The dreaded SHANK

Hi All,


I'm not a good golfer. Due to family commitments I can't enjoy the greens as much as I wish. So ended up on range quite abit about once to twice a week. On certain days in the range I just keep shanking and looks like a real begineer. However I'm to say on other days, I can be hitting the ball nicely. Once this shanking hit me, I just got no way of getting out of it and the whole range session is 'gone'. Really drives me crazy and demoralising. This shanking however seldom strikes on the course.

I wanted to know if anyone has the same experience and cure which I'm having.

I have the same experience, I just had one shank-full range session on wednesday. I remembered each day it occur vividly, twice on the range last year and once on the course. Lost 3 balls in one par 3 hole, all shanked into water. Lost 5 balls in that game at Laguna May last year

I have no idea why I shanked and why it went away the next time. When I went to the pro for lessons, it never showed up

pushslice wrote:

I have the same experience, I just had one shank-full range session on wednesday. I remembered each day it occur vividly, twice on the range last year and once on the course. Lost 3 balls in one par 3 hole, all shanked into water. Lost 5 balls in that game at Laguna May last year

I have no idea why I shanked and why it went away the next time. When I went to the pro for lessons, it never showed up

pushslice, is like sending your car to the mechanic. At the workshop the noise disappear.

you remember I had one on Poresia? after a beautiful drive then shanked the ball to oblivion with my hybrid....

Walk Away.

I have been there and done tat....and I am a living example of what I was as beginner..that we have such shots............... and we will be strong and perservere....and here I am today...a Seasoned beginner

Duval_S wrote:

..and here I am today...a Seasoned beginner

At the rate that you have been emphasizing, you are either a well-marinated piece of meat or some really dried-up salted fish.

Quote :

b.b.carabanesis wrote:

Duval_S wrote:

..and here I am today...a Seasoned beginner

At the rate that you have been emphasizing, you are either a well-marinated piece of meat or some really dried-up salted fish.

thanks for caring enough to read. appreciate your advice on seasoning.

first bb, then mystery now friendly....WELCOME!

Quote :

friendlygolfer wrote:

Duval_S wrote:

Quote :

b.b.carabanesis wrote:

Duval_S wrote:

..and here I am today...a Seasoned beginner

At the rate that you have been emphasizing, you are either a well-marinated piece of meat or some really dried-up salted fish.

thanks for caring enough to read. appreciate your advice on seasoning.

bro,

u very good!

thank him for caring about u.

hey! i also care about you OK, if you need anything you can just PM me ok??

we are all friends in this little planet

definitely.....I take all advices ...the good the bad the ugly.....

if I do have the honor to play a game with you, that will be nice....and pls let me buy you a beer.....

thanks....your frenly SB .....DS

alangolf wrote:

Hi All,


I'm not a good golfer. Due to family commitments I can't enjoy the greens as much as I wish. So ended up on range quite abit about once to twice a week. On certain days in the range I just keep shanking and looks like a real begineer. However I'm to say on other days, I can be hitting the ball nicely. Once this shanking hit me, I just got no way of getting out of it and the whole range session is 'gone'. Really drives me crazy and demoralising. This shanking however seldom strikes on the course.

I wanted to know if anyone has the same experience and cure which I'm having.

Bro,

Just walk away and relax for a while when this happens.

alangolf wrote:

Hi All,


I'm not a good golfer. Due to family commitments I can't enjoy the greens as much as I wish. So ended up on range quite abit about once to twice a week. On certain days in the range I just keep shanking and looks like a real begineer. However I'm to say on other days, I can be hitting the ball nicely. Once this shanking hit me, I just got no way of getting out of it and the whole range session is 'gone'. Really drives me crazy and demoralising. This shanking however seldom strikes on the course.

I wanted to know if anyone has the same experience and cure which I'm having.

Bro I had the same problem, shank the entire range session, wasted over 100 balls trying to find out what's wrong. Then suddenly in the next session everything went back to normal, but after a break and a can of coke the shanks came back to haunt me.

