A shank is a shot that is struck with the hosel of the club instead of the clubface, resulting in a shot that goes sharply and erratically to the right (for a right-handed golfer). This is typically caused by poor clubface alignment at impact, which can be due to a number of swing flaws.
Shanking is part and parcel of playing golf. Regardless of professional and amateur, every golfer is concerned about shanking golf shots. But it’s not that serious a matter at all since it happens all along.
As a golfer, you certainly hit a shank and think yourself why shanked golf shot happens; what’s the shanking golf ball causes?
Sometimes a shank lets your concentration go over the ball away and waste your valuable time. Thereby it seems a little bit distracting. With the continuous occurrence of shank in golf, most players feel uneasy to keeping on their playing.
Moreover, without having an appropriate sense of this, most of the golfers become forced to give up playing golf forever. In this perspective, you must be sensible of the prime causes of the golf shanking and fervently try the fixing ways as well.
Luckily you’ve landed in the right place where you’re going to get the ultimate solution. Yes, we are going to discuss how to stop the shanks in golf.
Let’s dive on the context.
What is a Shank in Golf?
Before going to the main point, I mean how to quit shanking the golf ball, you must know the definition.
When you fail to strike a ball with the club face, is called shanking the golf ball. Instead, the ball is struck with the rounded part of the club. And it means you’re not hitting the ball legally as it not contacting with the flat surface.
Since there is something wrong, the ball will not fly off the right position. Instead, it will go on the opposite side. Of course, it is a severe interruption at playing golf with no comfort.
But how long would you suffer in this case?
You have to get rid of golf shank the right and effective way.
What are the ways? To know more about how to stop shanking the golf ball- please continue…
What Causes Shanking a Golf Ball?
Before diving into the solutions, we should know about the causes.
There are several reasons for occurring golf shank puzzle.
Before knowing the tips to stop shanking the golf ball, you must know the cause.
Some common swing flaws that can lead to a shank include:
- Improper grip: If the grip is too weak (hands turned too far to the left for a right-handed golfer), it can cause the clubface to be open at impact, which can lead to a shank.
- Poor posture: If the golfer is not bent over enough at address or if the spine is tilted too far away from the target, it can cause the club to approach the ball on an inside-out path, which can lead to a shank.
- Swaying or sliding: If the golfer is swaying or sliding during the swing, it can cause the club to approach the ball on an inside-out path, leading to a shank.
- Improper weight shift: If the golfer is not shifting their weight properly during the swing, it can cause the club to approach the ball on an inside-out path, leading to a shank.
- Improper swing path: If the swing path is too much from the inside (too far to the left for a right-handed golfer), it can cause the clubface to be open at impact, leading to a shank.
- Improper clubface alignment at impact: If the clubface is not properly aligned at impact, it can cause the ball to be struck with the hosel, resulting in a shank. This can be caused by a variety of swing flaws, including an open clubface at impact, an inside-out swing path, or poor wrist action.
Some other causes are:
- Maximum times it happens with the less-experienced or amateur golfer. Not to be surprised, an inexperienced and a professional sometimes may fail to hit the ball in the right way. He may hit the ball with the rounded hose instead of the clubface.
- Besides, it happens when the swing path comes back and as a result, the balls go not go to the predetermined distance.
- Even when the swing path gets out of the golfer body, the shank can happen.
- There is also a possibility to happen shank while the golfer can’t rotate the arm correctly over the balls.
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However, as a golfer, you must be aware that this is not unnatural and there is way out.
How to Stop the Shanks in Golf?
The common causes and several simple cure for the shanks are given below so that you can have an immediate solution to pursue the golf cure for shank.
1# Poor wrist rotation
If you’re unable to rotate wrist on golf drills swiftly, then it must lead suffer from shank. You couldn’t swing the ball ever unless being able to rotate the wrist fast. The ball won’t be hitting correctly with the broad face of the club because of
In this case, you have to follow some rules to to fix a shank in golf. They are:
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2# Overactive lower body
An overactive lower-body problem usually occurs when a player hit a shot from hundred yards. If you are used to passing knees and hips towards the target on the downswing, then the swing path will be forced outside the target line. That means the ball will never fly off to the intended distance. You will never hit the balls with the wide-open clubface.
And that seems a nasty shank! By any means, it needs to fix. But how do you fix it?
To fix this type of shank, you have to abide by the following golf shank drills to stop shanking:
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3# Out to in-swing path
Your lower body is constant but shanking is happening; that means you’re likely out to in swing path. It’s essential to make your position into the swing path to get an ideal hitting opportunity. But you will call in trouble whenever start attacking the balls outside the target line. Call in mind that coming over the top on downswing causes coming out to in swing path.
In this situation, you couldn’t ever hit the ball with the club face to intended distance. It needn’t say that it because of an adverse impact while playing golf.
And without doubt, it’s the prime golf shank cause. You have to be highly interested in fixing this problem. How do you fix this type of golf shank? What’re the tactics?
