Stop Shanking Wedges: 5 Proven Fixes That Help Weekend Golfers Hit Pure Shots and Finally Impress Their Buddies

Every weekend golfer knows that sickening feeling. You stripe your drive down the fairway, walk up to your ball feeling confident, pull out your wedge for what should be an easy approach shot—and then it happens. That unmistakable metallic "clank" as the ball rockets sideways off the hosel, disappearing into the trees or water. Your playing partners look away. You feel your face flush. And just like that, a potential par becomes a scramble for double bogey.

I've been there more times than I care to admit over my 25 years as a weekend golfer. The wedge shank doesn't just cost you strokes—it costs you confidence, respect from your buddies, and the right to brag about that otherwise solid round. But here's what I've discovered after fighting through my own brutal shanking episodes: wedge shanks aren't random bad luck. They come from specific, fixable problems in your setup and swing. Better yet, you can fix them without expensive lessons or practice sessions that eat up your entire Saturday.

Fellow weekend golfers who want to improve their own game understand something important: shanking wedges has nothing to do with talent and everything to do with a few simple mechanical errors. Fix these errors, and you'll start hitting crisp wedge shots that stick close to the pin, earn respect from your foursome, and give you legitimate bragging rights at the 19th hole.

Why Do Weekend Golfers Shank Wedges More Than Any Other Club?

Here's something that might surprise you: wedges are actually easier to shank than any other club in your bag. According to Kellie Stenzel, a GOLF Magazine Top 100 Teacher, the main reason golfers hit shanks with their wedges more than with other clubs is the steep, outside-in path and open clubface position required for proper wedge play. This combination places the hosel dangerously close to the ball at impact.

But there's more to the story. Research from golf instruction expert Maria Palozola reveals that approximately 80% of weekend golfer wedge shanks come from just four root causes: standing too close at address, losing balance toward the toes during the swing, taking the club too far inside on the backswing, or swinging excessively outside-in. Smart weekend golfers focus on identifying which of these four culprits is sabotaging their wedge game.

The psychological component matters too. Once you shank one wedge, tension creeps into your next wedge shot. That tension causes you to make compensations—standing closer, gripping tighter, swinging faster—that actually increase your chances of shanking again. GOLF Top 100 Teacher Jeff Warne puts it perfectly: "Shanks cause shanks." The fear of shanking becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy that can destroy an entire round.

What makes wedge shanks particularly frustrating for weekend golfers is the inconsistency. You might flush five wedge shots in a row, then shank the sixth for no apparent reason. This randomness isn't actually random at all—it's your swing breaking down under pressure, fatigue, or when you try to control your tempo without proper fundamentals in place.

The good news? Every single one of these causes has a straightforward fix that weekend golfers can implement during their next practice session or even mid-round. You don't need to rebuild your entire swing or spend hundreds on instruction. You just need to understand what's going wrong and apply the right correction.

From what I've noticed during my Saturday morning rounds, the wedge shank tends to show up right when you need your short game most—tight lie near the green, pressure situation, playing partner watching. It's almost like the golf gods are testing whether you truly deserve the right to brag about your score.

The 5 Most Common Setup and Swing Mistakes That Cause Wedge Shanks

1. Standing Too Close to the Ball (The Crowding Problem)

This might be the most common wedge shank cause I see among weekend golfers. When you crowd the ball at address—standing so close that you barely have room to swing—you're setting yourself up for hosel contact. According to golf instruction data, golfers who stand too close to the ball shank their wedges nearly 3 times more often than those who maintain proper spacing.

The problem compounds during the swing. Even if you set up at a reasonable distance, any forward movement or loss of balance during your downswing pushes you closer to the ball. Your arms disconnect from your body, reaching outward to find the ball, and suddenly the hosel becomes the first point of contact.

Here's the fix that actually works: At address with your wedge, make sure you can fit at least one fist (or even a fist and a thumb) between the butt end of your grip and your body. This creates enough space for your arms to swing freely through impact without crowding. Your arms should hang naturally from your shoulders with a slight reach toward the ball—not stretched out, but not cramped either.

A great checkpoint is to have your hands positioned directly under your chin at address. This naturally creates proper spacing and prevents crowding. Practice this setup position on the range until it becomes automatic, and you'll eliminate a huge percentage of your wedge shanks immediately.

2. Weight Shifting to Your Toes During the Swing

I'm not totally sure why this happens so often with wedges specifically, but playing once a week, I've noticed my weight drifts forward onto my toes way more with short wedge shots than with full swings. Mike actually asked me about it after watching me shank three pitching wedges in one round.

