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what is the cause of a shank in golf?

by Edwin Hamill Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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A golf shank occurs when the ball hits the hosel of the golf club instead of the clubface. The golf ball striking the hosel causes the ball to violently shoot directly to the right (assuming you are a right-handed player). The ball will not travel very far forward but may go a great distance offline.Dec 7, 2021

Full Answer

How do you cure shank in golf?

This is what you need to do:

  • On the range, place two balls down in front of you, one a little farther away than the other
  • You should be able to lay your clubhead between them (pointing towards target) but without making the gap too big
  • The aim of the drill is to strike the ball nearest to you without making contact with the one farther away

More items...

What causes shanking all of a sudden in golf?

  • Standing too close to the ball in the setup;
  • Standing too tall over the ball or sitting back on your heels in the setup position;
  • Pushing your arms away from your body in the backswing or downswing;
  • Or leaning your head toward the ball or the target.

How to avoid Shanks in golf?

Shank Short-Game Drill

  • Start by placing a ball near the green in light rough or fringe. Insert two tees next to the ball. ...
  • If you’re hitting the club on the toe you’ll hit the right one and if you’re hitting it off the heel you’ll hit the left tee.
  • Practice until you barely graze the right tee and try to avoid the left tee as it leads to the shank.

How to fix a shank?

  • How to Break 70 Golf Training Plan
  • How to Break 80 Golf Training Plan
  • How to Break 90 Golf Training Plan

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How do I stop shanking the golf ball?

4:016:17GOLF SHANK CURE - How to Stop Shanking the Golf Ball - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe club stays in front if i do the old remember the old. This way this way that golf ball's not inMoreThe club stays in front if i do the old remember the old. This way this way that golf ball's not in front and that golf ball's not falling boom there's my shank.

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.

What causes you to shank a wedge?

This is usually caused from a lack of upper body rotation. To fix it, try this simple drill: Place a towel across your chest under both arms. Using a wedge, make half swings focusing on using your chest to swing the club. The towel should stay under your arms from start to finish.

Why can't I stop shanking the ball?

It is possible that you are standing too close to the ball, and the primary cause is incorrect posture. To cure this, allow your arms to hang toward the ground, then grip the club as you have been taught.

Can standing too close to the ball cause a shank?

Standing too close to the golf ball will result in a posture that's too upright, which could result in inconsistent shots and no control over the ball. Standing too close to the ball can result in slices and shanks, which are very common among average players.

How do I stop shanking my pitch shots?

1:084:26STOP SHANKING YOUR PITCH SHOTS - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipWe can even get the one where the club goes well inside. And again from there the hosel. Comes backMoreWe can even get the one where the club goes well inside. And again from there the hosel. Comes back and the handle comes back out towards the golf ball. So it is very much if you can get a takeaway.

Can golf grip cause a shank?

The weakness inherent in this grip can cause the clubface to remain open at impact, again leading to the dreaded shank. To fix the problem, strengthen your grip position by turning your left hand more to the right (as the photo shows).

How do you stop shanking when chipping?

1:314:142 Reasons Why You Shank Your Chip Shots (Golf Shanks) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIf you have the hands too far forward extremely far forward what happens is the clubface rotates toMoreIf you have the hands too far forward extremely far forward what happens is the clubface rotates to the right naturally. For writing and golfer meaning it opens the face.

How do you get rid of Shanks forever?

2:245:57FIX YOUR SHANK!!! Stop the shanks for good - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipLet's now talk through the two simple drills help you eradicate those shanks from your golf game allMoreLet's now talk through the two simple drills help you eradicate those shanks from your golf game all you need is head cover an alignment stick.

Why do I occasionally shank my irons?

When your hands get further away at impact than they were at address, a shank will likely be the result. If you stand too close to the ball, it will be easier to open the clubface too much leading to a shank. It also increases your chances of hitting the ball with the heel of the club.

Can golf grip cause a shank?

The weakness inherent in this grip can cause the clubface to remain open at impact, again leading to the dreaded shank. To fix the problem, strengthen your grip position by turning your left hand more to the right (as the photo shows).

How do you fix a shanking chip shot?

