Nina Caldwell
Shanks are one of the most destructive shots in golf, and they can be extremely frustrating for players. A shank occurs when the hosel of the golf club hits the golf ball instead of the clubface, causing the ball to shoot off at a 45-degree angle. While shanks can happen out of nowhere, there are techniques to prevent them. This includes having the correct stance and posture, maintaining proper balance throughout the swing, and keeping a light grip on the club. Additionally, golfers should focus on their wrist angles and ensure they are not standing too close or too far from the ball. By understanding the causes of shanks and implementing corrective measures, golfers can improve their game and build confidence.
How to Prevent Shanks in Golf
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Distance from the ball | Standing too close or too far from the ball can cause shanks. |
| Swing path | Avoid an out-to-in or in-to-out swing path. |
| Grip pressure | A light grip pressure can cause the club to move during the swing. |
| Wrist extension | Excessive wrist action can lead to an open clubface at impact. |
| Weight distribution | Weight should be evenly distributed to maintain balance throughout the swing. |
| Lower body movement | A 'slide' in the lower body during the downswing can cause shanks. |
| Posture | Keep your back arched and weight on the balls of your feet. |
| Club position | Keep the club straight from back to follow-through. |
| Practice | Start with slow swings and work your way up to a full swing. |
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What You'll Learn
Understand the causes of shanks
Understanding the causes of shanks is the first step to preventing them. Shanks occur when the hosel of the golf club makes contact with the golf ball, instead of the centre of the clubface. This causes the ball to shoot off to the right at a 45-degree angle.
There are two types of shanks: an in-to-out shank and an out-to-in shank. The out-to-in shank is the most common, caused by a swing that is too steep, with the heel of the golf club moving across the target line. This can be caused by holding the club too close or too far away from the body.
The in-to-out shank is caused by an excessively closed clubface. The player swings out-to-in with the face closing hard, pushing the hosel closer to the ball.
Other common causes of shanks include:
- Standing too close or too far away from the ball. Standing too close can cause a loss of spine angle in the downswing, leading to an open-faced shank. Standing too far away can cause a lean into the ball through impact, resulting in a shank.
- Failing to shift weight, causing instability and an incorrect clubface position.
- Excessive wrist action, which can lead to an open clubface at impact.
- Lower body 'slide', where the knees move towards the target, causing the hosel to lead.
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Improve your stance
To prevent shanks in golf, you must improve your stance. A shank is when the golf ball hits the hosel of the club, instead of the clubface, causing the ball to shoot off at a sharp angle. This is usually the result of a combination of the incorrect swing stance and the incorrect position of the club.
Firstly, it is important to understand how far to stand from the ball. If you stand too close, you will lose your spine angle in the downswing, causing you to lift up out of the shot and hit an open-faced shank. Conversely, if you stand too far away, the momentum of the swing will cause you to lean into the ball, also resulting in a shank. To fix this, try to stand closer to the ball. This may feel unnatural, but it will force your body to move backwards on the downswing, making room for your arms to swing through.
Secondly, ensure that you have a neutral, or 'perfect', golf grip. Some players have such a light grip pressure that the club moves in their hands during the swing. To check your grip pressure, place a blade of grass on top of your left thumb and between the butt of the club and the pad of your left hand. If your grip pressure is too light, the grass will fall during the swing.
Thirdly, watch your lead wrist extension. If your lead wrist gets too extended in your swing, you will leave yourself open to a shank shot. To manage this, learn to control the extension in your lead wrist throughout the entire swing. To improve your wrist extension during the downswing, try practising the Motorcycle Drill. This involves mimicking the motion of revving a motorcycle throttle in your lead wrist on the downswing.
Finally, when swinging, focus on keeping the club straight from back to follow through. This will help to avoid an out-to-in or in-to-out swing, which can be caused by holding the club too close or too far away from the body.
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Focus on your grip
A shank is one of the most frustrating shots in golf. It happens when the golf ball hits the hosel of the club, instead of the clubface, causing the ball to shoot off at a sharp angle.
