The golf shanks are brutal. Using 4 tees can help you cure them

By: Nick Dimengo

September 25, 2024

Golf Teacher Cathy Kim demonstrates a drill with four tees on golf course.

Curing the golf shanks can be tough, but here's how four tees can help!

YouTube/LPGA

There isn’t a golfer out there who hasn’t experienced a case of the shanks — and it sure is nervy anytime they occur.

While having the shanks is frustrating, what’s scariest about them isn’t just the shot results, but the uncertainty about when they might finally disappear. Since the shanks are caused by all sorts of wonkiness in the swing, fixing them can be a long and winding road.

Alas, there are ways to cure your golf shanks, though, but it requires patience and trust in the process.

Six-time major champ Phil Mickelson provides the one common flaw that all poor ball-strikers have in common; with tips to fix it — Phil Mickelson: The 1 flaw all poor ball-strikers have in common
By: Nick Dimengo

For me, my experience with the shanks came last summer when I just couldn’t hit a drive to save my life. My golf grip was messed up, my swing path was awful, my attack angle was all over the place — and I needed some time away from golf to regroup and recover.

But if you’re looking for an easy way to gradually cure your golf shanks, take a look at the video below (courtesy of LPGA’s YouTube channel), where top teacher Cathy Kim shows how four tees can improve your ball-striking ability in no time.

How 4 tees can fix your golf shanks

For those who can’t quite shake the shanks, Kim says a 4-tee drill is the way to fix the problem — and talks through how it works.

“Take four golf tees and set them down [into the ground], sort of making a wall of tees,” Kim says. “Then take a club, I’ve got a 7-iron, and I’m going to set it down on the front side of the tees [seen in the image below].”

Kim shows how to setup for the anti-shank drill. Instagram/LPGA

Now that you’ve grounded your club, Kim says place the ball down in the middle of your clubface and confidently address your ball, avoiding any anxiety about mishitting or still shanking it.

“If you’re feeling anxiety about this drill, don’t worry, you won’t hurt anybody,” she quips. “The objective of this drill is to make sure we don’t strike the ball with the heel of the club — hence, the tees being on the other side.”

Rukket Sports Pathfinder Impact Mat™

$69.99

Are you looking for a golf training mat to help your golf game? The Rukket Pathfinder Impact Mat™ was designed with input from professional golfers and golf teachers to help players of all abilities improve their game. The strike mat tracks club face alignment and helps ensure clean contact with the ball while the foam pylons can be used to keep your swing on plane. Use all four pylons to practice hitting straighter shots or remove pylons to practice hitting draw or fade shots. It’s the most versatile golf swing practice mat available and works with every club in your bag! Features 2-in-1 golf swing training mat combining the features of an impact mat / strike mat and a swing path trainer to help golfers quickly identify and correct common swing problems like hooks and slices. It’s a golf swing impact / strike mat to help identify and correct club face alignment. Use the “velvet” turf to ensure you’re making clean contact with the ball. It’s also a golf swing training aid to help with swing plane alignment. Use it to fix a slice or a hook, and to practice hitting draw and fade shots. What’s in the Box (1) Rukket Pathfinder Impact Mat™ (4) Foam Pylons (1) Instruction Booklet Product Specs 25in x 13in x 0.8in RUKKET FAIR PLAY GUARANTEE & LIFETIME WARRANTY: At Rukket Sports we know you came to win. We also understand that in order to win you need to train hard, so that’s why we’re proud to offer the Rukket Fair Play Guarantee & Lifetime Warranty for no-risk purchasing plus outstanding USA-based customer service!

View Product

Kim then demonstrates the anti-shank drill, showing how the wall of tees provides a visual for you to maintain a solid club path.

By avoiding any contact with the tees in the ground, you’re able to make contact away from the heel and near the center of the face — which will cure your golf shanks and lead to better ball-striking. So try this quick, easy, and effective drill to produce better results instantly.

Discover more great golf content on the official LPGA YouTube channel.