It happens to all of us, but what exactly is a shank? Many
golfers believe it
’s a shot that’s struck off the toe of the club, when it’s
actually hit off the inside area of the clubhead – the rounded part
of the club where the shaft meets the clubhead. When the ball
strikes that part of the club, it ricochets off to the right (for
the right-handed golfer).
It happens to all of us, but what exactly is a shank? Many golfers believe it’s a shot that’s struck off the toe of the club, when it’s actually hit off the inside area of the clubhead – the rounded part of the club where the shaft meets the clubhead. When the ball strikes that part of the club, it ricochets off to the right (for the right-handed golfer). We will see this occur most commonly on short iron shots because you are standing closer to the ball and the swing path is more vertical, the more likely you’ll hit it off the inside area of the clubhead. Here are a couple of tips. First, take a your normal stance. Maintaining your posture, raise the club and arms a foot off the ground. Swing the club back and around you, creating a more horizontal swing path. Secondly, using a pitching wedge or sand wedge, take a head cover and place it just outside the toe of the club head parallel to the target line. Making a few practice swings, your objective will be not to hit the cover. This will produce a more inside swing path, resulting in a more center face contact. If you hit the cover, you’ll know your swing path is too vertical. With a little practice, the shanks will soon be gone.
Don Leone is the Director of Golf Instruction at Coyote Creek Golf Course. For information about classes, email dl****@*********ke.com or call 463-8024.
