the dreaded s****s creeping into my game!

morning fellow golfers.

just after some advice on how to cure the dreaded shank - its been creeping into my game for the last few games and i can virtually feel myself becoming more and more tense when addressing the ball.

oh one last thing - its all of my irons from GW through to 3 iron and not just the short irons.

thanks in advance..........

Not had one for a while - i think i might be a carrier though.

on follow thru concentrate on your right elbow pointing at the target

Good morning Draw,

As a regular sufferer, here are a couple of things that have helped me.
A quickish thing to try is a cardboard box an inch or 2 beyond the ball paralell with your target line. After hitting a number of balls you should be able to hit the ball without clipping the box. Keep trying some with and without the box being there.

A second thing to think on is trying to square your shoulders at impact, do this along side the box drill.

I've had a few video lessons while shanking and found that my shoulders were square at address and then open at impact basically moving me an inch or so closer to the ball. I think most players are a bit open at impact but for me it seems to cause a shank.

Another lesson I had showed me agressively attacking the ball from an inside line and shanking that way, again square at impact improved this.

Good luck, I know the feeling too well. Worst of all I'm more prone during good weather, just seems to make me tense up more.

I suffer occasionally, especially when tired late on in the round.

What helps me is to exaggerate the turn of my wrists on the take away.

The late great Harvey Penick used to say to try and hit the ball with the toe of your club. Mr Plunky says that worked for him once.

You probably have too much weight on your heels. Make sure you feel some pressure towards the front of your feet and that your spine angle is over the ball.

McLaren wrote:You probably have too much weight on your heels. Make sure you feel some pressure towards the front of your feet and that your spine angle is over the ball.

SpacemanSpiff wrote:...Another lesson I had showed me agressively attacking the ball from an inside line and shanking that way, again square at impact improved this...

This is quite a common reason for the shanks.

thanks for the reply guys. might have to try and hit the range this wkend.

its totally destroying my confidence now and the most annoying part of it i have played SO well throughout the winter shooting in the 70s concistantly and as soon as the weather has picked up its all gone to dog s***!

its more soul destroying than missing a 2 foot putt for birdie or topping a drive or thinning a 60* wedge - just wish they would go as i dont have a clue where they came from!

Draw - Hows your driving, fairway woods/hybrids?

I bet you have little problem with them.

Spaceman - driving and 3 wood are spot on and no issues whatsoever. i reckon if i could shank my putter i probably would at the minute though!! :-(

little_bit_of_draw wrote:Spaceman - driving and 3 wood are spot on and no issues whatsoever. i reckon if i could shank my putter i probably would at the minute though!! :-(

Yes the same as me. I've always been a confident driver but less so with irons. Confidence definitely plays a part too. That box idea I mentioned will get you confident again.

Good luck.

oh gawddd!

just go down the range and hit hit and hit untill you stop doing it.

Its all about understanding where the blade of your club is at impact.

imagine the back of your left hand(if your right handed) being the blade of your iron and hit through the ball with the back of your left hand- start with half swings and build up to a full swing.

You could be rocking on the shot- basically weight more on your heels at the start of the swing, then at impact your weight moves to the balls of your feet.

The worst affliction in golf OP, from personal experience all I can offer is to commit to hitting the ball off the toe of the club. It will feel unnatural at first but in my view is the best quick fix.

Mate of mine was dreadful going around in circles almost- only with irons he got to the stage of having about 7 woods in the bag.But it was definitely the rocking forward thing with him.Recently had laser eye surgery and none since not one.Bit drastic but is your sight OK

I hit the odd one, but it's because I become flat footed & don't clear the left side. I can cure it instantly by exaggerating my leg movement. I normally trigger this when I take the club back. After a while I forget & everything is fine until the next one! I have had two in the last 2-3 years. Seems to work for me.