This forward weight shift is deadly. When your weight moves toward your toes during the downswing, your entire body moves closer to the ball. Your arms and hands naturally follow, pushing the hosel directly into the ball's path. According to biomechanical analysis from golf instruction experts, even a 2-inch forward shift can turn a pure strike into a shank.

The solution requires attention to your weight distribution from start to finish. At address, center your weight on your feet—not on your toes, not on your heels, but balanced in your arches. According to golf balance research, weekend golfers should feel about 55-60% of their weight on their lead foot at address with wedges.

During your swing, focus on maintaining that centered pressure. Your weight should shift slightly side-to-side (from trail to lead), but it should never shift forward toward your toes or backward toward your heels. Some instructors recommend practicing with your weight slightly back toward your heels during wedge shots—this overcorrection helps you feel what centered weight actually feels like and prevents that deadly forward drift.

3. Taking the Club Too Far Inside on the Backswing

Here's where things get technical, but stick with me because this fix is game-changing. When you take your wedge back on a path that's too far inside—meaning the clubhead moves behind you and away from the target line too quickly—you create major problems for your downswing.

Research from the HackMotion golf analytics platform shows that golfers who roll the club excessively inside in the first 12-18 inches of their takeaway shank wedges nearly 4 times more often than those who maintain a neutral takeaway path. The inside takeaway forces you to either come over the top (swinging outside-in) or stay stuck inside and push the hosel into the ball.

According to Britt Olizarowicz, a scratch golfer and golf instruction writer, this inside takeaway often pairs with excessive wrist hinge and extension. Your lead wrist breaks down early, the club gets off plane, and your body never properly engages in the swing. The result is inconsistent contact and frequent shanks.

The fix involves creating a more upright or vertical swing path for your wedge shots. Think of the club moving more up-and-down rather than around your body. A great drill: imagine swinging with a wall directly behind you. If you take the club too far inside on your backswing, you'd hit the wall. This mental image naturally promotes a more neutral, on-plane takeaway.

You can also place a headcover or alignment stick on the inside of your ball at address. Make practice swings without hitting the obstacle—this trains your hands and club to stay on the proper path throughout your swing.

4. Poor Posture and Lack of Body Rotation

Between work and kids, most weekend golfers don't have time for extensive practice. So when we grab our wedges for those crucial short-game shots, we tend to rely entirely on our arms and hands instead of engaging our body properly. This arm-dominated swing is a shank waiting to happen.

Kellie Stenzel explains that poor posture—specifically being too upright with your hands too close to your body—leaves no room for the clubhead to rotate square through impact. When you crowd yourself with upright posture and then try to swing with just your arms, the club naturally moves outward, exposing the hosel to the ball.

The body rotation issue compounds the problem. When your shoulders don't rotate properly and you rely on your arms alone, the club moves off its intended path. According to golf instruction data, this lack of body incorporation doesn't just cause shanks—it creates overall inconsistency where you'll hit shots left, right, fat, thin, and yes, off the hosel.

The fix requires proper golf posture from the start. Bend forward from your hips, letting your arms hang naturally from your shoulders. Your hands should be below your shoulders, creating consistent spacing between your hands and thighs. This athletic posture gives you room to rotate through the ball.

During the swing, focus on staying connected. Your shoulders should rotate and allow your arms, hands, and body to move together as one unit. Keep some weight on your lead foot and stay centered—don't let your hips or rear end pull in toward the ball during the downswing, as this closes down space and forces the arms and hosel outward. These fundamental swing principles apply to all clubs but are especially important for wedge play.

5. Swinging Too Hard on Short Shots (The Tension Problem)

Here's something most weekend golfers don't realize: you're way more likely to shank a 50-yard pitch shot than a full-swing pitching wedge. Why? Because on those shorter shots, we tense up trying to control distance, and that tension destroys our swing mechanics.

When you tense up—gripping too tight, swinging too fast, trying to guide the ball—your wrists get overly active. According to data from HackMotion's wrist analytics, excessive wrist hinge and extension in the lead wrist on short wedge shots creates erratic clubhead movement that frequently results in hosel contact.

The tension also disrupts your natural swing rhythm. Instead of making a smooth, abbreviated swing, you make a jerky, quick motion that throws off your entire sequence. Your lower body doesn't engage, your arms disconnect, and the club moves on an unpredictable path.

