Tom Hanks Support Group

[Orikoru]

This year, I have developed a problem. It seems to be out of my control. Every round I play now, I tend to hit between 3 and 5 shanks. Often I get two shanks on the same hole, which on Saturday in particular was a bit of a card wrecker. About five rounds ago was when I really started to realise I had a problem - after a really good front nine in a 4BBB Stableford match, I hit a shank on the 10th, two shanks on the 11th, one on the 13th and I was a nervous wreck after that. Since then I'm thinking about it every time I hit an iron or wedge. Praying it doesn't happen. I'm even thinking about it now, two days after I last hit a golf ball for God's sake.

Initially I had a feeling my weight wasn't balance and was going too far onto my toes rather than evenly across my toes and heels, but eventually I still hit some shanks despite thinking about that. I mostly address the ball slightly towards the toe end of the club now, but I can still hit a shank doing that sometimes. The ironic/frustrating thing is that my ball striking seems to have got better when I'm not hitting a shank, which means the spectrum of success to failure is vast - I'm either hitting pearlers up onto the green or shanking it into a tree. It's mad.

What are the most frequent causes of shanks? Have any of you overcome shanks, and if so what was it you did or do? Or any other people just struggling with the same issue so we can cry together?

 

[patricks148]

i've a feeling you won't like my answer

 

[anotherdouble]

i've a feeling you won't like my answer

Does it cost 👍

 

[Orikoru]

i've a feeling you won't like my answer

For the sake of fluency, let's assume the 'get lessons' comment has been offered and taken on board.

 

[Dan2501]

Best drill I've used is put two balls next to eachother, address the outside ball but make a swing and try to hit the inside ball. It trains you to get your hand-path coming inside instead of outside, which is what's causing the shanks. Also try hitting pitches and work up to full shots with your feet together. About 18 months after I started playing I had to play with my feet together to stop me shanking, it definitely helped, but the reason for it working may have been personal to me.

Best thing to do would be to get a lesson though obviously, they'll be able to identify why it's happening and give you longer term solutions for fixing it.

 

[Deleted member 21258]

I tend to get close to a shank, when the clubface is super open coming into impact (ie. almost only the hosel is showing).

Son tends to hit them because he has very high hands(ie. hands have moved away from the body at impact, compared to address) and therefore brings the hosel more likely into contact. His normal strike tends to be a heel hit.

Both with fairly neutral swing paths BTW with irons.

Lots of reasons tbh.

A good drill is, Place a two foot long block of wood/studwork on the outside on the ball(an inch or two away) and hit the ball. should help to move strike away from the heel, if you are a heel striker. If massive open clubface, then learn to close it!!

 

[Crow]

I get them through early extension (hips moving towards the ball), but there are several possible causes so the sensible thing is to speak to someone who will be able to diagnose your particular issue.
(ie get a lesson! )

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Most of mine are caused by the weight tipping forward onto my toes. It tends to happen when my posture gets lazy and my shoulders are past the balls of my feet at address. If I stand taller and fractionally closer the problem goes

 

[Grant85]

This year, I have developed a problem. It seems to be out of my control. Every round I play now, I tend to hit between 3 and 5 shanks. Often I get two shanks on the same hole, which on Saturday in particular was a bit of a card wrecker. About five rounds ago was when I really started to realise I had a problem - after a really good front nine in a 4BBB Stableford match, I hit a shank on the 10th, two shanks on the 11th, one on the 13th and I was a nervous wreck after that. Since then I'm thinking about it every time I hit an iron or wedge. Praying it doesn't happen. I'm even thinking about it now, two days after I last hit a golf ball for God's sake.

Initially I had a feeling my weight wasn't balance and was going too far onto my toes rather than evenly across my toes and heels, but eventually I still hit some shanks despite thinking about that. I mostly address the ball slightly towards the toe end of the club now, but I can still hit a shank doing that sometimes. The ironic/frustrating thing is that my ball striking seems to have got better when I'm not hitting a shank, which means the spectrum of success to failure is vast - I'm either hitting pearlers up onto the green or shanking it into a tree. It's mad.

What are the most frequent causes of shanks? Have any of you overcome shanks, and if so what was it you did or do? Or any other people just struggling with the same issue so we can cry together?

I'm sorry but your situation of wanting to improve / hating playing poorly doesn't conflate with your solution of never having any lessons. In my view it will be hugely difficult for someone to improve dramatically. You might end up with a bit of success through trial and error, but ultimately will lose confidence in that method as no one has told you it is definitely the right move.

You are obviously keen and a regular player and post your handicap in your signature. Appreciate time and money is not freely available for all - but budgeting / investing a few quid in a set or 3 or 4 lessons could / should give you a huge opportunity to improve.

Personally speaking, I dropped 7 shots in 2014/15 by having 7 1 hour lessons prior to the 2014 season. However in reality, 4 of these would have done in terms of improving my swing / technique. The other 3 were squandered slightly being spread far too thin on putting / chipping and pitching.

