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The Shank
Many golfers consider "the shank" the
worst shot in golf. In a shank (if you are
right handed) the ball squirts almost
straight right from the moment you hit it.
The first time it happens, it comes as a
complete shock. You were probably winning
and/or about to shoot your best round ever,
when it happened.
You were probably playing "a safe" or
"no brainer" shot when it happened. It was
"the worst" --- "most unexpected" thing that
ever happened to you in golf. The scene gets
worse because --- you probably shanked your
next shot as well.
So what is a shank?
Well, technically it is NOT a "golf shot."
A golf shot is something a player tries to hit.
As far as I know, nobody has ever tried to
intentionally hit a shank on the course while
competing.
The shank is the portion or part of an iron
where the clubface and hosel meet. When a golfer
hits the ball in that area of the clubhead it
produces an unwanted ball reaction that is
called and widely accepted as a "shank." Oddly,
due to it's recessed position, the shank rarely
makes contact with the ball.
The reason a shank happens is because the
golfer is trying to play a safe shot. They are
trying to "push" the golf ball rather than hit
it. In other sports or games when we play a
safety we "push" rather than hit. In baseball
for example, a "bunt" is a safety of sorts
and we "push" or hold the bat rather than
"swing it."
In golf when we "push," we "push" only the
grip portion of the club forward and the clubhead
lags behind. When that happens the face twists
open allowing the hosel area of the iron clubhead
to enter the impact area first. So in a shank, the
hands are in front of the ball (as much as 6 to 8
inches) when the clubhead contacts the ball.
Now for the second important part, "What do I
have to do to get rid of them?"
I'm sorry but as far as I know, NO ONE has ever
gotten rid of "the shank." We may control it and do
our best to prevent it but that's the best we can
expect.
So, how do you prevent or avoid them. Well you
need to do "the opposite."
To correct it, you "must" reverse the club's
overall position at impact. In this case the club-
head "must" now come into the ball (impact area)
before the grip portion of the club. In a properly
hit golf shot the "grip" portion of the club and
the "clubhead" should be in a relatively straight
line at impact. Indeed that is our goal, but at
this time we need to overcome and reverse our
present bad habit.
So to do the opposite, you must get "the club-
head" into the impact area ahead of the hands.
Picture a pane of glass so big as to cover an area
from the back of the ball up to your hands. In a
shank, your hands or the grip portion of the club
make the initial contact with the glass breakng
the top of the glass first. Now to correct it, you
want the clubhead to break the bottom of the glass
first.
To do it properly: first --- relax your grip
(this is necessary because the wrists must be able
to act like hinges and allow the clubhead to pass
in front of them) second --- mentally picture the
clubhead hitting the bottom of the glass before
the hands, third --- just let it happen.
Once a golfer knows what they need to do, then
the best way to do it is to simply let the body do
it for them. I tell my students, "What the mind
can conceive, the body can achieve --- "if" you let
it."
The next thing I had my students do was to shank
the ball on purpose. That's right, In order to correct
anything you must completely understand why it happens.
What better way to understand a shank than by intent-
ionally hitting it.
So for your drill, I want you to intentionally hit
three shanks in a row. When you do, you will know every-
thing you need in order to avoid or prevent it in the
future.
Sincerely, a friend to any golfer. Pat Dolan Golf Pro
Please feel free to visit my site at Golfers improving
EASILY !!!
By Pat Dolan Golf Pro
Pat Dolan has been the teaching professional at
such prestigious golf courses as "The Colonial
Country Club" in Fort Worth, Texas, "The Country
Club" in Salt Lake City, Utah and "The Palm Springs
Country Club" in the world famous golfing resort of
Palm Springs, California. He was the Head Pro-
fessional at the "The Russell Municipal Golf Course"
in Russell, Kansas and "The Jal Country Club" in Jal,
New Mexico and "The Riveria Golf Course" in Palm
Springs, California. He graduated from the second
P.G.A. school in January 1958. It was held at the
P.G.A. National Headquarters in Dunedin, Florida. He
served as chairman of the education committee for
the New Mexico Chapter of the Southwest Section of
the P. G. A. for 2 years, 1965 and 1966.
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