2:437:37How to Cure the Shank Chip Shot ( Plus a Super Simple Drill ) - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipFace. You will see that as you close it the hosel then moves out of the way and away from the golfMoreFace. You will see that as you close it the hosel then moves out of the way and away from the golf ball. And if you open the face it actually moves toward the golf ball.

What is a shank in golf?

A shank occurs when you hit the ball off the hosel. The hosel is the socket connecting the shaft of your golf club to the clubhead. Here is a classic example of a shanked chip shot: When you hit the golf ball off the hosel, the ball travels super low and far to the right, assuming you’re right-handed. If you’re left-handed, the ball veers ...

How to tell if you shanked or sliced a golf ball?

Fortunately, you can tell whether you’ve sliced it or shanked it just by observing your ball flight. A golf shank travels low and directly to the right. A slice gets up in the air and curves to the right. For now, I’m going to share golf swing tips for overcoming the golf shank only. But don’t worry.

How to get a lead shoulder in golf?

Take your regular golf stance. Open your stance by shifting your lead foot farther back than your trail foot. Take your backswing. As you swing forward, be mindful of your lead shoulder and the wall behind you. (If there is no wall, imagine one.) You want the lead shoulder to stay low and work back towards the wall.

What is the most dreaded shot in golf?

The golf shank may be the most dreaded shot in the game. You think you’ve got a good shot lined up, then the ball flies low and to the right. Now you’re off course, you’re irritated, and you just wasted stroke.

How to get over shanks in golf?

If you hope to get over the shanks as soon as possible, your first goal should be to get to the bottom of the problem and identify the underlying cause. With that information in hand, you can then set about the task of fixing your swing mistakes so that a shank is unlikely to reappear.

What is the biggest challenge related to the shank?

Perhaps the biggest challenge related to the shank is to prevent it from getting in your head. The shank is no different than any other swing fault – there are things that take place in your swing that cause it to happen, and there are corrections you can make to get back on track.

What happens when a golf ball hits the hosel?

But there's no getting around it: Shanks happen. And they're utterly destructive. A shank occurs when the ball strikes the club's hosel – the part where the shaft and head connect – and darts almost directly to the right (left for a lefty).

What happens if you swing the club across from the outside in?

If you are swinging the club across from the outside-in, you are going to be bringing the hosel of the club dangerously close to the ball at impact. If your timing is off by even a fraction of a second, you will miss the club face and the ball will strike the hosel instead – resulting in a shank.

How to make a golf swing?

Prior to making a swing, place an extra golf glove (or small golf towel) under your right armpit. You should be able to 'trap' the glove in place so that it stays under your arm as you take your stance. Once in your proper address position, start the swing while keeping the glove trapped under your right arm.

What happens if you resist the release of the club head through impact?

If you resist the releasing of the club head through impact, you can again expose yourself to the risk of a shank. As the club swings down toward the ball, the heel end of the club head is leading the way. That isn't a problem – it's how the swing is supposed to work.

How to hit full shots in golf?

When you return to the range to hit some full shots, try making some one-handed (with your right hand) practice swings first. Don't hit balls with these one-handed swings, but use them to get a feel for the release. After a couple of practice swings, put both hands back on the club and hit some shots.

What Causes Shanks in Golf Swing Path

The classic shank happens when your club, during descent, advances towards the ball to produce heel contact. Therefore, your body loses its stability during the swing and ends up closer to the ball.

How to Prevent Shanks in Golf?

Shanks scare the golfer because it can occur with any type of club if the clubhead is farther than the body upon contact with the ball. The ball is hit with the hosel instead of the head. Once the ball is touched, it will go off to the right side and possibly cost a lot of penalty points.

After shank

The biggest challenge remains the blow that follows a golf shank since the evidence shows that the shank is the most difficult stroke to forget for 42% of golfers surveyed.

Exercise to Practice the Right Posture to Avoid Shanks

A great drill to train your body is to open the feet and pelvis at the address facing left of the target line—practice swinging parallel to the feet and pelvis.

What causes a shank in golf?

The most common causes of a shank, according to instructor Roger Gunn in our Mishits Tip Sheets feature, include: 1 Standing too close to the ball in the setup; 2 Standing too tall over the ball or sitting back on your heels in the setup position; 3 Pushing your arms away from your body in the backswing or downswing; 4 Or leaning your head toward the ball or the target.

