off the heel, you wont be able to achieve your usual distance – and you may have to hit driver more frequently as a result. The other problem that comes with hitting the ball off the heel of the club is the inability to manage your ball flight and get the ball to land in the fairway.

Why do I hit the golf ball out of the heel?
Too much weight on your toes can cause the body to counterbalance in the downswing which causes you to either hit the golf ball off the heel or even the toe. To fix you need to feel as though you have more weight in the arches of your feet at address.
How do you prevent heel shanks?
0:307:08More of a fade or slice out to the right-hand side and of course the the opposite direction curve.MoreMore of a fade or slice out to the right-hand side and of course the the opposite direction curve. There for the left-hand side but the same shots pulls and slices from heel context.
How do I stop hitting the ball on the hosel?
4:1210:41Down the shoulder goes to that spot or slightly inside that spot which will then allow you to hitMoreDown the shoulder goes to that spot or slightly inside that spot which will then allow you to hit the middle of the club. Face. Well if you go to the top of your swing or the back in your backswing.
Why am I suddenly shanking the golf ball?
The main cause of shanking the golf ball is a strike that is too far out of the heel of the club, close to the hosel. This generally comes about because your set up is too close to the ball, or you tip forward towards the ball during the swing.
How do you get rid of golf shanks?
5 ways to get rid of the shanks, according to Top 100 TeachersTry to miss the ball on the inside. The shanks are caused by an open club face and a cast pattern during transition and release 95 percent of the time. ... Stand farther from the ball. ... Stay tall through the swing. ... Focus on the inside of the ball. ... Have a drink.
How do golfers avoid heel strikes?
3:314:59Just put me past on the inside of his shin. Okay if you're looking up to hit balls or be able to hitMoreJust put me past on the inside of his shin. Okay if you're looking up to hit balls or be able to hit balls in your back rather than great if not then just practice swings.
How to get rid of a shank in golf?
Don’t freeze up over the ball. Get in the habit of making a good pre-shot routine. Walk into the shot, take a breath, and pull the trigger. If you follow these simple suggestions your golf shank will probably disappear.
What is a golf shank?
The ball tends to shoot straight to the right. Something we call a golf shank. Most golfers don’t even like saying the word for fear it might creep into their swing. If you find yourself hitting shots off the hosel of the golf club below are some things to look at. Check your set up to see whether you are standing too close when you address ...
Why is my golf ball hitting off the heel of the club?
The other problem that comes with hitting the ball off the heel of the club is the inability to manage your ball flight and get the ball to land in the fairway. As mentioned above, fairway woods are often used for the ability to be accurate, but that accuracy goes out the window when you make heel contact.
What happens if you hit a shot on the heel of your irons?
A shot that is hit on the heel of one of your irons is only millimeters from hitting the hosel and becoming a shank that shoots immediately to the right. There is likely no shot in golf that is as frustrating or as embarrassing as the shank, so you want to avoid this outcome at all costs.
How to create heel impact on driver?
It is possible to create heel impact on your driver simply by teeing the ball up too low. When you don't tee the ball high enough off the ground for your driver to get under the shot comfortably, you will be forced to swing from an outside-in path (much like you do when hitting a slice).
How to start a golf swing?
If you lose your posture during the downswing and allow your body to bend over from the waist, you will run the risk of hitting the ball off the heel of your driver.
Why does my putter roll off line?
Both of these can be disrupted when you make contact with the ball off the heel of the putter. Impact on the heel of the club will usually cause the putt to come up short, and the putter head also may twist on impact, causing the ball to roll off line.
What is the motion of the golf club in the downswing?
With this motion, the golfer drives the club into the ball with the shoulders from the top of the backswing , this is often termed hitting from the top. This causes a very steep downward and outward motion of the club head causing the golf club to come away from the body in the downswing .
What direction should the club head swing?
The club head should swing close to the body and sweep the ground next to the ball. This action gives the feeling of swinging in the opposite direction to that of a shank shot and helps the golfer to feel what it is like to swing close to the body away from the hosel of the golf club.