You will be amazed that the problem can be solved solely following one rule. That is:
To get your swing path in order, you have to take the best drill. You surprisingly could swing back on the right path with the 45-degree ball drill.
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How To Cure Shanks With Wedges, irons or on a Chip Shot?
If you are struggling with shanks with your wedges, irons or on chip shots, there are several things you can try to help cure this problem:
Check your grip
Make sure your grip is not too weak or too strong. A grip that is too weak (hands turned too far to the left for a right-handed golfer) can cause the clubface to be open at impact, leading to a shank. On the other hand, a grip that is too strong (hands turned too far to the right) can cause the clubface to be closed at impact, which can also lead to a shank. Experiment with different grip positions to find one that feels comfortable and allows you to control the clubface.
Check your posture
Make sure you are bent over enough at address and that your spine is tilted towards the target. If your posture is too upright or if your spine is tilted away from the target, it can cause the club to approach the ball on an inside-out path, leading to a shank.
Focus on your swing path
Make sure you are swinging the club on a proper path, not too much from the inside (too far to the left for a right-handed golfer). An inside-out swing path can cause the clubface to be open at impact, leading to a shank.
Check your clubface alignment at impact
Make sure the clubface is properly aligned at impact. If the clubface is open or closed at impact, it can cause the ball to be struck with the hosel, resulting in a shank.
Practice
The best way to cure a shank is to practice and work on your swing mechanics. Hit a lot of shots with your wedges, focusing on making a full, controlled swing and proper clubface alignment at impact. This will help you ingrain good habits and improve your shot consistency.
Seek the help of a golf professional
If you are struggling with shanks and have tried the above suggestions without success, it may be helpful to seek the advice of a golf professional. They can watch your swing and diagnose any swing flaws that may be causing your shanks, and provide specific drills and exercises to help you improve.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can a strong grip cause a shank?
A strong grip, where the hands are turned too far to the right (for a right-handed golfer) on the club, can potentially cause a shank. This is because a strong grip can cause the clubface to be closed at impact, which can lead to a shot that goes sharply and erratically to the left.
However, it is important to note that a strong grip is just one potential cause of a shank, and there can be many other swing flaws that can lead to this shot. It is also important to note that a strong grip is not necessarily a bad thing, and many golfers use a strong grip to help them control the clubface and hit draws (shots that curve from left to right for a right-handed golfer).
However, if a golfer is struggling with a shank, it may be worth evaluating their grip to see if it could be contributing to the problem.
Can standing too far from the ball cause a shank?
Standing too far from the ball can potentially cause a shank, but it is not the most common cause of this shot. A shank is typically caused by poor clubface alignment at impact, which can be due to a number of swing flaws, such as an open clubface at impact, an inside-out swing path, or poor wrist action. However, standing too far from the ball can potentially contribute to these swing flaws and lead to a shank.
If a golfer is standing too far from the ball, it can cause them to have to make an excessively long swing, which can lead to poor timing and a lack of control over the clubface. This can cause the clubface to be open at impact, leading to a shank. Additionally, standing too far from the ball can cause the golfer to have to bend over more at address, which can alter their posture and lead to a shank.
In general, it is important for a golfer to find a comfortable distance from the ball that allows them to make a full, controlled swing without having to reach or stretch too far. If a golfer is consistently standing too far from the ball and struggling with a shank, it may be worth adjusting their stance to see if it helps improve their shot consistency.
How do you treat shanks with wedges?
If you want to treat shanks with wedges, you have to make half swings leaving space between your arm and body. Stand at the correct distance from the ball and don’t let your body slide on the downside. Keep a good grip in the club and hit the ball pointing towards your target.
How do you fix a hosel Shank?
For fixing a hosel shank you have to stand at the correct distance from the ball and put a good pressure in your grip. You also have to keep in mind that your lower body is not sliding on the downside.
What is the difference between a slice and a shanking in golf?
In the case of a slice the ball travels higher from the ground and then curves to the right. On the contrary, in the shank, the ball travels low and hard to the right most of the time. This is the key difference between a slice and shank in golf.
Finally…
Golf shank is an ordinary matter in golf. It happens to all irrespective of veteran golfers and amateur golf enthusiasts. There are some common reasons for happening this problem has already been said. But there are the effective fixing ways too.
The causes of shank along with its solving techniques have been described above in depth. It needs regular practice to get rid of golf shanking concern. To be a good golfer, it’s mandatory to implement these rules. The more you practice, the lesser shank to suffer.
Daisy is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Golfs Hub. She is associated with Golf for more than 20 years. She got the inspiration from her father. She is a very private person & doesn't like to be photographed. She's worked in nearly every job in the golf industry from club fitting to instruction to writing and speaking. Now she is enjoying her retirement from day job... but not from Golf! Daisy lives in southeasternmost part of New York state with her family.
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