 |
How to Fix Shanks and Pull Shots
Shanks and pull shots are closely related. If you hit lots of pull shots and shanks, the cause may be in your address.
I want you to set up to the ball. And then take the club and put it against your shoulders.
Where does it point to?
Is the shaft parallel with the target line?
Or is it point well left of the target?
If it's parallel with the target line, you are fine. But if the shaft is pointing well left of the target, you are open to the target. Your right shoulder is closer to the ball.
Shoulder alignment often influences the swing path. If they are open, the clubhead tends to come from outside and cut across the ball.
After hitting some pull shots to the left, players may start to guide the ball to the target by swinging more to the right or at the target.
However, if you align your shoulders open at address and try to swing from inside the target line, your body tends to move closer to the ball causing you to hit the ball more toward the heel of the club or shanks.
I told you to swing from inside to fix shanks in The Cause and Cure for the Shank. But you make things worse if you do so with open shoulder alignment.
Many golfers check feet alignment but don't check shoulder alignment. But shoulder alignment has a lot to do with your ball flight.
Why do You Open Your Shoulders at Address?
There are few reasons why players open their shoulders at address.
1) Grip
Weak grip will cause them to open their shoulders. Try to grip it really weak. Turn both hand well left for experiment. Now, see shoulder line. I think it's well open.
Now, do the opposite. Try to grip it really strong and see the shoulder line. It tends to close with stronger grip.
So if you have open shoulder alignment, your grip may be weak. For more information on grip, see grip.
2) Ball Position
Another reason for open shoulder alignment is incorrect ball position. Players hitting shanks tend to put the ball too far forward.
On the other hand, if you put the ball well back, your shoulder line tends to close.
Try to put the ball back. With 7-iron, put the ball one to two ball length left of center.