Shanking Survey
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Jared Willerson
Super Moderator
I had been playing golf for a month when I got my first case of the dreaded shanks.....didn't know how close I was to perfection........I was nervous over the ball for a month.
MSchreuder
New
I had a patch where I was playing really well, and the one day I walked onto a tight, forest lined course and basically would shank two off the tee into the woods and walk the hole. I still do sometimes, but at least now I have the knowledge as to why I am, and it is usually when I am working on something else so I am not focusing on the twistaway.
cobra460
New
I was trying to FORGET this one day last year but o well, lol. We were playing a 2man scramble with I believe 8 teams,most of the guys new how much I love to practice and play and that I was probably the best of the bunch(alot of them don't play but a few times a year). Anyway, I thought my partner and I were going to take it to the house
The 1st hole I hit a drive,with only 100yds in only to SHANK my 2nd OB. 2nd hole a par 3 over water with unplayable to the right,hit 6i and SHANKED it, it barely cleared the water to unplayable,and this point I'm terrified,my partner was having tough time himself. We get to 9 tee par4 I hit a drive down the pipe only 80 out, and SHANKED that sob OB into the parking lot.I ended up SHANKING the ball 8 times throughout the round and all but 1 were 100yds and in. I was sick, embarresed and totally confused. I've SHANKED other times this year but nothing like that one misserable day.
The 1st hole I hit a drive,with only 100yds in only to SHANK my 2nd OB. 2nd hole a par 3 over water with unplayable to the right,hit 6i and SHANKED it, it barely cleared the water to unplayable,and this point I'm terrified,my partner was having tough time himself. We get to 9 tee par4 I hit a drive down the pipe only 80 out, and SHANKED that sob OB into the parking lot.I ended up SHANKING the ball 8 times throughout the round and all but 1 were 100yds and in. I was sick, embarresed and totally confused. I've SHANKED other times this year but nothing like that one misserable day.chrisfx811
New
I'm sure I did it when I first played a few times (~3-4 years ago), but never gave it any thought.
It really reared it's ugly head last year, right around the time I started to play some decent golf. It first creeped up on the short, awkward pitch shots. You know, those 40-70 yard shots where you're deciding between a low, spinning sw, or a higher, fuller lw?
Well, since then, and because of all the mental scarring it has done to me, I find it hard to relax on those shots. Even when I go quite a while without doing it, I still get that anxious feeling when I'm over that type of shot.
It's easily cost me 3-4 clubs, and one tire tube on my Sun Mountain cart.
It really reared it's ugly head last year, right around the time I started to play some decent golf. It first creeped up on the short, awkward pitch shots. You know, those 40-70 yard shots where you're deciding between a low, spinning sw, or a higher, fuller lw?
Well, since then, and because of all the mental scarring it has done to me, I find it hard to relax on those shots. Even when I go quite a while without doing it, I still get that anxious feeling when I'm over that type of shot.
It's easily cost me 3-4 clubs, and one tire tube on my Sun Mountain cart.
jimmyt
New
My Tale
I was going through a time when I would be playing very well, good ball striking, great ball flight, hitting flag sticks, etc. Then after bombing a 300+ yard drive I would shank a 75 yard pitch. Thanks to Brian I do know how to correct however when you are trying to score you try not to think about mechanics, so needless to say I would throw away many strokes a round and only hit maybe 2 shanks.
So I have to admit I took the easy route and rather than worry about when they would hit me during a round I decided it to correct with technology and purchased the F2+ wedges. The only clubs I have evr shanked were LW & SW. So I broke down and purchased what at the time I thought was the ugliest club ever designed. But they WORK, because of the design even if you hit near the hosel or on the hosel with these clubs the hosel is not there, so NO shank. Now the club is the prettiest club in my bag.
Since my shank tale never involved anything other than LW & SW, these clubs were a life saver. I don't work for F2 but it seems to me that when your playing the last thing you need to to effect your mental game is a shank. Now thanks to these clubs have not shanked one ball since, have I hit some close to the hosel, but do to the design of the club the ball still goes straight.
I was going through a time when I would be playing very well, good ball striking, great ball flight, hitting flag sticks, etc. Then after bombing a 300+ yard drive I would shank a 75 yard pitch. Thanks to Brian I do know how to correct however when you are trying to score you try not to think about mechanics, so needless to say I would throw away many strokes a round and only hit maybe 2 shanks.
So I have to admit I took the easy route and rather than worry about when they would hit me during a round I decided it to correct with technology and purchased the F2+ wedges. The only clubs I have evr shanked were LW & SW. So I broke down and purchased what at the time I thought was the ugliest club ever designed. But they WORK, because of the design even if you hit near the hosel or on the hosel with these clubs the hosel is not there, so NO shank. Now the club is the prettiest club in my bag.
