Such a thing as toe shanks?

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DDL

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My new swing works wonderfully for irons.Up the wall, down the wall, swing left. Much more consistent. However, for the past few days, nothing but shanks for the driver. Ball bounces off the wooden divider separating the mats. If the ball misses the divider, it will skid on the ground to the right, about 20-30 yds, and the mats are about 1 ft above ground level.

Past three days were the first lengthy attempts at hitting drivers left off the deck. I previously only attempted perhaps 3-4 repetitions because of embarassment and self-consciousness. Last three days, I attempted around 50 repetitions, and yielded perhaps 2 fades which started left and curved right.

My impact hand location for my iron swings are noticably lower and closer to my body than my old swing. Probably a result of being on plane and better rotation; navel ahead of hands at impact. With my best shots, I feel my chi center is pulling/rotating the sweetspot through the ball.Can't tell with my driver if my hands are lower or the same.

I know shanks result from the hosel instead of the swetspot striking the ball, caused by dragging the hosel instead of the sweetspot, or the ball is too close to the body.

I normally setup the outer edge of the driver in line with the middle of the ball for high tees. WHen using the TGM procedure of going to impact fix, then dropping the clubhead while maintaining hand height, this is the setup I achieve. This puts the wrists into an uncocked position I believe. AM I suppposed to lower the hands after dropping the clubhead to achieve level wrists?

Anyway, I assume I have to setup with a gap between the outer edge of the driver and the innermost portion of the ball.

I remember Biran had a drill for irons shanks, where one sets up normally, and then purposely misses the ball, inside the ball, and makes a divot to the left of the ball on the new target line.

Is it possible I am striking the ball with the outer edge of the toe instead of the hosel? If so,I don't want to make the problem worse with a modified setup where the toe of the driver is inside the target/plane line.

If not, I will try Brian's drill, and modify the driver toe/ball relationship at address, or even might try a twistaway.
 

Brian Manzella

Administrator
When you swing 'left' and rotate, your left shoulder gets further from the ball as you approach impact.

So does the club.

(compared to a steering-type swing)

That's what impact fix is for.
 

DDL

New
Sounds like I wll have to setup closer to the ball, not further from, to accomodate my new impact fix position, where my left shoulder has rotated more up and in than normal. Although, my subsequent adjusted address position may feel somewhat cramped.

Thanks. I will give this a try.
 

DDL

New
After posing in my new impact fix position, I let the clubhead fall so the edge of the driver toe was up against the innermost portion of the teed up ball. Didn't notice if the ball was nearer or closer to me. I kept my hands in impact hands position with the club soled, and I was able to hit a driver for the first time in 2 days, although half the shots went to the right. I tried adjust address, but I felt too much strain on my left wrist because my hands were too close to my body. Also, I did manage one successful fade off the deck, out of 15 attempts. This is one tough drill. I also found an Abe Lincoln on the ground as I left. Today was a good day.
 
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