The Shanks and Cleveland VAS irons

[benny]

I'm going to keep this brief.

I've become crippled with the shanks for the umpteenth time and in all truth I havent got it in me to keep wasting money on membership and lost balls (not to mention 5 precous holidays in which I barely hit a single solid shot!)if alls thats going to keep happening is this stupid business.

I'm thinking of getting some anti-shank irons. I don't care what they look like as long they;ll let me enjoy the game again. My putting over the last 5 days has been the best of my life (ofcourse) but I can't hit a full shot.

Do the old Cleveland VAS 792 irons really work with the anti-shank hosel or do I have to resort to a set of big EAZEE irons or similar.

No more shanking for me, I can't be doing with it anymore. The hell with cosmetic appearance - is there such a thing as an anti-shank iron?

 

[brendy]

No more shanking for me, I can't be doing with it anymore. The hell with cosmetic appearance - is there such a thing as an anti-shank iron?

Its called a 5 wood

Ive had the shanks a few times mate but the best way to beat them is to get accustomed to how they happen and embrace it as a fault and rectify it.
Liken it to buying a new car and dinging all of the alloys, the fix isnt to buy another new car, its to sort out how it is happening in the first place.

Are you standing on the backs of your feet on the backswing then falling slightly (and it only takes a little) forward, if so then try standing with your weight slightly more onto your toes, you might catch a few towards the toe but you have to keep reminding yourself.
I have the shanks in my mind the entire way round a course and instead of fearing them, I make it as difficult as possible for my swing to cause it.
I cant recommend this bloke enough, watch it at least once a week to get it to sink into youre subconscious.
http://www.videojug.com/film/golf-how-to-stop-shanking

 

[birdieman]

Benny, I had these really bad in 04, like you I wanted to give up in frustration, thought I could self-cure by reading instruction books and internet articles etc but I wasted half a season of golf with constant shanking before finally getting a lesson and the Pro had me cured in all of 2 minutes, I kid you not. It was like all my Christmases had come at once!
See an expert, there are 13 different reasons for shanking, you need an expert eye to tell you what you are doing wrong, do not listen to amateurs saying do this or do that.

 

[andiritchie]

yeah i went to my pro in feb after a few weeks of shanks i was dipping into the ball, 2 swings later with the video camera and sorted, he had me hitting balls with my feet together stopped me dipping and stopped the shank for now

 

[OldWindy]

Keeping it brief and to possibly save you cash - go see a pro (prolly not yours cos you don't get on, I think?).

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Hasn't your Pro recommended Benross clubs , to negate the shanks, yet?

Come on Benny he's slipping if not! !

 

[brendy]

I suggested the videojug guy because he knows what he is talking about and is very animated in showing you what to do in certain areas of your swing, he obviously thinks it will help people otherwise he wouldnt have made a whole series of free videos.
If it persists and it is getting you down then a 1 to 1 with a pro will help.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Get a lesson. Simple as that. He will cure you quickly and easily and have you hitting on the short stuff again before you can say "Fore Right"

 

[Nico]

Lesson is the way forward.

Hitting with your feet together works too,said it before but I went round the back 9 at Quinta like that and went below handicap!

 

[TonyN]

Brendy I totally agree with the Videojug plug.

I recommend it to everyone.

The guy is a legend, Video's are top notch.

I would even pay to watch them.

When I first started playing golf, I was lucky enough to stumble across those vids and I went from shooting 120's to 90's in a month.

Now every time I have a problem, I just re-watch his vids and go over the basics, works everytime!

 

[benny]

Thanks for the feedback guys.
The whole thing started on saturday when I hit one shank in a medal trying to hit a big cut shot, not a straight forward stock shot. But then it got in my head and I had a couple of rubbish days, really struggling. I had it under control on the range until people started telling me to change my grip and stance and all that and that just amplified the problem. Thing is, I know I shank cos I quit on the shot, i've worked it out of my game before but that one cut shot gone wrong let it back in temporarily.
With my confidence drained I borrowed a demo set of brand new Nike Slingshot irons for Wednesdays medal but this made things worse - I mean it was just chronic.

Yesterday on my first day back at work, my boss (and how about this for a cool boss) knew I was depressed so he said 'right, come on mate, we're off to play golf - you're gonna get this out of your system'. He took me home, I got my new driver and some golf pants and he drove us to the course and we played 18 holes! Started off ropily with two consecutive shanks and racked up an 8 and a 9 but something happened, like when Rocky vows he aint going down on the canvas again haha. I started connecting and swiping the ball cleanly again. A birdie 3 on the Stroke index 1 par 4 6th got things rolling and after being 3 down after 5 I was level at the 10th tee. Out in 50 (hahaha) I finished the last 4 holes with 4 net birdies and won 3 up at the 17th.
Gotta thank my boss for making me play it out of my system!
I'm not saying this is it, its over, but i have my confidence back and thats 90% of the fight.

Thanks for all the advice. Heres hoping you don't catch it .

 

[USER1999]

Wow, can I come and work there?

 

[TonyN]

Thats a great storey, You know what though, My boss is just like that. Whenever I need a game i just say to my self, go on, off you go.

Great being the boss! haha.

But seriously, nice to hear ya over coming the problem, and your right, with the confidence back, you are 90% there!