Warm up starts fine, then goes to thins and some shanks

[DON SVO]

contact slowly moves towards heel every shot

I suffer from the shanks and thins (more shanks) with relative frequency. I've had them show up on the course out of nowhere, then disappear in a few holes... I've had them show up and not stop tormenting me for weeks.

The weird part is that I will go from awesome contact (ball shredding dead-in-the-nuts hits) to shanks in one day on the range. I'll warm up with say, an 8 iron. Hit 4 or 5 shots flush and straight. The next few shots feel a bit more sharp (my way of describing a more heel-side hit), and I can watch the contact mark in my iron face gravitate towards the heel. It's literally a shot-by-shot rpogression towards the hosel and finally, I'll hit a 45* hosel rocket.

Why am I doing this? I feel like nothing has changed in my stance, swing, anything. Sometimes I get a vibe that 'something isn't right' and I'll step off the shot mid-backswing. I've finished the swing after that little bell went off and 80% of the time, it's a low left POS shot (I'm a lefty).

Suggestions? Ideas? I'm getting really frustrated with myself because I cannot figure out why I'm doing it. It's worse because I can see the contact moving to the heel, and I have no clue why.

[Legend McSniff]

I have a bout of the the dreaded hosel rockets once every couple of years.

You will read about all sorts of weird and wonderful causes and cures but i actually believe 90% of shankers are doing one of two things.

Either coming at the ball from too far from the inside (least likely)

or

Coming at the ball from the outside (most likely)


You should know which of these is the likely issue. Look at your divots especially on the short irons.

The first should be a fairly easy fix but i wont comment on that as I always have the opposite problem.

If you are coming at it from the outside (divots going left), check your ball position isnt too far forward.

If thats not an issue chances are you have got some OTT in your swing, which you have probably fought with in the past. You may have a 'goto' drill which you use when you start hitting pulls and slices, i would get onto that asap.

If your stuck for ideas consider the following.

If you have a swing thought similar to "hitting to 1st base" or hitting "out to the ball", drop it.

Your shoulders may be turning too 'flat', think about getting them a little steeper (working for Tiger).

You may be 'casting' from the top.

You may be hitting with the hands from the top.

Forget the hands, think about starting the downswing with the lower body, try and get the lower body, weight moving left just BEFORE you feel like you have completed the backswing. This should ensure the hands have dropped 'into the slot' before your right shoulder has a chance to dominate your downswing.

I also get a 'sixth sense' of an impending shank, back off, clear the mind, address the ball and think of nothing but getting that lower body moving left firmly and early, with no thought of 'hitting' with the hands or upper body.

To be honest, fighting the OTT is a personal battle, but the above work for me.

Hope something here helps.

[JVill]

Rotate your right hip towards the target with more vigor and pretend to place your right hand into the right pocket (i.e. keep it close to your right hip) and the shanksies will go and visit someone else.

[tembolo1284]

make sure you address the ball the same way...and are not getting closer to it. Also, you might be falling a bit toward your toes the more you swing. Maybe as you get more tired something happens to your body that it lunges you forward or closer to the ball.

If it's a swing issue, then best to get it on film to see what you are doing that puts the hosel at the ball.

[MonteScheinblum]

[quote name='DON SVO' timestamp='1291663563' post='2826588']
I suffer from the shanks and thins (more shanks) with relative frequency. I've had them show up on the course out of nowhere, then disappear in a few holes... I've had them show up and not stop tormenting me for weeks.

The weird part is that I will go from awesome contact (ball shredding dead-in-the-nuts hits) to shanks in one day on the range. I'll warm up with say, an 8 iron. Hit 4 or 5 shots flush and straight. The next few shots feel a bit more sharp (my way of describing a more heel-side hit), and I can watch the contact mark in my iron face gravitate towards the heel. It's literally a shot-by-shot rpogression towards the hosel and finally, I'll hit a 45* hosel rocket.

Why am I doing this? I feel like nothing has changed in my stance, swing, anything. Sometimes I get a vibe that 'something isn't right' and I'll step off the shot mid-backswing. I've finished the swing after that little bell went off and 80% of the time, it's a low left POS shot (I'm a lefty).

Suggestions? Ideas? I'm getting really frustrated with myself because I cannot figure out why I'm doing it. It's worse because I can see the contact moving to the heel, and I have no clue why.
[/quote]

I may have the answer. As a matter of fact, I am nearly sure I do. When you are first warming up, you are stiff and not stretched out. Your backswing is compact and mostly being controlled by your shoulder turn and your arms and hands are staying in front of your turn and everything is working in sync.

As you hit balls and get looser and looser, your backswing gets longer and longer and your arms and hands continue past the end of your shoulder turn and take control.

I have seen this issue many many times among my students.

So just work on shortening your backswing and not allowing your arms and hands to take the club farther back after your shoulder turn stops.

As far as the shanks, this video will help you with plane and proper club rotation...which are usually the issues when the shanks happen.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FH5r5_tROU"]LINK[/url]