Shanks... Where does it come from???

Wonton · Apr 23, 2012

Ok. I just came back from the range. Got a full bucket of 100 balls.
I started out with a 9 iron. Nice and easy warm up swings. Hit 2 good ones. AND ALL OF SUDDEN, the SHANKS started to happen. I literally felt like Roy McAvoy. "Romes! Are you watching this? There's something going on!"
What the hell people? It came out of nowhere!!! Never in my golfing era, I never had this.
I moved on to hitting a 7 (I never miss with my 7), then to the 5, 3, Hybrid, 3 wood... I couldn't hit ONE F-ING ball in the air!
What the hell happened? What's going on? Can someone explain this virus to me? AAAAHHHHHHH!!!!! :angry:

:bomb:

Steel President · Apr 23, 2012

Oh, I've wanted to make this thread before..haha. I think we've all felt your pain before.

Hawk · Apr 23, 2012

My hands. That's where it comes from. It goes to, or towards, the guy that is really good at golf and hitting balls to the right of me.

Wonton · Apr 23, 2012

Steel President said:
Oh, I've wanted to make this thread before..haha. I think we've all felt your pain before.

Holy Jesus, it's so frustrating! Even when I started playing golf and didn't know what the hell I was doing, I never had the shanks. I'm drinking a glass of whiskey right now. F&*(&(*&(&$(#*)

threshold350 · Apr 23, 2012

Did you turn your hat around, put your change in your other pocket and put a tee on your glove???

Sorry couldn't resist since you made the McAvoy reference. This happens to me ever so often when I start out with my sand wedge. Its normally I'm leading too much with my hands and not turning my shoulders. Trying to use too much hands.

I do know the tee in the glove is suppose to be the standard drill for shanks. Prevents your left hand from breaking down.

Sent from my HTC Vision using Tapatalk

Kmac · Apr 23, 2012

This happened to me last Friday. Literally the exact same thing. I texted a buddy and said "wtc is going on here?" he said put the clubs away right now and get out as fast as you can. So I left. Played the next morning and after about 4 shots that I hit very nervously they were gone. Not one shank that round. I think when they happen you either hit a real good shot next and you're fine or you hit another one. And then another one. And then you start pressing. And it just gets worse and in your head. It's awful. Gotta walk away when that happens.

Slammin'SAM · Apr 23, 2012

Weight too much in the toes - check your balance.

Wonton · Apr 23, 2012

threshold350 said:
Did you turn your hat around, put your change in your other pocket and put a tee on your glove???

Sorry couldn't resist since you made the McAvoy reference. This happens to me ever so often when I start out with my sand wedge. Its normally I'm leading too much with my hands and not turning my shoulders. Trying to use too much hands.

I do know the tee in the glove is suppose to be the standard drill for shanks. Prevents your left hand from breaking down.

Sent from my HTC Vision using Tapatalk

The sad thing is, YES I did turn my hat around. I wanted to break every club in my bag. Snap them right in half. There were a couple of people around me and they tried not to laugh. But to tell you the truth, they should have and I would have to. Maybe that would've relaxed me a little.

Wonton · Apr 23, 2012

Kmac said:
This happened to me last Friday. Literally the exact same thing. I texted a buddy and said "wtc is going on here?" he said put the clubs away right now and get out as fast as you can. So I left. Played the next morning and after about 4 shots that I hit very nervously they were gone. Not one shank that round. I think when they happen you either hit a real good shot next and you're fine or you hit another one. And then another one. And then you start pressing. And it just gets worse and in your head. It's awful. Gotta walk away when that happens.

I walked away after 70 balls. My head is going to explode!!!

Steel President · Apr 23, 2012

Wonton said:
Holy Jesus, it's so frustrating! Even when I started playing golf and didn't know what the hell I was doing, I never had the shanks. I'm drinking a glass of whiskey right now. F&*(&(*&(&$(#*)

Haha, this made me laugh. Good work. I know that game.