 

[USER1999]

I really appreciate a good shank. A proper one, with carry, and distance. Takes real skill.

If you gave a club to a someone completely new to golf, and said aim over there, but hit it over there, they would consider it impossible.

 

[Orikoru]

I really appreciate a good shank. A proper one, with carry, and distance. Takes real skill.

If you gave a club to a someone completely new to golf, and said aim over there, but hit it over there, they would consider it impossible.

Yeah man, hardest shot in golf and I'm producing it with ease. Makes me feel better.

 

[Orikoru]

I'm sorry but your situation of wanting to improve / hating playing poorly doesn't conflate with your solution of never having any lessons. In my view it will be hugely difficult for someone to improve dramatically. You might end up with a bit of success through trial and error, but ultimately will lose confidence in that method as no one has told you it is definitely the right move.

You are obviously keen and a regular player and post your handicap in your signature. Appreciate time and money is not freely available for all - but budgeting / investing a few quid in a set or 3 or 4 lessons could / should give you a huge opportunity to improve.

Personally speaking, I dropped 7 shots in 2014/15 by having 7 1 hour lessons prior to the 2014 season. However in reality, 4 of these would have done in terms of improving my swing / technique. The other 3 were squandered slightly being spread far too thin on putting / chipping and pitching.

I am considering it.

Moving on here I'd still like to hear other people's experiences and ideas though.

 

[Grant85]

I am considering it.

Moving on here I'd still like to hear other people's experiences and ideas though.

Personally feel that a shank is often caused by leaning a bit too far forward and trying to rescue an over the top swing. You end up pulling it too far inside and knock it off the hosel. Even if you made good contact, it's probably not going where you were planning.

I don't often suffer from this and have never had a situation where I hit multiple shanks in a round or even on the same hole.

I would simply go back to my set up fundamentals and make a nice smooth swing, keeping my head still and turning through the ball.

 

[turkish]

There’s a gazillion reasons why the Thomas the tanks start but for me my trail leg pushed out when rotating causing the club to be pushed out and hozel hitting the ball.

This but sound ridiculous but as a drill
To remedy I put my trail knee behind my lead knee and tried chipping and it worked. On actual shots I don’t do it but just have the feeling me knee is tucked.

Try it it might work but yeah either videoing or lessons best to do as can be from too out to in, too in to out, upper body causing it, lower body causing it.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Personally feel that a shank is often caused by leaning a bit too far forward and trying to rescue an over the top swing. You end up pulling it too far inside and knock it off the hosel. Even if you made good contact, it's probably not going where you were planning.

I don't often suffer from this and have never had a situation where I hit multiple shanks in a round or even on the same hole.

I would simply go back to my set up fundamentals and make a nice smooth swing, keeping my head still and turning through the ball.

Which exactly describes what I was getting at. I can get forward without noticing (which is why keeping an eye on fundamentals is so important) and this will lead me to chuck a socket in every now again as I get way inside, chuck it OTT and move the weight forward to the toes. Like others, when they arrive I can make them things of beauty and can hit both the worm burner version and the high full distance ones Murph relates to.

 

[patricks148]

personally i think looking for tips and fixes without professional input could make the problem worse.

The Sherman can be caused by many things, i would suspect every golfer has had one at some point, so you are not alone. for me its coming to far from the inside and not turning properly.

if you really don't want to get lessons video yourself and post on here, i'm sure Bob would only be too willing to give his expert opinion, he is the only person on here qualified after all

 

[Orikoru]

personally i think looking for tips and fixes without professional input could make the problem worse.

The Sherman can be caused by many things, i would suspect every golfer has had one at some point, so you are not alone. for me its coming to far from the inside and not turning properly.

if you really don't want to get lessons video yourself and post on here, i'm sure Bob would only be too willing to give his expert opinion, he is the only person on here qualified after all

I think sometimes simply discussing golf issues gets it out of my system, when I'm obsessing over something. Golf tends to take over my brain sometimes believe it or not.

 

[Marshy77]

I think sometimes simply discussing golf issues gets it out of my system, when I'm obsessing over something. Golf tends to take over my brain sometimes believe it or not.

Over thinking a shot makes me miss hit it (not shank it )

 

[USER1999]

To shank it properly, I either don't release the club, and hold it off, or I stop turning. Either one produces a peach.

I find concentrating on hitting through the ball, and focussing on the strike helps. Try to feel where the middle of the face is and make sure you watch the club hit the ball.

 

[IanM]

Went on A Society Day last month... in the middle of a decent spell of form... went to the practice ground to loosen up... shanked every iron I tried! Opening par 5, smashing drive, solid rescue lay-up... shanked the 9 iron over the fence! That last 3 holes... then it disappeared! No idea where or why!

So, if it is a sudden thing... have a week off! And forget it! Harvey Pennick used to get sufferers to clip a tee peg out of the ground and forget about hitting a ball till they got their heads back in the right place!