1. IS IT MY SWING PATH?
"An extreme outside-in or inside-out swing path — along with an open clubface — is the most common cause," says Top 100 Teacher Rick Grayson. "You're just begging to hit the hosel."
HOW TO CHECK
"It's easy," Grayson says. "Take some practice swings on grass. If your divot points either left or right of the target, you have a path problem."
NO? YES!
FIX No. 1 Place two tees in the ground about six inches apart, so that they form a gate. Take short practice swings with an iron until your clubhead passes through the gate without hitting either tee.
2. AM I FANNING OPEN THE CLUB?
"Open the clubface too much going back and you can expose the hosel coming down," he warns.
HOW TO CHECK
Take the club back and stop at 9 o'clock. If the face points skyward, your hands are shankadelic.
NO? YES!
FIX No. 2 For a less handsy takeaway, place the butt of the grip of your 9-iron against your sternum and put your hands down on the steel. Then turn your arms and body away from the ball to start your backswing.
3. AM I NOT RELEASING IT?
"You need to uncock your wrists through impact to release the club and square the clubface," Grayson says. In other words, it's either square or squirt!
HOW TO CHECK
Put a watch on your right wrist and swing. If the watch is facing skyward when your arms reach hip height on the follow-through, you're not releasing.
NO? YES!
FIX No. 3 Easy! "To promote a full release, swing until your watch faces the ground at hip level."
4. AM I TOO CLOSE TO THE BALL?
"Standing too close at address can promote an upright backswing, which makes you turn your shoulders early coming down and swing outside-in," Grayson says.
HOW TO CHECK
Address the ball. Next, take a wedge, extend your arms and hold the club like a samurai. Then lower your upper body into the hitting position.
YES!
FIX No. 4 If the ball is aligned with the hosel and not the clubface, look out! But the fix is in: Just stand farther away, then repeat the same samurai maneuver and ... banzai!
5. WHY AM I CHIP-SHANKING?
Perhaps worse than a full-blown hosel job, shanked chips drive you bonkers because the swing's so simple. When you shank a short one, it's likely due to taking the club too far inside in the takeaway.
HOW TO CHECK
Place a ball an inch behind the club and make your motion. "If the ball squirts toward you, not straight back, you're too far inside."
FIX No. 5 Grayson says to repeat the drill until you can push the ball straight back, and the shanks will be a memory.
"An extreme outside-in or inside-out swing path — along with an open clubface — is the most common cause," says Top 100 Teacher Rick Grayson. "You're just begging to hit the hosel."
HOW TO CHECK
"It's easy," Grayson says. "Take some practice swings on grass. If your divot points either left or right of the target, you have a path problem."
NO? YES!
FIX No. 1 Place two tees in the ground about six inches apart, so that they form a gate. Take short practice swings with an iron until your clubhead passes through the gate without hitting either tee.
2. AM I FANNING OPEN THE CLUB?
"Open the clubface too much going back and you can expose the hosel coming down," he warns.
HOW TO CHECK
Take the club back and stop at 9 o'clock. If the face points skyward, your hands are shankadelic.
NO? YES!
FIX No. 2 For a less handsy takeaway, place the butt of the grip of your 9-iron against your sternum and put your hands down on the steel. Then turn your arms and body away from the ball to start your backswing.
3. AM I NOT RELEASING IT?
"You need to uncock your wrists through impact to release the club and square the clubface," Grayson says. In other words, it's either square or squirt!
HOW TO CHECK
Put a watch on your right wrist and swing. If the watch is facing skyward when your arms reach hip height on the follow-through, you're not releasing.
NO? YES!
FIX No. 3 Easy! "To promote a full release, swing until your watch faces the ground at hip level."
4. AM I TOO CLOSE TO THE BALL?
"Standing too close at address can promote an upright backswing, which makes you turn your shoulders early coming down and swing outside-in," Grayson says.
HOW TO CHECK
Address the ball. Next, take a wedge, extend your arms and hold the club like a samurai. Then lower your upper body into the hitting position.
YES!
FIX No. 4 If the ball is aligned with the hosel and not the clubface, look out! But the fix is in: Just stand farther away, then repeat the same samurai maneuver and ... banzai!
5. WHY AM I CHIP-SHANKING?
Perhaps worse than a full-blown hosel job, shanked chips drive you bonkers because the swing's so simple. When you shank a short one, it's likely due to taking the club too far inside in the takeaway.
HOW TO CHECK
Place a ball an inch behind the club and make your motion. "If the ball squirts toward you, not straight back, you're too far inside."
FIX No. 5 Grayson says to repeat the drill until you can push the ball straight back, and the shanks will be a memory.