Smart weekend golfers understand that shorter shots require less effort, not more control. The fix is to maintain soft grip pressure and make a smooth, even-paced swing. Think "lazy" on your short wedge shots—almost like you're swinging in slow motion. This relaxed approach keeps your wrists stable, your body connected, and your club on path.

A great practice technique: hit 20-30 balls with extremely light grip pressure, focusing solely on tempo and rhythm rather than distance or accuracy. You'll be shocked how much better you strike wedges when you're not trying to muscle or guide them.

It might just be my swing, but after sitting at a desk all week, my body doesn't want to rotate properly on those first few wedge shots of Saturday morning. Jim said "Where'd that come from?" after I shanked a simple pitch on the second hole, and I realized I was all arms with zero body turn.

5 Bulletproof Fixes That Stop Wedge Shanks Forever

Fix #1: The Proper Distance and Posture Checkpoint

Before every wedge shot—whether you're on the range or the course—run through this simple setup checkpoint that eliminates crowding and posture issues in one move.

Start by addressing the ball normally with your wedge. Now check: Can you fit one fist (or a fist and a thumb) between the butt of your club and your body? If not, you're standing too close. Step back slightly until you have that proper spacing.

Next, check your posture. You should be bent forward from your hips, not standing upright. Think about pushing your rear end back like you're getting ready to sit in a chair. This creates room between your arms and body—room that's essential for clean wedge contact.

Your arms should hang naturally from your shoulders, with your hands positioned directly under your chin. This automatically creates proper spacing and prevents both crowding and that upright "no-room-to-rotate" posture that leads to shanks.

The magic of this setup position is that it's nearly impossible to shank from here if you maintain it through impact. Proper posture and spacing give the clubface room to rotate square through the ball without the hosel getting in the way.

Fix #2: The Centered Weight Distribution Drill

This drill transformed my wedge game because it addresses that sneaky forward weight shift that causes so many shanks. Here's how it works:

At address, center your weight in the arches of your feet. Not on your toes, not on your heels—right in the middle. Put about 55-60% of your weight on your lead foot. This slight forward bias helps prevent falling backward, but you're still centered, not on your toes.

Here's the crucial part: during your entire wedge swing, focus on keeping your weight in your arches. It can shift side-to-side from trail foot to lead foot, but it should never drift forward toward your toes or backward toward your heels. This fundamental weight shift pattern applies to all golf swing mechanics, but it's especially critical for wedge play where small errors get magnified.

Some weekend golfers find it helpful to actually practice wedge shots with weight slightly favoring their heels at address. This overcorrection helps you feel what truly centered weight distribution feels like. After a bucket of balls with this heel-weighted setup, normal centered weight will feel easy to maintain.

A great on-course checkpoint: if you notice yourself shanking wedges during a round, simply set up with your weight a bit more toward your heels for the next shot. This simple adjustment can stop a shanking streak immediately and save your score.

Fix #3: The Headcover Path Drill (My Go-To Fix)

This is hands-down the most effective drill I've found for fixing the inside takeaway and outside-in swing path issues that cause wedge shanks. You'll need a headcover, towel, or even just another golf ball.

Place the obstacle just outside and slightly behind the ball you're about to hit—maybe 6-8 inches away. Now make practice swings, focusing on two things: don't hit the obstacle on your backswing (this prevents taking the club too far inside), and don't hit the obstacle on your downswing (this prevents swinging outside-in across the ball).

The beauty of this drill is that it forces you to swing on a neutral path. You can't roll the club inside because you'll hit the obstacle. You can't come over the top because you'll hit the obstacle. The only option left is to swing on the proper path where the clubface—not the hosel—meets the ball.

Start with slow, deliberate practice swings. Once you can make 10 swings in a row without touching the obstacle, hit some actual balls. You'll be amazed how pure your contact becomes when you're forced to swing on path.

For weekend golfers who tend to swing too much from the inside (pushing or drawing the ball), flip this drill around—place the obstacle on the inside of the ball instead. Same concept, just trains a different path correction.

Fix #4: The Vertical Swing Thought for Wedges

This mental adjustment completely changed how I think about wedge swings. Instead of swinging "around" your body like you do with longer clubs, think about swinging more "up and down" with your wedges.

According to instruction from MyGolfSpy, creating a more upright or vertical swing path on shorter wedge shots dramatically reduces shank frequency. Picture the club moving more up-and-down rather than around. This doesn't mean picking the club straight up—it means avoiding that flat, around-your-body motion that leads to shanks.

