Shankfest 2005!

[DaveE]

No glory stories to tell from this week's Wed. tourney. About 4 holes in I had short wedge shot that went straight right. And that's all it took to unleash the curse that doomed my round. :wow:

There were at least 8 more before it was over and the fact that it did end was the only part that I enjoyed. Well, that and the three beers I had after.

It'll be off to the range before I play again. It took three months to get these out of my head the last time but I'm hoping for a miracle and a quick cure.

I wouldn't mind a little advice if you guys have any tips.

 

[SiberianDVM]

Always blame the clubs. Then buy a new wedge.

This week I have been to the range twice. The first day I was hooking everything. I even hooked a sand wedge, which until now I had thought impossible. BIG hooks, too, the kind where you worry that they might come back at you.

The second day everything I hit sliced. Just like the previous day, only a mirror image; maybe I woke up in a parallel universe.

I swear my swing did not change from one day to the next; it had to be the clubs warping from the heat.

 

[IrishGolfer]

No glory stories to tell from this week's Wed. tourney. About 4 holes in I had short wedge shot that went straight right. And that's all it took to unleash the curse that doomed my round. :wow:

There were at least 8 more before it was over and the fact that it did end was the only part that I enjoyed. Well, that and the three beers I had after.

It'll be off to the range before I play again. It took three months to get these out of my head the last time but I'm hoping for a miracle and a quick cure.

I wouldn't mind a little advice if you guys have any tips.

Dave
Try keeping the head steady, and perhaps try putting some weight back on your heels instead of your toes.

 

[Bravo]

It happens to me from time to time and I always use the same cure.

Go to the range and get a large bucket. Get out your 7 iron and start by chipping the ball forward with very small strokes. Just a litlle 4 oclock to 8 oclock chip. Keep going with these small swings until you are confident and consistent.

At that time, increase the swing to 3 oclock - 9 oclock. Continue until confident and consistent.

Increase again to 2 oclock - 10 oclock. You are getting pretty close to a 75% full swing at this point.

Repeat at this length and increase to full swing when you are hitting them normally.

At any time, if the bad shots start to come - reduce to the previous length. I have had to do this several times...

This is one of the Ben Hogan drills on the tape BTW...

 

[nsherman2006]

get your weight back, back, back, back, back, back

and hug your body on the downswing

instant shank cure

 

[Rockford35]

Shankfest. Ha!

Sounds like a place they'd serve all types of sausage.

I first read that first paragraph as "I had a wedge shot that went right in. That was all i needed to doom the rest of my round."

I was thinking, "Ya, that's pretty shitty, Dave. A slam dunk wedge always effs me up too."

Then I re-read it.

Yep, I'm a moron.

The best way to cure shanks is to practice and not care what happens. Aim for a yardage marker, then try and see how close you can land one to the guy on the end of the range before he looks over. Then try and hit your car in the parking lot. Or that nice 7 series Beemer you "accidently" door dinged.

Shanks are all mental. You start thinking "Ok, just don't shank this" and you come up out of your swing to see if you have or not. Totally brain fart and stupid.

Get that cranium out of the picture, go out and have fun at the range. You'll be suprised how well it works.

Remember Roy in Tin Cup? He had the shanks, and Romes had him quit thinking and he got out of the funk.

Great show.

"Little gust there, Romes!"

R35

 

[DaveE]

I first read that first paragraph as "I had a wedge shot that went right in. That was all i needed to doom the rest of my round."
R35

That's funny cause that was the only highlight of the day. After one of my few decent shots I was about 2 yds off the green and chipped in for bird. I knew it was a good shot the instant I hit it, it just seemed so out of place during such a crappy round.

Thanks for the comments everyone. I'll end up trying all of them I'm sure when I get the range this weekend.

 

[Loop]

One good cure for the shank is to be more friendly with your canadian buddies.
After all, we can get you a good moose.

PS: I've seen an infomercial of a wedge with no hosel.....

 

[SilverUberXeno]

Loop, are you referring to the wedge where the face comes across where you'd expect the hosel to be, and the shaft connects to the back of the head? Seems virtually un-shankable, but it also seems like you'd need a pretty new swing to make it work.

 

[DaveE]

One good cure for the shank is to be more friendly with your canadian buddies.
After all, we can get you a good moose.

PS: I've seen an infomercial of a wedge with no hosel.....

I guess I could try this as long as it doesn't apply to Rockford, or Silver or...... oh hell, I'll just keep the shanks.

Besides, I'm nearly bald and don't really need moose.

 

[Silver]

Speaking of Silver. A good cure is to laugh at me for 3 or 4 minutes (most of you have seen it already, but whatever):

http://www.mlebeau.ca/movies/shanks.wmv

 

[Rockford35]

I might be able to get you a caribou....or an Elk. I can get an Elk forsure.

I know a guy....

R35

 

[DaveE]

Speaking of Silver. A good cure is to laugh at me for 3 or 4 minutes (most of you have seen it already, but whatever):

http://www.mlebeau.ca/movies/shanks.wmv

I've never been able to get that to work until today. Thanks, cause I do feel better now.

The music and credits are terrific stuff.

Hey Rock, a caribou would be cool, it could hang out with the deer.

 

[Rockford35]

I'll make some calls.

I'm not sure what a Caribou's gonna do to stop the shanks tho. I guess maybe worrying about what it's eating in your backyard would get your mind off them for at least a few rounds....

R35

 

[Silver]

Ha, speaking of shanks... I played a little 9 holer with my dad and brothers on Saturday, just to get out together because it was my dad's b-day and I'm the only one of that actually plays golf regularly.

Who shanks it off the first tee? Yep...me.