What is a shank in golf?

A shank happens when the golf club contacts the golf ball on the rounded hosel portion of the clubhead, rather than on the flat clubface. Cleveland Golf. Brent Kelley is an award-winning sports journalist and golf expert with over 30 years in print and online journalism. The shank is one of the worst (and most embarrassing) mishits in golf.

What is the name of the golf ball that rockets off the hosel of the club?

The most common alternative name for a shank is " hosel rocket ," because the golf ball rockets off the hosel of the club.

Why are golfers superstitious about shanks?

The pros can be particularly superstitious about talking about or witnessing shanks because of the belief that shanks can be contagious. One great golfer hitting a shank might cause the other tour golfers in the group to "catch a case of the shanks.". Sam Snead once said this:

What happens if you shank a shot?

A golfer who shanks a shot is likely to be very embarrassed. And might even be laughed at by his or her playing partners, if the shanker is part of a group of golf buddies who enjoy teasing one another. One of the worst things about hitting a shank is that "the shanks" often arrive without warning.

What happens when a golf ball misses the clubface?

Or, even worse, the golf ball misses the clubface entirely and solidly connects with the rounded hosel. And since the hosel is rounded, the ball can shoot off in just about any direction with various spins. But most commonly, a shank results in a ball that shoots out to the right (for a right-hander) at a severe angle.

What does "standing too close to the ball" mean?

Standing too close to the ball in the setup; Standing too tall over the ball or sitting back on your heels in the setup position; Pushing your arms away from your body in the backswing or downswing; Or leaning your head toward the ball or the target.

What Is A Shank In Golf?

In simplest terms, a shank occurs when the club’s hosel strikes a golf ball instead of the club’s face. This can cause the ball to sharply veer off in a different direction from where the golfer aimed it and be destructive to a golfer’s score on any given hole.

What Causes A Shank In Golf?

When the golf club hosel hits the ball this causes what is known as a shank and will have golf balls heading towards an unintended target.

How To Stop Shanking The Golf Ball?

There are several different ways to fix a shank, and one of the most common way is to ensure that your alignment at the address is correct. If you are lined up correctly then there should be no reason why a shank would occur.

Rounding Up

In summary, if you are struggling with shanking the ball, all hope doesn’t have to be lost. There is often a very identifiable and fixable cause and we would always advise that if you think this is the case then seek out the help and advice of a professional golf coach.

Why do I have shanks on my golf swing?

Shanks can be caused by a multitude of swing faults. But the most common faults are moving closer to the ball (with your body, hands, or both) and lagging the hosel. Figuring out what’s causing your shanks by recording your swing in slow motion is a good place to start.

How to shank a ball?

Your mind doesn’t respond well to negative commands. 2. If you shank one on the range, don’t immediately start beating balls to try and fix it. You’ll probably shank your way through the whole bucket.

What is the Miss the Ball drill?

The Miss The Ball Drill. This is a great drill from Monte Scheinblum which has all sorts of benefits on top of fixing shanks. For example, it’s a great one for early extension. Basically, address the ball as normal, swing, then try to miss the ball on the inside.

Can you shank a golf ball with a square face?

But you can still shank the ball just fine with a square face. If your hands move too far away from your body during the downswing, your strikes are going to start getting closer and closer to the heel. This can be masked for a while if you’re raising the handle up excessively at impact.

Why does my golf club shank?

One can be that a golfer is lunging toward the ball with their swing, bringing the club path to the ball in a way that the hosel hits the ball instead of the intended contact on the club face.

What is a shank in golf?

Plainly speaking, a shank in golf is what happens when a shot is not struck with the club face but rather with the rounded hosel of the club. Hence why the shanks are sometimes called "hosel rockets.". You're hitting off the hosel of the club.

1. The in-to-out shank

Otherwise known as the “better player” shank, or the “heel” shank. This happens when your clubhead swinging on a path that is too shallow, on a severe inside-to-out, which means the hosel is moving directly towards the ball

2. The over-the-top shank

Otherwise known as the “outside-in” shank. This is where the heel of the club is moving across your target line, often due to your hands tossing and flipping the clubhead through impact. This severe outside-to-in clubhead path is the opposite of the first shank. Rather than being caused by a swing that’s too shallow, your swing is too steep.

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