 |
Hitting Shanks with a Half Swing?
When you have about 50 yards to the pin, you might have to take a half swing. There are players who hit shanks with a half swing.
If you are hitting shanks with a full swing, see The Cause and Cure for the Shank.
But if shanks only occur with a half swing, you might have some problems in your backswing.
The common fault with a half swing is to try to swing with your arms and forget to turn your body.
If you swing with your arms and don't turn your body, the clubface tends to open during the swing. It also forces you to come over the top on the downswing.
All these will cause you to hit it off the hosel of the club.
How to Cure it
There are few things you can do to avoid shanks with a half swing.
First, you might want to try gripping down on the club to control distance. By gripping down, you can make a full turn on the downswing.
Next, on the backswing, focus on turning your shoulders instead of lifting your arms to hit the ball.
Even if you take a half swing, you have to turn your body and shift your weight on your back foot.
To practice your body turn with a half swing, put a towel under your armpits and take a half swing.
If you take a full swing, the towel will drop on the ground. So don't take more than a half swing.
By trying not to drop your towel at the start of your backswing, you will learn to turn your body.