Since my shank tale never involved anything other than LW & SW, these clubs were a life saver. I don't work for F2 but it seems to me that when your playing the last thing you need to to effect your mental game is a shank. Now thanks to these clubs have not shanked one ball since, have I hit some close to the hosel, but do to the design of the club the ball still goes straight.
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Jim Kobylinski
Super Moderator
I think you need to modify the poll, none apply to me but i think there should be a choice for:
You shank occassionally but not to where it's a problem.
You shank occassionally but not to where it's a problem.
I kind of fall into that too, but if it happens during a round, my round is pretty much shot, I had a really good round going last year (for me), I was 3 over through 10, shanked my tee shot on 11, and basically never recovered, I was 16 over the final 7 holes because my swing thought was dont shank it instead of just trusting my swing, I didnt shank any other shots but I did not hit one good one either.
curtisj76
New
I'll third that. Seems like the poll is you hardly shank OR you shank all the time. No middle of the road.
birdie_man
New
Pffff..........last option for me for sure.
(I don't really shank these days though)
(I don't really shank these days though)
tongzilla
New
stop complaining before I kick your virtual ass.
All you people complaining about my poll. There's an option there for everyone as it covers all non-negative integers (s=0, s=1, 1<s<=5 and s>5). If you want to elaborate on your answer and add some personal opinion on it then you can do so by using the reply function (which I see you have already done).
All you people complaining about my poll. There's an option there for everyone as it covers all non-negative integers (s=0, s=1, 1<s<=5 and s>5). If you want to elaborate on your answer and add some personal opinion on it then you can do so by using the reply function (which I see you have already done).
I have gone through three bouts of the shanks in 12 years of playing. Luckily, two were at the driving range. The other, two weeks ago, was on the course. It happened 5 times that day.
There is a pattern - I start playing really well after practicing a lot with a new swing thought. I must think if a little is good, more is better, so I over do it.
Taking a few days off seems to cure it.
There is a pattern - I start playing really well after practicing a lot with a new swing thought. I must think if a little is good, more is better, so I over do it.
Taking a few days off seems to cure it.
Garth
New
I'll throw in something...
I occasionally hit one. Like mentioned before, I can fix it pretty quick, but it kind of kills my round. I end up sticking the toe down into the turf and basically hit fat-hooks the rest of the round because I'm so afraid of shankin' another one.
Anyways; Here's something very strange: When I do hit one it is ALWAYS on one of 3 holes on my home course. 5, 7, or 15. I'm sure it's just a mental thing at this point, but has anyone else ever had a weird phenomenon like that? It's not that i got on those holes and start thinking about it either. Last week I was playing pretty well, got to 15 and actually shanked my hybrid! I didn't even know that you could shank a wood, so It was the furthest thing from my mind. There was a huge wind in our face and I normally hit around 8 iron there.
_
I occasionally hit one. Like mentioned before, I can fix it pretty quick, but it kind of kills my round. I end up sticking the toe down into the turf and basically hit fat-hooks the rest of the round because I'm so afraid of shankin' another one.
Anyways; Here's something very strange: When I do hit one it is ALWAYS on one of 3 holes on my home course. 5, 7, or 15. I'm sure it's just a mental thing at this point, but has anyone else ever had a weird phenomenon like that? It's not that i got on those holes and start thinking about it either. Last week I was playing pretty well, got to 15 and actually shanked my hybrid! I didn't even know that you could shank a wood, so It was the furthest thing from my mind. There was a huge wind in our face and I normally hit around 8 iron there.
_
Little Brit
New
Last week the first time out this year I shanked my chip shots all around the green. Grrrr. Better now I usually get occasional attacks, but can fix it pretty quickly now on full and part shots. I never get a long run of them.
I usually get occasional attacks, but can fix it pretty quickly now on full and part shots. I never get a long run of them.Vicious Circle
New
I see another trend - shanking with the SW or LW on less than full shots. This is the only situation where a shank happens for me.
Is there something inherent in the design of these clubs or the nature of a less than full swing that tends to encourage a shank?
Is there something inherent in the design of these clubs or the nature of a less than full swing that tends to encourage a shank?
welshdentist
New
I think you've less time to either get it square or to get sweetspot feeling back...
It is quite possibly...
Swingweight. Think about the swingweight of your wedge relative to the rest of your iron set.
Swingweight. Think about the swingweight of your wedge relative to the rest of your iron set.
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Vicious Circle
New
Thought about it - its greater than, so what?
There's more to it than just swingweight IMO because all of us (assumed) play with wedges that have higher swing weight than the rest of the set.
It has to have something to do with the fact that the sweetspot is further from the hosel than the rest of the irons. If its true that the club rotates around the sweetspot, then it would require more effort to rotate the club so to speak when the hosel to sweetspot distance is greater. So on less than full power swings with a wedge, the hosel and sweetspot want to stay lined up moreso?
Obviously this distance is greatest with the driver - but we typically only swing the driver at near full effort.
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