Shanks

Question
What am I doing wrong that would cause shanks so bad the ball travels about 30 yards, a foot off the ground and at a 45 to 50 degree angle from target line ??

Answer
Hi Mike,

Sorry to hear about your shanking problem.  It's one of the more difficult problems, not because it's hard to solve physically, but because it's hard to regain confidence once you start shanking.

There are two main reasons for shanking.  Unfortunately, I can't see your swing so I don't know whether your swing problem is #1 or #2.

#1 reason for shanking is leaning your upper body out toward the target line excessively.  When you have this kind of posture, it's easy to swing the clubhead "over the top".  From there, the clubhead approaches the ball from outside the target line and you make contact on the heel of the club.  If your normal ball flight is a fade or a slice, this is the most likely cause of your shanking.

#2 reason for shanking is almost opposite from the first way.  It comes from swinging too much in an "inside to outside" fashion.  When the angle of approach is severe from the inside, you can easily contact the ball with the heel or hozel of the clubhead.  This is the most likely issue if your normal (good) ball flight is a draw or hook.

If you are a fader/slicer, the fix for the shank comes from standing taller at address and being consistent about maintaining your posture through the swing sequence.  Don't let your upper body lean forward toward the ball or target line during your downswing.  By keeping your posture in place, your head will not bow toward the ball on the downswing.  Another way of saying this is that your head always stays the same distance from the ball until you make impact.

If you are a drawer/hooker it is the bottom of your spine that is moving closer to the ball during the downswing.  In other words your hips are moving out toward the target line.  Another sign of this is the feeling at the end of your swing that you have a "reverse C" position.  Your lower back is arched and you may observe that your hips have moved early and excessively toward the target during the first part of the downswing.  The fix is again...to maintain your posture better during the downswing.  Do this by putting a chair against your butt at address.  In other words, when you address the ball you should feel the cheeks of your butt touching (slightly) a small (like a folding) chair.  Throughout your swing you should feel the chair touching your butt cheeks.  If your hips move away from the chair, you run the risk of the shank.

One of these two problems and the corresponding "fix" will be right for you.  Good luck and let me know how it turns out.

Best regards,

Paul Dolman