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Shanking every new iron I try.

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sfdoddsy

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I haven't played at all for a few years because of a new child and now have permission to start playing again.

I was always a bit of a club ho, so figured technology has advanced and it is time to upgrade.

No problems with the driver, fairway, hybrid and wedges.

Different story with irons, which were previously the strength of my game.

I still hit my old irons well, but I've started shanking every replacement I audition.

Apex, Rsi 2, XR Pro. So far.

I had one good session with the XR Pros, good enough to think they were an improvement, then the next was hosel after hosel.

Anyone else have similar issues with new clubs?

My current irons are Japanese Domestic 'player' versions of the Callaway Great Big Bertha from 2002. They are slightly larnger than those I've tried, but have thinner soles. They look a lot like the Srixon Z545.

http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/topic/87087-callaway-great-big-bertha-irons/
 
For me shanking is mental I do it once chances are I will do it again shortly because it is in my head. I know what I am doing to cause it but in the end it is 100% mental for me.

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I shank when I turn and my arms come late, or I use my arms without turning. Also, in irons I use a less rounded arc. I swing in a straighter path, "right to left" (for a right handed guy) rather than back and around. Maybe that will help. It's the same swing of other clubs, just a flatter arc.
 
Is it possible you're quite short? Modern irons are long and I had a fitting recently where it turns out with standard length clubs I hit most shots right out of the heel (I'm 5'7"). Shorter and flatter clubs might help if that's the case!
 
The annoying/mysterious thing is that I never (normally) shank.

It's kind of spooky at the moment.

Last week, I took an RSi2 7 iron out instead of my regular 7 iron and started shanking it and my old irons.I even shanked some chips.

So I put the Rsi 2 away after 9 like it was cursed. And then hit everything beautifully one it was out of my bag.

Undoubtedly it is mental. But it is like my current irons don't want me to abandon them after so long together.
 
JDM's are usually a little shorter than US clubs. Also, their shafts have a little more flex in them. A JDM "stiff" would be an SR or regular for US.
 
Just a thought.....one of the reasons for a shank can be slowing down head of club at impact. With your old irons, you are comfortable with them and just let them rip with no hesitation. With a new iron, there is sometimes some trepidation for multiple reasons and unbeknownst to you you may slow down club head at impact but your body has committed to the swing (physics).....result is that body is ahead of swing due to hesitation, result "shank". What I would recommend is next time you try a new iron, don't worry about the end result (where it lands) just try to stay down for the entire swing with full follow through I.e. Let it rip. Better still, get some range time before incorporating your pre shot routine after you begin to get confidence with swing impact. Just remember after being away from the game for awhile you are anxious and excited to get back in the fold but sometimes that translates into unfavourable results. One other suggestion for the range, start with half swings and do not move to full swing until you see and feel good impact and speed. Best of luck.
 
Make sure your arms are closer to your body and lead shoulder is not moving away from body on the downswing. Check your setup to make certain you are not too close to the ball. Check to see you are not too much in to out in your swing path
 
Desmond said:
Make sure your arms are closer to your body and lead shoulder is not moving away from body on the downswing. Check your setup to make certain you are not too close to the ball. Check to see you are not too much in to out in your swing path
Click to expand...

My usual swing is in to out. For some reason I am coming over the top and out to in (I placed a tee just behind and above he ball and kept hitting it).

The question isn't what causes shanks, it's why only with new clubs.

Oh, and I'm fine off the tee.

I'll try the suggestion above about just smashing them without thinking about it.

I'll be playing with a hangover tomorrow so that might help too.

:)
 
Funny, I end up doing the same thing. Once I was at the range and hitting the ball really good. I stop mid practice and went right to the PGATSS to try irons. I was in a good groove and had to do while I was.
 
sfdoddsy said:
My usual swing is in to out. For some reason I am coming over the top and out to in (I placed a tee just behind and above he ball and kept hitting it).

The question isn't what causes shanks, it's why only with new clubs.

Oh, and I'm fine off the tee.

I'll try the suggestion above about just smashing them without thinking about it.

I'll be playing with a hangover tomorrow so that might help too.

:)
Click to expand...

With new clubs, I sometimes have problems with rhythm, and a certain anxiousness or hurriedness leads to issues.
 
Slow and low going back. When the club gets to 3 o'clock get that toe pointing at the sky. I practice with an alignment rod off the toe pointing at my target to remedy my occasional hosel rocket tendencies.
 
were your current gamers fit to you? length, lie, sw, etc?


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I have suffered from the shanks a few different times. The first time I had came off of a really good range session and really strong 18 hole round. Went back to the range a few days and shank after shank after shank. It took me about a month to get over it. The second time I went to the range and shank shank shank. I just stopped and didn't get frustrated, went back a week later and all was well. I think it can be mental and physical. The first time I feel like it was a physical fault in my stance or turn etc. the second time I think I was just not in the zone so I stopped.


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sfdoddsy:

You state that you are hitting your old irons well, then use them. If it ain't broke what are you trying to fix. With the new child, I'm sure the money saved will be useful.
 
I get major on and off cases of this and it is definitely mental. Once I do, it is in my head and I can't get rid of it no matter what I do. After I get my mindset back, it disappears completely and it's like it never happened. Gotta love this game.
 
I sometimes get an attack of the ******. I agree with the above post that a lot of it can be mental. It'll often start in my wedges then spread like a cancer. I once shanked every golf ball in my bag, one after the other. I was playing at my club, no one behind, I shanked a 7 iron, grabbed another ball and shanked that. I decided I wasn't moving until I hit a decent shot and proceeded to shank every ball I hit. That's when I slammed my club into the side of my bag and snapped my driver in half. That was a very bad day LOL. I ended up taking a lesson, and what was causing my shanks were my crap release through the ball. There are a tonne of reasons why you could be shanking, so if it becomes a regular occurrence, a lesson might be in order.
 
I had the shanks last year, then once before when i changed away from offset irons.
When i left the offset i couldnt figure it out so i went and got on a monitor. Everything was good, but the club head was closed at impact. I rolled the clubhead slightly open at address and it fixed it.
Then after a while i was stroking it, then shanks. I ended up stepping away from the ball and lining the ball just on the outside of the toe. Corrected.
Now Ive moved a little back in, but still line up with ball toward the toe.

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Try to swing with the thought of putting your right hand in your right front pocket on the downswing. Reverse if left handed. This is a cure for the shanks.

I have no idea why you shank new clubs only.
 
bodog said:
Try to swing with the thought of putting your right hand in your right front pocket on the downswing. Reverse if left handed. This is a cure for the shanks.

I have no idea why you shank new clubs only.
Click to expand...

I would somehow end up with my hand in my pocket the way I swing.
 
if you haven't been in the game for a while and are having trouble hitting new irons but hitting your old ones well enough, why not get back into the "swing" of things with your old irons for a bit and then after a few rounds go back and try some new irons?
 
Well, took the new irons out on the course properly today after shanking them on the range, and hit them well.

Even the 4 iron (which is really a 3 iron) was no issue the three times I hit it.

No shanks at all.

Weird.
 
Great news.....issue solved. Have fun out there:act-up:
 
Jimrod said:
Is it possible you're quite short? Modern irons are long and I had a fitting recently where it turns out with standard length clubs I hit most shots right out of the heel (I'm 5'7"). Shorter and flatter clubs might help if that's the case!
Click to expand...

I'm 5'6" and when I was fitted I ended up 1/2" short and 3* flat.
 
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