Shanks (with a Manzella answer for the ages)

[curtisj76]

How can you go from playing really good golf to the "skanks"? What should I be looking for to get rid of these evil creatures? Can't get rid of them!!! Was going to really get serious about the club championship and then this happened, it's like a dagger to the heart.

 

[Lindsey Newman]

How can you go from playing really good golf to the "skanks"? What should I be looking for to get rid of these evil creatures? Can't get rid of them!!! Was going to really get serious about the club championship and then this happened, it's like a dagger to the heart.

Horizontal hand path - make it more vertical

 

[Bonesy]

take a breath!

 

[Kevin Shields]

Maybe the best scene from one of the best movies.

 

[Weetbix]

Horizontal hand path - make it more vertical

That's exactly what did it for me. For short shots it also helped me to swing my hands along my toe line as they passed my body, because I had been swinging them out towards the ball.

 

[curtisj76]

Horizontal hand path - make it more vertical

Thanks, will give it a look. I'm wondering if me trying to get my path more left is the reason.

 

[JEREMY5577]

Right palm down

 

[Brian Manzella]

Anything that overly opens the clubface—even for a brief moment—or moves the hosel path overly outward near impact, can cause a shank.

Shank Cause Short list

• Sudden or inappropriate Reverse-Twistaway (negative gamma)

• Sudden or inappropriate Reverse-Left Arm Flying Wedge rotation (negative beta in the mod-downswing region)

• Going into back extension before enough pelvis slide or rotation has occurred (possible positive beta [near impact Beta] when it should be negative)

• Early Alpha without enough Gamma

• Re-raising the left arm near impact (positive near impact Beta)


The fix???


Some or all of the above in reverse.





for reference:

 

[curtisj76]

WOW, thanks Brian for your time. I'll do my part and study this and put it on the course. Thx again

 

[Kevin Shields]

Great answer....as usual

 

[GaryRead]

Gamma and Beta seem to use the same arm muscles that achieve pronation and supination, where Gamma is achieved with the wrist in a position of Ulnar Deviation and beta with the wrist in a position of radial deviation. I tried it with a ruler in my hand.

What would bowing and cupping the wrist come under A / B / G ?

 

[Todd Dugan]

When shanks are not caused by an open clubface, I often find that the player transfers weight partially TOWARD the plane line/toes in the downswing. Too much weight toward the left toe well after impact is evident. In this case, focus on beginning the downswing by moving the weight to the lead side PARALLEL to the swing plane line. Although the weight should ideally move across the "ball" of the lead foot, a player with this issue will do well to initially over-do the fix by focusing on moving the weight across the left INSEP in the initial lateral shift of the hip center which begins the downswing.

 

[rogerdodger]

Amazing response Brian, I will print this off and put it in my golf bag. I went to the range yesterday and worked on this exclusively with short pitches. I had been having weak full sand wedge shots, lots of weak pushes with an occasiona shank. Hit a couple hundred fifty yard shots focusing on rotating the sweet spot and a vertical path. Thanks for the great post.

 

[Mike Thomas (sunmart)]

Brian,Been on site for several years and always felt I had reasonable knowledge. But I did not understand your response post at all. I realize its my lack of knowledge, I'm just saying and I assume there are others. Maybe I am just too dumb.

 

[Jim Kobylinski]

Modified the below for sunsmart (and possibly others) who don't quite understand the alpha/beta/gamma.

Shank Cause Short list

• Sudden or inappropriate Reverse-Twistaway (jk: bending the left wrist instead of twisting it flat) (negative gamma)

• Sudden or inappropriate increase of left arm/forearm rotation (jk: laying further off, getting under the sweetspot) (negative beta in the mid-downswing region)

• Going into back extension (jk: standing up) before enough pelvis slide or rotation has occurred (possible positive beta [near impact Beta] when it should be negative)

• Early Alpha without enough Gamma (jk: releasing wristcock too soon without enough twistaway)

• Re-raising the left arm near impact (jk: standing the club up) (positive near impact Beta)


The fix???


Some or all of the above in reverse.[/SIZE]





for reference:

[/QUOTE]

 

[Kevin Shields]

Gamma and Beta seem to use the same arm muscles that achieve pronation and supination, where Gamma is achieved with the wrist in a position of Ulnar Deviation and beta with the wrist in a position of radial deviation. I tried it with a ruler in my hand.

What would bowing and cupping the wrist come under A / B / C?

Bowing and cupping would be in and out of plane so I'd say beta

 

[wulsy]

Bowing and cupping would be in and out of plane so I'd say beta

Better not let Tapio hear that.

 

[Kevin Shields]

Brian,Been on site for several years and always felt I had reasonable knowledge. But I did not understand your response post at all. I realize its my lack of knowledge, I'm just saying and I assume there are others. Maybe I am just too dumb.

Do you understand each force acting on the club?

 

[GaryRead]

[/B][/U]• Sudden or inappropriate Reverse-Twistaway (jk: bending the left wrist instead of twisting it flat) (negative gamma)

Jim I thought the twist away move was just that, a twist. So surely reverse twist away ( Negative gamma) would Be supination of the right hand and pronation of the left, ie a screw driver action. And not, as Kevin said cupping and bowing which would be off plane and beta

 

[birdie_man]

Any significant reason why are they called alpha, beta, gamma? That sounds like order of importance. (vs perhaps making alpha x, beta y, & so on)