A great swing thought: imagine there's a wall directly behind you. If you take the club back too flat or inside, you'd hit the wall. This mental image naturally promotes a more neutral, slightly upright backswing that keeps the club on plane.

This vertical motion might feel extreme at first, especially if you're used to a flatter swing. Practice it on the range with short wedge shots until it becomes comfortable, then take it to the course. You'll find that this upright path not only eliminates shanks but also creates more consistent distance control.

Fix #5: The Soft Hands, Smooth Tempo Approach

This fix addresses the tension problem that causes so many wedge shanks on short shots. It's simple: grip softer and swing smoother than you think you should.

On a scale of 1-10 where 10 is gripping as tight as possible, most weekend golfers grip their wedges at 7-8 when they're trying to control distance. That tension runs up your forearms, locks your wrists, and destroys your swing sequence. Instead, grip at a 4-5—soft enough that you're conscious of not letting the club slip, but relaxed enough that your hands and wrists can move freely.

Pair that soft grip with a lazy, smooth tempo. Think "slow motion" on your short wedge shots. You're not trying to muscle the ball—you're letting the loft and bounce of the wedge do the work while you simply deliver the clubhead on path.

A great practice routine: hit 30 wedge shots on the range focusing only on grip pressure and tempo. Ignore where the balls go. Just feel soft hands and smooth rhythm. After those 30 balls, your wedge shanks will drop dramatically because your body has learned to swing without tension and compensations.

Not sure if this makes sense, but what seems to work is thinking of wedge swings as completely different from full iron swings. With my regular irons, I can get away with an inside takeaway or being on my toes. But with wedges? Every little flaw gets magnified, which is why these specific fixes matter so much.

Advanced Tips: What Tour Pros Know About Preventing Wedge Shanks

While the five fixes above will eliminate most wedge shanks for weekend golfers, there are some advanced concepts that can take your wedge game to the next level and make shanking practically impossible.

The Lead Elbow Fold Secret

According to Kellie Stenzel, one of the most overlooked aspects of clean wedge contact is allowing your lead elbow to relax, fold, and point down on the forward swing. This natural folding helps produce a more square clubface and prevents the hosel from being exposed to the ball.

Many weekend golfers keep their lead arm too straight and tense through impact, which locks the clubface open and shoves the hosel toward the ball. The solution is remarkably simple: let that lead elbow soften and fold naturally as you swing through. This relaxation allows the clubface to square and even slightly close through impact, leading to pure contact.

A great drill is the split-hand drill where you grip the club with your hands 4-6 inches apart. This separation makes it impossible to keep your arms tense and straight. Make practice swings with this split-hand grip, feeling how your lead elbow wants to fold naturally. After 20-30 reps, return to your normal grip and you'll maintain that relaxed, folding sensation.

Understanding Clubface Control Through Impact

Here's something most amateur golfers don't realize: whether you open or close your clubface excessively at impact, the result is the same—inconsistent contact and frequent shanks.

An excessively open clubface often leads to an over-the-top swing as you try to compensate for the slice. While this compensation usually causes toe hits, the hosel can still swipe across the back of the ball and create a shank. According to instruction data, the fix starts with correcting your grip to promote a more neutral clubface at impact.

An excessively closed clubface creates the opposite problem. Weekend golfers compensate by swinging excessively in-to-out, which shoves the hosel into the ball as the clubface tries to hold off the closing motion. Again, the fix starts with grip adjustments to achieve a more neutral clubface position.

The key insight: fix your clubface position first through proper grip mechanics, then adjust your swing path to match. Trying to fix path issues without addressing clubface issues just creates new compensations and more shanks.

The Hybrid and Fairway Wood Alternative

Here's a strategy that saved countless scores for me: when you're between clubs and could hit either a wedge or a hybrid/fairway wood, choose the hybrid or fairway wood.

The beauty of hybrids and fairway woods is simple—they don't have a hosel that can cause a shank. According to equipment research, even when you hit these clubs off the heel, the result is far less destructive than a wedge shank. You might lose a few yards or miss slightly right, but you won't send the ball rocketing sideways into trouble.

This isn't admitting defeat—it's playing smart golf. If you're struggling with wedge shanks during a particular round, use your hybrids and woods for approach shots whenever possible. Save the wedges for full swings where you're more confident, and avoid those tricky half-wedge distances that seem to trigger shanks. Understanding when to use different clubs is essential for smart course management.

