Dreaded Shanks!!!

I played a round of golf yesterday evening after I got home from work.

During the course of this round I hit three seven iron shots that were dreadful!

Tonight, again after work I took my seven iron and pitching wedge to the practice ground.

Well, what a nightmare!!!

I couldn't get the ball off the ground.......

It was going right of the target and slicing.......

Nothing I tried seemed to stop this.

I had only hit about eighteen balls when I decided the best course of action was to stop the practice session as I had no idea what I was doing wrong.

With my pitching wedge I went down to collect the few balls I had hit down the range, this was made more difficult due to the golf club having held a demo day and there being loads of range balls all over the place.

Now with my pitching wedge I was hitting the ball well, apart from the very odd shot.

Once I had collected my practice balls I started hitting some of the range balls with my seven iron.

It was then that I noticed the marks on the hosel of my club.

This explained all those poor shots, I was shanking the ball!

Now I've never done this before and it comes as a bit of a shock especially as I've been striking the ball so well lately.

Any ideas what I should do to correct this problem?

Russ

Russ, I have been suffering with these the last few weeks, went to see my pro & he spotted that my swingplane was very flat. Been working hard on correcting this & the result was my 2nd sub 80 round today including 3 birdies. Don't panic, go & see your pro to sort it out as I tried to fix it myself with no luck

Thanks for the advice everyone.

Getting a lesson from my pro is like finding rocking horse poo!!!  Just can't seem to tie him down.  So bad in fact I might have to start looking elsewhere for my lessons.

I've read a few things online about standing too close to the ball, ect.

I am playing in a three men and a lady competition today so hopefully I'll get it sorted out before we tee off today.

Russ

**** LATEST NEWS ****

Played in the competiton today and everything is back to normal.

Never hit a poor shot all day!

I'm so glad that the practice session of yesterday can be moved to the 'History' bin and quickly forgotten!!!

Steve, I'm in Romford, Essex

Russ

If I get an episode of the SHKS then I start standing as far away from my ball until  it's just  starting to feel uncomfortable at address. I then hit a few holes without a SHK and its ussually ok from then. If I get them its ussually when using my sand wedge from the fairway. Could this have anything to do with bounce or lie of my sand wedge?

Dave CAC handed Geordie.

I think there could be many different factors for shanking the ball however the end fact is that the club is not at the correct position at impact! Seeing as shanking the ball is basically hitting the heel of the club I suppose standing a bit further away would make sense.

Dealing with the odd S***K is a lot easier than dealing with it for every shot.

The usual INSTANT CURE is stand slightly further away, slow the swing and make sure you keep your head still.

TheLyth