The shank happens because the clubface is closed and the toe of the club hits into the ground producing a long, skinny divot. What’s worse is that once a golfer thinks it’s caused by an open face, most players will try to close the club even more resulting in more shanks!
What swing flaw causes a shank?
Because the ball darts right, most golfers think an open clubface causes the shank. But shanks usually come from an excessively closed face. The player swings out to in with the face closing hard — both actions push the hosel closer to the ball (top). If the hosel catches the ball, it’s shank city.
Why do I suddenly start shanking?
Setting up at address with your weight on your heels and transferring it to your toes during the swing can move the clubface forward just enough to lead to a shank. So can standing too close to the ball and then adjusting by moving the club more to the outside on the downswing.
What causes shanks with wedges?
Takeaway. The most common reason that golfers shank the ball is that they are taking their club back incorrectly. When you shank the golf ball with your wedge, chances are you were taking the club back too far inside. If the club comes back too far inside, the clubhead will open up quite a bit.
Can a weak grip cause shanks?
It’s in a weak position, meaning there isn’t much room left for the hand to rotate through impact. It’s already almost facing the target. The weakness inherent in this grip can cause the clubface to remain open at impact, again leading to the dreaded shank.
Can standing too close to the ball cause a shank?
Standing too close to a golf ball can cause a shank. This is one of the most common hits experienced by a player who stands too close to the ball. A shank is one of the worst hits possible because there is just no way to know where the ball will end up after the hit.
Are the shanks mental?
On the one hand, the shanks are something mental, but you have to acknowledge that there is a physical component. The experience was shocking, sad, surreal, shattering my firmly held convictions. I felt like the skeptic who’d scoffed at hypnotism, only to wind up clucking like a chicken.
How do you stop a shank on a wedge?
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. When you get comfortable hitting the ground in the same spot over and over, try it with a ball.