Jjmorris · Apr 23, 2012

Been there.. Actually currently there right now.. So frustrating

Hawk · Apr 23, 2012

Kmac said:
This happened to me last Friday. Literally the exact same thing. I texted a buddy and said "wtc is going on here?" he said put the clubs away right now and get out as fast as you can. So I left. Played the next morning and after about 4 shots that I hit very nervously they were gone. Not one shank that round. I think when they happen you either hit a real good shot next and you're fine or you hit another one. And then another one. And then you start pressing. And it just gets worse and in your head. It's awful. Gotta walk away when that happens.

Crazy because I had the same thing happen Saturday. All was good and then they just appeared. I peaced out asap. No shanks during my round the next day. Lots of other ugly things, but at least none of them. I'd rather pull a ball 60 yards left than shank one and do the very short walk of shame to try again.

Wonton · Apr 23, 2012

The crazy thing is, I played 2 days ago and I played pretty darn good. Felt good after that round.

Hawk · Apr 23, 2012

The fact is - the range sucks and promotes crappy swings. Get on the course and hit some shankless balls wonton.

Canadan · Apr 23, 2012

I am not going to pretend like I have a solution to this, but I have been able to shake them off during a few range sessions. For me, I get really aggressive with my swings, place a headcover on the opposite side of the golf ball from me to avoid reaching, and absolutely 100% at all costs keep my head still and my body up on my swing.

The shanks scare the ever living heck out of me. Like a terrible disease.

Wonton · Apr 23, 2012

No stress in my life either. Job is going great, no women trouble (aka No Doctor Lady to mess with my mind), my LA Kings finished the Canucks. It's been groovy. People! I don't get it. I just don't.

Steel President · Apr 23, 2012

Hawk said:
The fact is - the range sucks and promotes crappy swings. Get on the course and hit some shankless balls wonton.

Yes. I agree with this. Down with the range. It does nothing but frustrate me.

I'm definitely not a 'practice' golfer. At all.

Thechosen1 · Apr 23, 2012

Whenever it happens to me on the course I just view it as me being lazy. A lazy setup and swing.

Wonton · Apr 23, 2012

Canadan said:
I am not going to pretend like I have a solution to this, but I have been able to shake them off during a few range sessions. For me, I get really aggressive with my swings, place a headcover on the opposite side of the golf ball from me to avoid reaching, and absolutely 100% at all costs keep my head still and my body up on my swing.

The shanks scare the ever living heck out of me. Like a terrible disease.

I'll try that tomorrow. It's beyond my words how frustrating it is. But I'm glad I have you guys here and understand what I'm going through.

PUZOFAN · Apr 23, 2012

threshold350 said:
Did you turn your hat around, put your change in your other pocket and put a tee on your glove???

Sorry couldn't resist since you made the McAvoy reference. This happens to me ever so often when I start out with my sand wedge. Its normally I'm leading too much with my hands and not turning my shoulders. Trying to use too much hands.

I do know the tee in the glove is suppose to be the standard drill for shanks. Prevents your left hand from breaking down.

Sent from my HTC Vision using Tapatalk

I didn't know that about the tee. I always put a tee in my glove because I hate stabbing myself reaching in my pocket for one.

Hawk · Apr 23, 2012

I agree that swinging harder makes them go away for me.

Wonton · Apr 23, 2012

Steel President said:
Yes. I agree with this. Down with the range. It does nothing but frustrate me.

I'm definitely not a 'practice' golfer. At all.

Maybe that's it. I rather play a round than hit the range. But for some reason, I felt I needed to go hit some balls today. OOOOOO BIG MISTAKE!!!

marcv68 · Apr 23, 2012

Someone a few posts back sais it.Your balance is out of whack.You r either up on ur toes or for some reason moving to close to the ball on ur downswing with your butt.Try some 9 to 3 swings with ur feet together then gradually spread apart until in your normal stance.Or just do what I do and run like hell

Wonton · Apr 23, 2012

marcv68 said:
Someone a few posts back sais it.Your balance is out of whack.You r either up on ur toes or for some reason moving to close to the ball on ur downswing with your butt.Try some 9 to 3 swings with ur feet together then gradually spread apart until in your normal stance.Or just do what I do and run like hell

I tried to narrow my stance, widen, balance out, checked my grip about 50 times, swing path... all these stuff and I felt like I wasn't doing anything out of ordinary than usual. I ran to my car. Hahaha. Then hit the whiskey bottle ASAP!!!