A key way to avoid shanking is to focus on your grip. A neutral or 'perfect' grip will help you stop shanking. Some players have such a light grip that the club moves in their hands during the swing. This can be addressed by ensuring a grip pressure that is firm enough to keep the club in place, but light enough that your forearms aren't clenched. A grip pressure of 4-6 out of 10 is recommended.
You can check your grip pressure by placing grass on your left thumb and between the club and the palm of your left hand. If the grass falls out during the swing, your grip is too light. Understanding your swing path will help you assess your grip pressure.
Another common mistake is thinking, "I'm hitting the heel, so I should stand further away". Moving further away can cause you to lean into the ball during impact, leading to a shank. Instead, stand closer to the ball. This will force your body to move backward on the downswing, keeping the clubface clear.
If you're still struggling with shanks, try a drill to stabilise your lower body. Place your golf bag next to your left hip at address. As you start the downswing, your hips should bump into the bag, and then your lower body turns without sliding forward.
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Keep your wrists stable
One of the most common reasons for hitting a shank is excessive wrist action, especially in the form of extension. This can lead to the clubface being open at impact. To prevent this, you need to learn to control the extension in your lead wrist throughout the entire swing.
From setup to the top of the backswing, no additional extension (or cupping) should be added to the lead wrist. From the top of the backswing to impact, extension is eliminated. At impact, the lead wrist is flat or in a flexed position, and shanking the ball is very difficult.
One of the best ways to improve your wrist extension during the downswing is to practice the Motorcycle Drill. The idea is to feel the motion of revving the motorcycle throttle in your lead wrist on the downswing.
To summarise, you should aim for a neutral, or 'perfect' golf grip, with light grip pressure. Keep your forearms relaxed and tension-free.
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Practice drills and fixes
- Check your grip pressure. Place some grass on top of your left thumb and between the butt of the club and the pad of your left hand. If the grass falls down, your grip pressure is too light.
- Keep your forearms relaxed and tension-free.
- Maintain the proper posture. Allow your arms to hang down, arch your back – not too bent nor straight – and keep your weight on the balls of your feet.
- Keep your weight balanced throughout the swing. Start with a 50/50 weight distribution (front foot/back foot), adjust to 60/40 at the top of your backswing, and aim for 90/10 as you hit the ball.
- Avoid an excessively out-to-in or in-to-out swing path. Take the club straight back to start, rather than excessively inside (closer to the body) or outside (further away from the body).
- Keep the clubhead outside your hands during the takeaway to avoid setting up a hosel-first swing path.
- Control the extension in your lead wrist throughout the entire swing. One of the best ways to improve your wrist extension during the downswing is to practice the Motorcycle Drill: imagine revving the motorcycle throttle in your lead wrist on the downswing.
- If you're shanking wedges or irons, you might be standing too close to the golf ball, causing a swing that is too upright. Try standing further away from the ball so your ball-to-target line creates a more in-to-out swing path.
- If you're still struggling with shanks, try a drill to stabilise your lower body: place your golf bag next to your left hip at address. As you start the downswing, your hips should bump into the bag and then your lower body turns (without sliding towards the target).
- Start slowly when training to fix your stance and swing. Work your way up to a full swing, ensuring that you're keeping everything in the correct position every step of the way.
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Frequently asked questions
A golf shank is when the golf ball hits the hosel of the club, instead of the clubface, causing the ball to shoot off to the right at a 45-degree angle.
A golf shank can be caused by a number of factors, including:
- Incorrect stance or posture
- Incorrect grip pressure
- Incorrect swing path
- Incorrect wrist extension
- Incorrect lower body movement
To prevent a golf shank, you can try the following:
- Ensure you are standing at the correct distance from the ball.
- Maintain a neutral or 'perfect' golf grip with light pressure.
- Keep a firm but light grip on your club and don’t flex your forearm muscles.
- Avoid an excessively out-to-in or in-to-out swing path.
- Keep your hands closer to your body during the downswing.
- Stabilise your lower body by keeping your weight on the balls of your feet.
If you start shanking during a round, try switching to short irons and focus on less movement and solid contact.
