Welcome to Play Smart, a regular GOLF.com game-improvement column that will help you play smarter, better golf.
The shanks are perhaps the worst swing ailment in all of golf. They seemingly crop up out of nowhere, and they fill golfers with feelings of dread. Worst of all, once the shanks appear, they can be difficult to shake.
Every golfer has gone through bouts with the shanks, and there’s no sugar-coating it — they suck. They can make your heart sink when faced with even the simplest pitch shot, and at times it feels like there’s no cure.
The shanks are as much mental as they are physical, but to conquer them, you must correct the swing flaw. If you try to think your way out of the problem, you’re sure to catch hosel time and time again.
How to cure the shanks
When you hit a shank, it’s because your clubhead is getting further away from your body at impact, causing the hosel to catch the ball. In order to fix the issue, you need to train yourself to swing without the club getting further from your body as it comes through the impact zone.
Lots of teachers will tell you to place a barrier on the far side of your ball and then make a swing to try to avoid it. This barrier you’re meant to avoid typically comes in the form of an extra ball or a cardboard box. But if you really want to teach yourself to avoid the barrier, it’s time to up the stakes.
Instead of a risk-free barrier, throw down your phone on the ground just outside your clubhead in the hitting zone. Is it risky? Yes. Will it teach you to avoid shanks? Also yes.
If you can avoid your phone during the swing, you’re guaranteed to rid yourself of the shanks.
(Ed. note: GOLF.com is not liable for any broken phones while trying this drill.)
