Lie Angle And Shanks?

SuspectZero

As the title suggests, I've got a dose of the dreaded shanks and like all struggling golfers, I want to blame the clubs so I'm just wondering if I'm onto something or in fact I'm the problem? A bit of backstory. I was a decent junior player and got down to 11 at my best at age 15 before I packed it in for a few years, I came back for a little bit in my early 20's but didn't last long as the shanks popped up from day one and it just became unbearable to play when I couldn't even break 105. Ive made a few attempts again over the years to start again since but always the same result, its not even the case of a few shanks a round, pretty much everytime I have an iron in my hand, it comes off the hosel. The face of the club closes really forcefully on impact, enough that it twists in my grip at times no matter how tight I grip it. I went out yesterday and hit a few balls and noticed if I leaned down on the toe of the club at address, I cut down on the number of shanks massively but my arms felt very high and rigid and I was sacrifing a lot of distance so I'm wondering if the length or lie angle of my irons could be the reason for my shanking?

Was using the same clubs from my junior days which are full length callaway x18 pros. It's also probably important to note that I'm 6'3 these days. Any input welcome and appreciated!

dan_ep82

Clubs won't make a noticeable difference. I too am a fellow sufferer, they can pop up at anytime, playing good or bad. If you needed an adjustment, a taller golfer would normally play toe up ( upright lie angle) aswell.

For on course fix you need to commit to hitting the toe of the club. Address out the toe and aim to hit the part of the club past the grooves. If you hit too far out the toe aim a little closer to the center.

For a proper fix, get a pro to look at it. I have two or three swing faults that can pop up and cause them. I get too close to the body with my hands, I come over the top and my timing can get funny but there are loads of reasons it can happen.

They are soul destroying but can be fixed once you understand why they happen.

For context, I once played a level 9 holes and then scratched the next 5 due to shanks.

I've also shot 88 after hitting five of them in two holes after committing to clipping the inside edge of the ball with the tip of the club.

Rikand

It's you.

You are more than likely getting yourself moving too far forward in your swing. Try to stand a little further back, only hit the ball with your weight on your heels and try to hit the ball out of the toe of the club. As you start to hit it normally, gradually start to feel like you are moving your club and weight more centrally.

If that doesnt work, go to a pro.

Even if you did need a custom fit, you should still be able to cure the shanks with normal full length clubs. Theres something fundamentally going wrong with the swing when you're shanking and new clubs ain't gonna fix a swing fault

prawnsambo

I would think that someone who's 6' 3" shouldn't be using standard length shafts. To my mind that would mean you'd have to be either standing very close to the ball or else playing quite stooped. Either option is sub-optimal. Below is a rough idea of shaft lengths based solely on height. The actual length is usually based on the distance from your wrists (the crease just above the wrist) to the floor (WTF) when standing upright with arms by your sides in normal street shoes. And yes, I'm aware that WTF is not commonly used as an acronym for Wrist To Floor.

Statistically, the average WTF measurement is 48.9% of the person’s height. If everyone was proportional to this percentage, then height-based charts would have the same effect. However, statistics are based on averages and not everyone will have proportionate arm lengths to their height, thus requiring not only different lengths than what their height may indicate, but also the lie of the club. Using the above average, your WTF measurement should be around 36½".

As an example, I'm 5' 7" and use standard length shafts. I really can't see how someone who's eight inches taller than me could use the same length shafts.



Edit: If you measure your WTF and it's either above or below the average for your height, then you can figure out what height that relates to using the percentage above and read the correct length from the corresponding height in the chart above. So say your WTF is 38", that equates roughly to a height of 6' 5" and you need shafts 1" longer than standard. Obviously you need to check lie angle as well.

G1032

Where is your weight balanced when you set up before your shot?
Because of the nature of the shot you'd be forgiven for thinking that if you keep your weight on your heels you won't shank it, but the opposite is true.
Your setup position needs to be such that you can feel your weight distributed over the balls of your feet. Get your weight distribution correct before you start your swing and you won't need to correct that during the swing.
If you start with weight on your heels then you have to correct that mid swing, you move your body towards the ball and at impact you've moved enough that'll make you shank it.
Whatever you do, do not start trying to swing with your weight on your heels. That's a recipe for absolute disaster.

OEP

I got lessons to fix coming over the top. For me, any time I accidentally revert to my old swing (over the top) I shank it. I think that is what usually causes shanks. Get a lesson, they'll spot the issue straight away

SuprSi

I'm 6'4" and use regular shafts, had them fitted in December and they're perfect. Whether I have long arms or what, there was no need for me to have longer shafts. I'm also prone to the very odd shank and for me it is as Rikand said - a forward sway of my hips that stops my hips from turning, causing early release (look it up online, there's loads of videos about it) which in turn causes me to swing from the inside and move towards the ball.

But you can really only shank the ball if you're moving closer to it during the swing.

prawnsambo

SuprSi wrote: »

I'm 6'4" and use regular shafts, had them fitted in December and they're perfect. Whether I have long arms or what, there was no need for me to have longer shafts. I'm also prone to the very odd shank and for me it is as Rikand said - a forward sway of my hips that stops my hips from turning, causing early release (look it up online, there's loads of videos about it) which in turn causes me to swing from the inside and move towards the ball.

But you can really only shank the ball if you're moving closer to it during the swing.

It would be interesting to see if your WTF (I really like that acronym ) matches up with the table I posted above when calculated out.

Jimbee

SuspectZero wrote: »

As the title suggests, I've got a dose of the dreaded shanks and like all struggling golfers, I want to blame the clubs so I'm just wondering if I'm onto something or in fact I'm the problem? A bit of backstory. I was a decent junior player and got down to 11 at my best at age 15 before I packed it in for a few years, I came back for a little bit in my early 20's but didn't last long as the shanks popped up from day one and it just became unbearable to play when I couldn't even break 105. Ive made a few attempts again over the years to start again since but always the same result, its not even the case of a few shanks a round, pretty much everytime I have an iron in my hand, it comes off the hosel. The face of the club closes really forcefully on impact, enough that it twists in my grip at times no matter how tight I grip it. I went out yesterday and hit a few balls and noticed if I leaned down on the toe of the club at address, I cut down on the number of shanks massively but my arms felt very high and rigid and I was sacrifing a lot of distance so I'm wondering if the length or lie angle of my irons could be the reason for my shanking?

Was using the same clubs from my junior days which are full length callaway x18 pros. It's also probably important to note that I'm 6'3 these days. Any input welcome and appreciated!

I had a coach once tell me if your shanking your watching your backswing. It makes perfect sense because if your watching how your taking the club back, your using your conscious mind as opposed to your subconscious mind where complex tasks are preformed.
Think about Tin cup movie, he was obsessing about what he was doing wrong he couldn't hit the ball freely. Only when he was made look ridiculous with hat backwards tee in the ear etc. It acted like a switch to engage the subconscious mind. The knowledge of the golf swing is already there, you just need to get out of your own way.
Try starting your swing from different positions ie. Start from after impact, waste high, top of backswing etc.

Mac_Lad71

I also had a dose of the shanks a few years ago and finally discovered the problem was a reverse pivot where the weight transferred to the back foot on the downswing and i leaned back in an attempt to get the ball in the air.

Try taking a step forward after impact a la Gary Player..it cured mine anyway.