How to address a golf ball?
Next, bend your knees slightly, grip the golf club and let your arms hang down naturally by your sides. Now, the butt end of the golf club should be pointing at your belt buckle and your hands should be approximately right beneath your chin line.
How to know if your golf club grip is weak?
To fix you firstly need to grip the golf club correctly which means showing 2 knuckles on your left hand so your grip is strong enough so it squares the clubface on the downswing. No knuckles showing on the left hand is a sure sign your grip is too weak!
What happens when you come over the top in golf?
Coming over the top with outside to in and how to fix. The over the top golf swing causes a multitude of problems in golfers, not the least hitting heel golf shots. It also leads to toe shots, fat shots and thin golf shots as well. When an over the top golf swing combines with a weak grip and an open clubface, heel shots often occur.
What does a heel shot look like?
What is what does a golf heel shot look like? A golf heel shot is when the golf ball strikes the far left portion (not the hosel) of the clubface. Most commonly hitting the golf ball on the heel results in golf slices that curve around to the right and into trouble. Depending on the path of the golf club they can result in lower golf shots ...
Why do my arms extend past the address position?
Because you are too close to the golf ball at address, on the downswing your arms will naturally extend past the address position pushing the golf club out pass the golf ball causing heel contact .
How to fix heel hit on golf club?
Next, place a ball on the tee and try to hit it. Therefore, to fix the heel hit, place a ball on the inside tee and set up with the club behind the outside tee.
What does it mean when a golf ball shanks?
A shank occurs when the ball strikes the hosel of an iron and causes the ball to shoot off to the right (for a right handed golfer).
What does heel hit mean in golf?
Heel hits with the driver typically result in a slice and loss of distance. Coming over the top with an outside to inside swing path is probably the most common reason for a heel hit with the driver. The club head cuts across the target line during the outside to inside swing path.
How to swing without hitting the box?
Swing without hitting the cardboard box. When you can swing without hitting the cardboard box you have successfully altered the outside to inside swing path. Follow Through.
How to fix heel hit?
If you are guilty of swinging across the line try hitting with a closed stance. Simply align your body slightly to the right and attempt to hit the inside portion of the ball while swinging out to the right.
What happens when the body moves closer to the ball?
When the body moves closer that can also push the arms, hands and club closer to the golf ball. Consequently, when everything moves closer to the ball you increase the likelihood of a heel hit or shank. Without a compensation early extension can lead to heel hits.
What is early extension in golf?
Early extension is a swing fault defined as any forward thrust of the lower body toward the golf ball during the downswing. Early extension is one of the most common swing characteristics. Early extension causes the arms and club to get stuck behind the body while the torso stands up during the downswing.
What does shanking mean in golf?
Shanking is when you hit the ball on the inside of your club. More specifically, you catch the ball on the hosel, back towards the heel of the club face. When you do this, the ball shoots straight off to the right (for a right-handed golfer).
Why do golfers shank wedges?
I see a lot of golfers shanking wedges because they drag the club head inside on the backswing. To put it another way, they work the clubhead back so it’s on the same plane as their body, instead of a swing path that is straight back and straight through.
How to swing a wedge?
First, remember these two essential tips: 1 Take your wedge setup with the club in a neutral position. 2 Swing the club straight back and straight through. ( Here are more tips for nailing your swing motion.)
How to put a wedge on the ground?
Lay the alignment rod on the ground alongside your ball. The rod should be pointed at the target with the ball at the center of the rod. Place a tee at either end of the alignment rod. Remove the rod. Take your wedge setup, with the shaft in a neutral position, ball position middle to slightly back in your stance.
What happens when your hands are too far forward?
When your hands are too far forward, you force the club to lean forward as well. This rotates the clubface open to the right (if you’re right-handed) and exposes the heel on the downswing. Inevitably, that heel is going to hit your golf ball and send it shooting off to the right.
