Help with Shanking!!!

Hi Guys.  Ben on Golfshake a while but just hung around the forums and have not really posted much yet. 

However, you all seem like a knowledgeable bunch and I am at my wits end with a severe shank that has just in the last few weeks found its way into my short irons.  Driver and long irons generally fine but at times at range I am shanking shot after shot after shot.  Luckly, in last two rounds managed to only limit it just a couple of occasions on course but at range is constant.

Can anyone have a look at my YouTube vid (Awful Shank) and give me any tips!  I am not sure if it is a shank as such or I am just leaving my clubface open - tried everything, stronger grip, staying on balls of feet - it just seems to come and go at will and is ruining my new season prep.  Please help!!! 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04Plfaq9Hkw

It is an 8 Iron!

It is an 8 Iron!

I do struggle to keep my legs more stable - do you have any tips?

Great, thanks.  Will reply tonight (just off to work, unfortunately)!!

Was just going to say that you don't need any help with shanking Tony, you look pretty good at it already....

Welcome to the site mate.  Lots of people on here will help you, don't worry. 

Yeah, all ready Wayne - only had to buy a new thong.

I have taken a considerable look at this and have reached the conclusion that it would be a waste of time just attempting to eradicate the shank when everything else is wrong in the swing.

This photo shows Tony at the top of his swing with the shaft pointing to 10 0'clock and

the clubface very closed.

As one swings around the shoulders it is obvious from the video that he swings way across the line on the dreaded outside to in path and this I have shown in photo 2 with the clubhead well outside the ball.

Ordinarily one would assume that this path would produce a slice, so how does he shank it?

I feel that as he comes into impact position he then attempts to steer the club into the direction it should be going, hitting the hosel in the process and the ball shooting off to the right. I came to this conclusion because of the position at photo 3 which shows that he has made this attempt to alter his path as he finishes with the left arm blocking the normal wrap over of the forearms on the through swing, thus contributing to the shank by keeping the clubface open as he does this.

David Marshall is perfectly correct in what he said but correcting these only will not help solve the problem on a permanent basis.

I sincerely hope that Wayne forgets the shank and puts Tony onto the correct plane, where I believe he will be a far more consistent striker than he is at present.

Tony,

Where the "sherman" comes from is obvious to me, but like the others have said, you need a few tweaks. I would start by giving yourself more room to swing the club, that is achieved to standing a little further away from the ball at address.

I'm not far away from you, so we'll have to meet up this year, maybe with Patrick. I see you are a member of Howley Hall GC but where abouts do you live. Morley itself or somewhere else? I'm within walking distance of Goats Park, sorry Gotts Park.

TheLyth

Second attempt.

 Hi Tony, welcome to the site. I used to have short periods of shanking and still have the odd one with a 1 iron of all clubs. There are a couple of key points which I noticed (standing close to the ball and lining up against the hosel is not necessarily the main culpits but certainly doesn't help). I realised I was either coming across the ball or leaning into the shot. To remedy this I simply kept my body and head as still as possible and tried to be aware of the plane of the club.

 As for a game with you and Lyth, up for it deffo.

The club remains closed throughout the whole swing, which I had to watch a few times to believe it.

I would spend some time with one of the above chaps who know their stuff, they'll put you right

Hi guys, the response has been phenominal - my iphone has been shooting emails all day telling me I have responses to my posts.  It is really appreciated and I will try to work on the suggestions I have been given.

Just to give some context, I am in a bit of a tranitional winter period as I have started having lessons just before christmas and am changing my swing bit by bit.  I used to have a really flat, short laid off swing (yes, even more than now!!) and I have been working on making it more steep and a bit longer.  The following video is how it was (with an eight or nine iron) before any lessons.  I barely used to get my arms above about 9pm.

However, since then I have tried to get a bit steeper and get my shaft less laid off - this is a recent 4 Hybrid Swing.

This is my current driver swing which I am hitting miles better than I ever had (although it is a weak fade at present as someone predicted.

Cont..... See next post.

Cont.....

..The shanks just appeared after the christmas layoff - although my swing is a bit of a lottery, on the course I have been doing ok (I shoot low nineties generally around Howley Hall and managed a 41 on the first nine on Sunday) - it is my consistancy that has been weak.  However, these Shanks are just sould destroying and whenever I have a short iron in my hand I am scared to death now!!

Once again, thanks to all who have offered suggestions/videas etc.. it is really appreciated. Wayne, thanks for your offer of talking me though it - I will pm my number.

David/Patrick, I would happy to meet up and have a game, thanks - that would be great.  I am in Morley area - normally play Howley Hall where I am a member but I am happy to play anywhere.  Let me know when you fancy a knock.

One last thing - re: getting swing plane right, can anyone recommend any good training aids - are things like the hinged irons any good and do you think they would help?

I am surprised that after having lessons before Christmas that you are swinging the way you are.

Oh how the pros make all this sound complicated. I would have you hitting the ball down the range with a nice soft draw in ten minutes.  In other words real progress.

Hi John, in fairness, there was a lot to fix and for the first three we covered some of the real basics.  My grip has changed significantly and is a lot better and more solid.  we also spent a bit of time on my set-up and how I approached the ball (step in and then out) etc.. 

Last lesson he was trying to work on my swing plane by getting me to takeaway better - perhaps I am just a slow learner!!!  I dont mind a slow pace - as long as I can see myself getting better I still have a few months before the new season - it is just with this particular problem it makes me scared to turn up on a saturday morning!  If I can get rid of the shank I can at least try to enjoy the journey (and if I am missing greens it at least gives me short game some practice!!).

 Hi Steve, thanks for your suggestions and I have seen the video now which is really useful.  Could I just query what you mean by Sitting Down - also, if I am standing further away with more of a spine angle - it feels like I will be getting an even flatter swing (like I used to have) - I am sure it wont, it just feels like that would happen and subconsciously I think I have tried to be taller and closer to try to get my swing plane steeper to correct the laid off shaft.

Thanks,

Hi Tony,

I picked up a couple of things in your set up which when corrected should fix the problem.

1. Ball position on clubface - It looks as though you are addressing it out the hosel which is never a good start. Draw a line down the middle of your clubface and using the name on a golf ball try to marry the two up.

2. Posture - You are sitting down too much and this causes poor body rotation leading to a very arms only swing. Here is a good vid to get into posture properly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1XPUg5J12KM

3. Top of backswing - You are very laid off (club pointing left of target) at the top. On your downswing the arms follow this path cutting across the ball and the hands cannot work fast enough to square the clubface back up resulting a shank.

Hopefully by improving the first 2 points number 3 will improve and the shank will be eliminated. Please let me know the outcome.

SteveCowleGolf

Hi John, in fairness, there was a lot to fix and for the first three we covered some of the real basics.  My grip has changed significantly and is a lot better and more solid.  we also spent a bit of time on my set-up and how I approached the ball (step in and then out) etc.. 

Sorry Tony, you are being taken for a ride, three lessons on grip, etfc.

It takes a few minutes to show you the correct grip, the correct posture, the correct alignment and the correct swing plane.

Careful John, the speed that a person takes in information can differ. If Tony isn't digesting all the new information "in a few minutes" it may not be the Pro's fault, nor is it Tony's either.

TheLyth

The going rate for a PGA Pro is £45 per hour. Then because many people are unwilling to pay that, most offer 20min lessons for £15. Three 20min lessons equals 1hr. When I was teaching, I did hour slots, 20mins of teaching + 40min supervision.

A guy can be given a tip and start hitting good shots in minutes, but what happens when things go back to the way they were?

TheLyth