Any good golfers out there go through weeks of shanking?

[Queball915]

I've just about had it. I'm a 4 handicap and all the sudden out of nowhere I shank ALL of my god damn wedges. Tried everything in the book to fix this and nothing has worked. Almost makes me want to quit. Anyone ever had similar problems? Did it just go away? Someone help me before I throw my damn clubs in the lake.

 

[eclark53520]

Go back to basics. grip, stance, posture. Get those perfect.

 

[Fairwaysplitter3320]

Romeo: Put your change in your left pocket. Go on, do it. Now, tie your left shoe in a double knot.

Roy: Tie my left shoe?

Romeo: Right now, do it! Turn the hat backwards. Turn your hat around. Do it, Roy! Take this tee and stick it behind your left ear.

Roy: I look like a fool!

Romeo: What do you think you look like shooting chili peppers up Lee Janzen's ass? Do it now or I'm going to quit. I swear to God I'll quit. Good. Take this ball and hit it up the fairway.

[Roy hits the ball straight]

Romeo: You're ready.

 

[TrickyPutt]

I've just about had it. I'm a 4 handicap and all the sudden out of nowhere I shank ALL of my god damn wedges. Tried everything in the book to fix this and nothing has worked. Almost makes me want to quit. Anyone ever had similar problems? Did it just go away? Someone help me before I throw my damn clubs in the lake.

So innanutshell you "see" the ball doing one thing, and the ball does something entirely dufferent. This is obviously a case of golf fantasy.

This can be brought on several ways mechanically, but all physical causes have a mental condition start, with names like Hollywooditis, Lookatmehitus, Onehopandstopdingleberry. I personally suspect The controlittothehole virus, but have only my opinion at this time.

Chances are if you step away* from the ball and clear your mind it will help. Let those control issues go and Enjoy the Green.

*That means you are crowding the plate

I am really only a Resident here, not a full fledged Golf Professional. But I would ask of the Teachers-

Does this man truly suffer from the shanks or is it more likely that he is trying to use his swing rather than golf strategy to aquire those last four handicap strokes, and thus the bad habitry?

 

[limpalong]

I, too, suffer from the dreaded "s" word now and then. It seems to happen to me when I get a little tired or lazy. I've adopted a set up on wedges and short irons that seems to work. On wedges and short irons, once I set up I move both feet back... farther away from the ball... about have my foot length. When I get tired, I find myself setting up too close to the ball. Moving back that 5" to 6" puts me back in the correct position. Then, I take one or two waggles making sure the clubhead moves on an exaggerated in to out path. Moving back from the ball and making sure the clubhead moved in to out seems to have corrected my shank problem.

There are dozens of videos on YouTube re the dreaded shank. You can fill your mind with sufficient over-analysis to effect complete and total paralysis. Find one or two simple keys, trust them, and go play golf!!!!

 

[WWBDD]

Keep your head down.

 

[azgreg]

I just went through this. It sucks.

 

[TheTrueReview]

Go back to basics. grip, stance, posture. Get those perfect.

Yes! Also make sure you rotate the body, clear the hips etc. Arm swings invite all sorts of maladies, including shanks.

 

[MCDavis]

While I'm not a good golfer (but I am good company), I do have a suggestion for all your wedge woes:

Go the the chipping green with your wedges. Put your feet together and use a putting stroke (short back, follow through accelerating, end with the wedge pointing at the flag), practicing nothing but getting it close. Gradually move back, and with each progression away from the green spread your legs a little. CONTINUE to use the putting stroke instead of a full swing.

Once you're a good ways out (say 80-100 yards), start working your regular wedge swing from that distance into the mix.

This will help you focus on nothing but where the ball is going, and should help you with your problem (which I will not name out of unbridled terror!).

When I was playing on a regular basis, my wedges were my most consistent clubs. ANY problem with them, and this is what I did. It always helped.

 

[Rockford35]

I helped a guy through the shanks last spring. It was absolutely embarrassing for him to play with me.

So, we went out to the range and I asked him what his biggest fear is. His response was "I don't want to hit a shank and embarrass myself."

I said "Who are you trying to impress?"

Seriously, you just have to stop caring about it. Get out to the range and start playing some crazy shots - flops, trying to hit a flagstick, land one in the picker cart. Get your mind off shanks. Use your left hand to trick someone who's not looking at the right hand. Less thinking, more doing.

This game is stupid hard. Why make it tougher by thinking? Just get out there and do.

R35

 

[TrickyPutt]

While I'm not a good golfer (but I am good company), I do have a suggestion for all your wedge woes:

Go the the chipping green with your wedges. Put your feet together and use a putting stroke (short back, follow through accelerating, end with the wedge pointing at the flag), practicing nothing but getting it close. Gradually move back, and with each progression away from the green spread your legs a little. CONTINUE to use the putting stroke instead of a full swing.

Once you're a good ways out (say 80-100 yards), start working your regular wedge swing from that distance into the mix.

This will help you focus on nothing but where the ball is going, and should help you with your problem (which I will not name out of unbridled terror!).

When I was playing on a regular basis, my wedges were my most consistent clubs. ANY problem with them, and this is what I did. It always helped.

Can I please use my regular grip instead of my putter grip? I tend to thin them if the grip is in my loveline.

 

[Queball915]

Thanks everyone. What I've been doing the last few years has been working great then all the sudden it collapsed. I played this morning and ended up walking off the course and immediately got an emergency lesson. I've looked at a lot of videos on YouTube but they seem to be quick fixes. After the lesson I was taught some things that were completely opposite of what the videos say. I'm just focusing on coming a little inside to out, slightly pulling my right elbow back to my pocket in the back swing and just rotating through. I also have tried standing a few inches further from the ball so I have room to drop my arms slightly. Playing again tomorrow with a whole new mindset, thanks again everyone. Anyone who's been through this knows how frustrating it is.

 

[Queball915]

Romeo: Put your change in your left pocket. Go on, do it. Now, tie your left shoe in a double knot.

Roy: Tie my left shoe?

Romeo: Right now, do it! Turn the hat backwards. Turn your hat around. Do it, Roy! Take this tee and stick it behind your left ear.

Roy: I look like a fool!

Romeo: What do you think you look like shooting chili peppers up Lee Janzen's ass? Do it now or I'm going to quit. I swear to God I'll quit. Good. Take this ball and hit it up the fairway.

[Roy hits the ball straight]

Romeo: You're ready.

Got it...now I need to get drunk to follow the movie

 

[nututhugame]

You're welcome.

 

[TrickyPutt]

Thanks everyone. What I've been doing the last few years has been working great then all the sudden it collapsed. I played this morning and ended up walking off the course and immediately got an emergency lesson. I've looked at a lot of videos on YouTube but they seem to be quick fixes. After the lesson I was taught some things that were completely opposite of what the videos say. I'm just focusing on coming a little inside to out, slightly pulling my right elbow back to my pocket in the back swing and just rotating through. I also have tried standing a few inches further from the ball so I have room to drop my arms slightly. Playing again tomorrow with a whole new mindset, thanks again everyone. Anyone who's been through this knows how frustrating it is.

Some of what you refer to is covered in detail in a very good 2 dvd set by Butch Harmon called "About Golf". You might look on ebay and scavange a set for very little. It is a good review of a comprehensive set of details related to the game. If I had a critical observation about it, its minor, but ol' Butch is portly and his turn and momentum shifts are a little hard to see, but you have that down already I would think.