[PickEmUp]

Ok fess up. How many THPer's have struggled with the dreaded shank If so what was your best fix for that score killer?

When the ugly shank snake raises his head at me, my nerves go to shaking and my swing goes to braking Ok if this dreaded evil shot shows it's teeth, I head to the range and put a 1 x 3 inch board three feet long down parallel to my target on in the practice range. The ball is placed two inches from this little plank of wood. I hit a bunch of balls and the "obstacle" just right of the ball somehow gets my swing back on plane. hmmmm maybe I can stick that little board in my golf back, nawwwwwwww probaly not legal.

Sooooooo how do you fix that stroke snatcher if and when it bites you?

[DrBrightonone]

To start with, I never, ever use the "s" word, its just too dangerous to say out loud. I have only had them once and that was enough. I got my swing way too far inside and was catching the ball on the hosel. It happened a few random times during one round and like you, I got the sweats and shakes. Fortunately, they went back to whatever mysterious place they came from.

I had a buddy that got them and literally walked his way completely around the green hitting one "lateral" after the other until he was almost back where he started.

[skydaypat]

2 things i focus on are:

1. make sure my weight stays centred during my swing
2. make sure my arms stay connected to my body through the swing and dont move out and away

focussing on these thoughts usually fixes the dreaded Tom Hanks quickly.

[BegeMoT]

I once had a horrible bout with this dreaded disease on the 12th hole. It was a par 5 in which your 3rd shot had to carry water. I seriously put 8 balls in a row in the pond. I'd never had this happen before and the cold sweats were seriously present. I knew that i was pulling up in the downswing and i knew that my hands were open at impact but i just couldn't stop it. I literally left the golf course. I thought, this isn't helping, for me the only way to cure it was to stop swinging a golf club.

[PickEmUp]

Guess what happened again today I had a triple on the front and still managed a respectable 42. I was playing pretty decent golf on the back and only needed a par on a par 5 to shoot 39. Hit my one iron baffler center cut down on a plateau for a clear approach. Hit the one iron baffler again and was only 40 or so yards from the green. Hit that freaking "S" shot again about 40 yards to the right of the green. Wedged it onto the edge of the green but it spun back. chipped up to six foot & missed the putt for a double bogle. 42/41 = 83 It was very muddy and soggy so may I can blame that on the freaking "S" Monster ... ugggggggggggg no more of them ....... (

[Unwiseevove]

The shanked shot is just part of the game....a very small part hopefully. I hit them every so often. I know I can't remember going a whole calender year with out hitting a few. Actually I tend to hit most of my shanked shots during my short game practice sessions. Plus I am pretty sure all my shanks happen when I am using my higher lofted clubs.

I am proponent of knowing what causes the various poor golf shots we all find our selves hitting from time to time. If you know the various causes of a poor golf shot, then you have a reference point for a fix. this reference point will come in handy when you are on the course far a way from your instructor, or golf swing book.

My shanks happen when my swing gets too flat, and/or I take the club back, too far inside, with my stance/shoulders open too much. Maybe I have also added in some poor wrist action. Whatever I am doing wrong, my fix is to stop, clean my head, and focus on a one piece take away, and down swing.

[DrBrightonone]

Since I watched Tin Cup again last night, I know the cure. You have to put all your change in your left pocket, double knot your left shoe, turn your visor around backwards, and put a tee behind your left ear. Voila! Cured!

[PickEmUp]

The shanked shot is just part of the game....a very small part hopefully. I hit them every so often. I know I can't remember going a whole calender year with out hitting a few. Actually I tend to hit most of my shanked shots during my short game practice sessions. Plus I am pretty sure all my shanks happen when I am using my higher lofted clubs.

I am proponent of knowing what causes the various poor golf shots we all find our selves hitting from time to time. If you know the various causes of a poor golf shot, then you have a reference point for a fix. this reference point will come in handy when you are on the course far a way from your instructor, or golf swing book.

My shanks happen when my swing gets too flat, and/or I take the club back, too far inside, with my stance/shoulders open too much. Maybe I have also added in some poor wrist action. Whatever I am doing wrong, my fix is to stop, clean my head, and focus on a one piece take away, and down swing.