Thankfully after 2 weeks away from the range due to injury, my last range session was somewhat decent, but now I'm traumatized, keep wondering if the shanks will come back the next time I swing my club

navik wrote:

Thankfully after 2 weeks away from the range due to injury, my last range session was somewhat decent, but now I'm traumatized, keep wondering if the shanks will come back the next time I swing my club

yeah. the feeling is like going for blind dates - dunno what will turn out

I suspect I'm coming 'outside-in'. When setting up already dun feel right. But just can't seems to correct it. Like a mental block.

asahi wrote:

Bro,

Just walk away and relax for a while when this happens.

yup, will try to lengthed the 'pause'. Usually 'See lousy shots-want to correct it-try harder- becomes worst-try even harder- even worst' vicious cycle. Will try to see XMM next time

This shank thing just strike me 'on-and-off' for some reasons unknown to me. It's frustrating when it happens cos you know you can play better than this.

U just have to understand what causes the shank. Someone ever told me that a shank is almost a good shot. Easier to correct when u know what causes the mistake.

duffader wrote:

U just have to understand what causes the shank. Someone ever told me that a shank is almost a good shot. Easier to correct when u know what causes the mistake.

Wow, can share more on ur insight, bro?

alangolf wrote:

Hi All,

On certain days in the range I just keep shanking and looks like a real begineer. However I'm to say on other days, I can be hitting the ball nicely. Once this shanking hit me, I just got no way of getting out of it and the whole range session is 'gone'.

pushslice wrote:

I have the same experience, I just had one shank-full range session on wednesday.

navik wrote:

Hi All,

Bro I had the same problem, shank the entire range session, wasted over 100 balls trying to find out what's wrong. Then suddenly in the next session everything went back to normal, but after a break and a can of coke the shanks came back to haunt me.

If you look on the bright side, the good news is that all of you are very consistent!

So that actually means, there is some part of your swing that you are repeating very consistently without knowing. And that one part is causing the shank.

For me, when I shank, there are usually 2 reasons:
(1) too flat a swing plane coming down, therefore hosel hits ball
(2) I address the ball with too much weight on my heels and weight transfers to toes during downswing

If you can get someone to video your swing from your right side, it'll be easy to see which of the above problem crept in....

Didn't read all the posts here but what I think is helpful is to relax and rest a while ... warm up your body patiently and relax your arms before going back for a swing...make sure your lower body is cemented to the ground and start with the P all the way back to the 5 =)

Good old shank Tuesday for me yesterday at the range...
I was really ashamed of myself! Could not hit 1 ball properly!

Google, 'Humping the goat" this will cure your shank.

seebayho wrote:

Google, 'Humping the goat" this will cure your shank.

Like a koala?

I had those shanking days are well (which are quite common for me) when all the balls you hit shanks. Having so much experience in shanking, I came up with a solution that somehow seems to work for me.

The logic:
I aim to hit the ball sweet, I shank.

So I inverse the logic.
I aim to shank the ball, then I hit sweet.

So now a days, I just aim to shank the ball and usually, the shank will not appear.

(I am still trying to find quick fix solutions for fat, sliced, duffed, topped, air shots)

alangolf wrote:

Hi All,


I'm not a good golfer. Due to family commitments I can't enjoy the greens as much as I wish. So ended up on range quite abit about once to twice a week. On certain days in the range I just keep shanking and looks like a real begineer. However I'm to say on other days, I can be hitting the ball nicely. Once this shanking hit me, I just got no way of getting out of it and the whole range session is 'gone'. Really drives me crazy and demoralising. This shanking however seldom strikes on the course.

I wanted to know if anyone has the same experience and cure which I'm having.

Range is easier...just walk away for a while then come go back to your dressing of the ball, then start with slow swing usually it'll cure the problem. For course, it harder, need to forget the bad shots focus on the next shots.

seebayho wrote:

Google, 'Humping the goat" this will cure your shank.

About 949,000 results (0.26 seconds).

Very informative indeed... especially the ones from Brian Manzella's website.

IMHO, it's usually caused when you try too hard. A inside out swing will also contribute especially if you're too upright and tend to throw your arms right of the target. Understand that it's caused by the ball hitting the hosel rather than the club face.

A simple drill would be to have a towel tucked under yr armpit when you swing. It'll force you to do a full shoulder / body rotation rather than hitting with yr arms. Hopes this helps.