Golf Techniques: Curing the Shanks
Many golfers don't realize that a shank is very close to a solid golf shot. If you are shanking your shots, your impact point is the hozel of the club instead of the club face (only about a 1/2 inch difference).
A simple solution to this problem is to make your own 'Shanker's Delight'. The Shanker's Delight is a barrier placed off the toe of the club that physically prevents contact with the hozel.
This barrier can be a cardboard box, a pillow, or some other soft material that can stand vertically. Make sure your Shanker's Delight is wide enough and tall enough to ensure that your errant swings only contact the vertical face and not the corners or top.
- Set-up: Position the barrier so that it is about a 1/2 inch off the toe of the club at address.
- Drill: Start with small swings and increase your swing length as you gain confidence in making solid contact. Internalize the feel of these swings. Now remove the Shanker's Delight and hit balls freely, keeping the mental image of a barrier on the toe side.