Why Do I Shank My Irons?
Many golfers at all levels who step to the green feeling good about the game soon realize that their shank is not functioning correctly, making the ball shoot right into the woods, and they throw away the perchance. Most golfers cannot tell what is happening or know to fix the problem, but this article will look at the causes and repair the shanks.
What Does a Shank Mean In Golf?
When a ball misses its target and comes in contact with the club’s hosel, instead of the iron clubface, we can say that the player makes a shank. Missing the target makes the ball shoot to the right and barely goes any distance. You can call it the case of the shanks when the player is shanking the ball. Shanking is the worst nightmare of any golfer since it is a lousy shot to hit.
What Factors Causes Shanks In Golf?
The space between your hands from address to impact: Placing your hands in the proper position and standing at the right distance away from the ball can stop you from shanks. If you do not stand correctly and place your hands perfectly, it can lead to shanks. A shank is likely to occur if your hands get far away at contact than they were initially at address. Standing near the ball will make it easy to open the clubface, leading to a shank.
Standing too far back from the ball can make you try reaching and compensating, which makes you lose balance, leading to a shank, making your hand position awkward. The golfer’s arms should typically stay at address, and there should be a gap between your thigh and the club’s bottom-end.
The weight on feet is not neutral: If you lose balance and your weight does not balance on both feet, you can have a shank. Putting your weight too much on one foot will make it easy to have the wrong contact on the hosel and have the ball strike off. It is vital to put your body weight on your heels while you swing the club. Being on your toes and leaning far forward can cause problems.
The path of the Swing: The standard way to strike a golf ball is on a swing path that goes from internal to external of the ball straight to the target line. Golfers can make an error by pulling the club from the swing path on the inner part of the takeaway. They will have to come over the apex to get the club to make contact, making them swing from external to interior and mistakenly using the hosel to strike the ball.
Grip Pressure:
Due to players’ grip, they can shank the ball; some players grip the club loosely, making the club move when they swing. When they do this, there will be no correct contact with the ball. By putting some grass between the butt of the club and padding your right hand, you will be able to check if the grip is tight enough. You can also put the grass on your left thumb. The grass is to remain there throughout the swing because if it falls, the grip is loose.
Downswing Slide:
Another reason for a shank can be a lower-body downswing slide, which happens when your lower body moves a lot when the downswing occurs, which drives the ball far away when you swing. When the knees bend and progress close to the target, the lower body slides, which helps the hosel impact the ball first.
How Will You Protect Irons from Shanking?
There is a video of the legend golf coach David Leadbetter that will teach you how to fix the shanks or stop it from happening but below, I will guide you on the steps to take and provide you with the link.
- At address, you should line up the neck of the club and hosel with the ball.
- Try making contact with the iron club’s toe during the downswing.
- It would help if you could keep your hands close to your body when making an impact.
- You will not shank if you hit it near the toe since it is far from the hosel.
- During your swing, your weight should be on your heels.
Conclusion
It cannot be fun having shanks on your club, and it will ruin a game of round golf or your practice session in the green. After reading this article, I am sure you will know what shanks are, the causes, and the different types of golf shank remedies that you can try. Ensure that you try them out when you notice a shank on your golf club. If you have ever had an experience with golf shanks and how to cure them, you can share your solution. I am sure someone who needs the information will find it helpful.