Pro -- I think you hit the nail on the head as did C-Tech :

"my swing gets too flat, and/or I take the club back, too far inside, with my stance/shoulders open too much. Maybe I have also added in some poor wrist action"

That's exactly why I put that little three foot board a couple inches to the right of the ball in my practice sections. If you swing too far inside then out, you will bang the board. Banging the board is not good....

Back to the practice tee )

[uniopaypamp]

About a year or two ago, when on the range, occasionally near the end of a session I would get the shanks with my wedges. I could hit dozens of balls and shank them all. It was the most confusing thing to me. After this happened several straight sessions I started backing away after the second or third one and would just swing the club and work on tempo for a few minutes. It usually cleared up after that, thankfully it never happened on the course and I think it was more of just me hitting so many balls I was getting lazy with my swing towards the end of the range session.

[Jambjanatan]

I am having the worst case of the shanks right now. I swear every other ball I hit is dead right into the trees. At my old course I got so mad that I was shanking every shot and I screamed something that had the word shanks in it and the golf instructor told me that word was forbidden on the range or anywhere on the course. I didn't realize the 's' word was such a bad word. I have since learned my lesson.

[Unwiseevove]

I think it should be mentioned that anyone reading, and/or replying to this thread will hit a shanked shot some time in the very near future. It's the prime directive of the golfing gods. I expect mine to happen on Sunday.

[PickEmUp]

I am having the worst case of the shanks right now. I swear every other ball I hit is dead right into the trees. At my old course I got so mad that I was shanking every shot and I screamed something that had the word shanks in it and the golf instructor told me that word was forbidden on the range or anywhere on the course. I didn't realize the 's' word was such a bad word. I have since learned my lesson.

GolferGal -- Will you be my buddy We will whup this thing together

[PickEmUp]

GolferGal -- Will you be my buddy We will whup this thing together

I promise that Calloway and I will not come move in with you and JB
We do want to come to Florida one day and play some golf with you guys. I am not going to bring my wife cause she whups my butt all the time without trying

[tigoCeree]

C-tech I just watched that last night as well the dreaded "s" word. I have had them and hope they don't come back for awhile. Enough said we should move to a different subject before we are all cursed.

[Jambjanatan]

GolferGal -- Will you be my buddy We will whup this thing together

I can't wait to go back to my lessons after the show and try and fix this damn disease, that's what I think it is at this point a disease.

I promise that Calloway and I will not come move in with you and JB
We do want to come to Florida one day and play some golf with you guys. I am not going to bring my wife cause she whups my butt all the time without trying

We would love to play a round with you guys.

[spapsinee]

I had these on the driving range last week warming up. I hit a guy about 6 stalls in front of me

[Unwiseevove]

There's an old golf joke floating around that goes something like this.

"The poor golfer in a serious effort to fix his game found the best instructor in golf for a lesson. After plopping down $2000.00 for a half hour lesson he and the pro are walking to the training area. On the way there the pro asked the golfer what might be his problem. The golfer tells him I have the shanks. The pro stops dead in his tracks, and hands the guy back his $2000.00 dollars. The golfer ask what the problem was. The pro tells him he can'y help him, that his, new, junior assistant will be working with him on his particular swing problems. "

[Gskdmidd]

Yesterday at the range, my first 7 swings were hosel-hosed to the right. Mechanically, I still don't know what I was doing. But to fix it, I simply kept my attention at about 2 inches in front of the ball for the next few swings (sorta like putting a penny 3 inches in front of the ball). It was fixed after that.

[Jambjanatan]

I just got back from the range and the first few shots were just as usual straight off the hosel and a lovely shank into the trees on the right. After that I started to get into my groove and I was hitting the ball straight as an arrow. That was a great feeling, but that was short lived once I pulled out the driver. I don't know what was happening but I became the drop kicking queen. I hit one decent shot with the driver and decided to call it quits, I figured it was best to end on a good note.

[BegeMoT]

I just got back from the range and the first few shots were just as usual straight off the hosel and a lovely shank into the trees on the right. After that I started to get into my groove and I was hitting the ball straight as an arrow. That was a great feeling, but that was short lived once I pulled out the driver. I don't know what was happening but I became the drop kicking queen. I hit one decent shot with the driver and decided to call it quits, I figured it was best to end on a good note.

what a good way to end it then! i would've done the same.