The Mental Game: Breaking the Shank Cycle

Never underestimate the psychological component of wedge shanks. Once you shank one wedge shot, fear and tension creep into your next wedge situation. This tension causes you to make all the mistakes we've discussed—standing closer, gripping tighter, swinging harder—which practically guarantees another shank.

Breaking this mental cycle requires conscious effort. After a shanked wedge, take a deep breath and remind yourself: "That was a mechanical error, not a talent issue." Run through your setup checklist before the next wedge shot. Focus on your process—proper distance, centered weight, neutral path, soft hands—rather than the outcome.

Many weekend golfers find it helpful to have a "reset" thought or image that overrides shank anxiety. Mine is simple: I picture flushing a wedge shot from my best round ever. That positive image replaces the fear and lets me execute my normal swing. Find your own positive wedge image and use it religiously when tension starts building.

Could be luck, but after trying the split-hand drill for just one range session, my lead arm started folding naturally through impact. The guys started asking questions when I stuck three straight wedge shots inside 10 feet during our next round.

How to Practice These Fixes and Build Wedge Confidence

Knowing the fixes is one thing. Building them into your muscle memory so they work under pressure is another. Here's a practice plan that weekend golfers can actually stick to without requiring hours at the range.

The 20-Minute Wedge Session

You don't need long practice sessions to fix wedge shanks. In fact, focused 20-minute sessions work better than mindless hour-long range beatings. Here's the structure that works:

Minutes 1-5: Setup and Posture Checkpoints Hit zero balls. Just practice your setup position. Address the ball, check your distance (fist between grip and body), check your posture (bent forward, rear end back), check your weight (centered in arches, 55-60% lead foot). Step away and repeat 10 times. Boring? Maybe. Effective? Absolutely.

Minutes 6-10: Headcover Path Drill Place a headcover outside the ball. Make 10 practice swings without hitting it. Then hit 10 actual balls, still focusing on missing the obstacle. Don't worry about where balls go—just build the proper path into your muscle memory.

Minutes 11-15: Soft Hands, Smooth Tempo Remove the headcover. Hit 15-20 balls with the sole focus on soft grip pressure (4-5 out of 10) and lazy, smooth tempo. Think "slow motion swing." Again, ignore results and just feel the rhythm.

Minutes 16-20: On-Course Simulation Now put it all together. Visualize actual shots from your home course. Hit wedges to different targets, running through your full pre-shot routine each time. This connects your new mechanics to real golf situations.

This 20-minute session, repeated 2-3 times per week, will eliminate wedge shanks faster than hours of unfocused practice. The key is quality over quantity—deliberate practice on specific fixes rather than mindlessly hitting balls. For weekend golfers with limited time, these focused practice drills deliver maximum results with minimum time investment.

The On-Course Emergency Shank Fix

What do you do when wedge shanks show up during an actual round? You can't run through a 20-minute practice session in the middle of play. Here's my emergency fix that's saved countless scores:

Immediate adjustment: Set up with your weight slightly more toward your heels than normal. This single adjustment counteracts that deadly forward weight shift that causes most on-course shanks. It feels weird at first, but it works.

Pre-shot focus: Before your next wedge shot, make one slow practice swing focusing solely on smooth tempo. Don't think about mechanics—just feel rhythm. Then step up and replicate that smooth tempo with the actual shot.

Mental reset: After a shanked wedge, walk it off. Take 10 steps before addressing your next shot. This brief walk breaks the tension cycle and lets you refocus. When you address your next wedge, think about one positive thought only: "Soft hands, smooth swing."

These three steps—weight adjustment, tempo focus, mental reset—can stop a shanking streak mid-round and prevent a few bad swings from destroying your entire score. Smart weekend golfers keep these emergency fixes in their back pocket for pressure situations.

Building Long-Term Wedge Mastery

Beyond fixing your shanks, you want to build genuine wedge confidence that lasts. This requires developing what I call "wedge trust"—the deep-down belief that when you pull a wedge, good things happen.

Build wedge trust through consistent short-game practice that goes beyond mechanics. Hit wedges to different distances, different lies, different situations. Build a library of feels and reference points so that a 60-yard shot or a 40-yard shot becomes automatic. Consider incorporating fundamental drills that build muscle memory for clean contact.

Track your progress with simple metrics. How many wedges from 100 yards can you hit within 20 feet? How about from 75 yards? Set concrete goals and measure improvement. Nothing builds confidence like seeing your numbers improve week after week.

Most importantly, celebrate your good wedge shots on the course. When you stick one close, acknowledge it. Tell your playing partners. Let yourself feel that satisfaction. These positive reinforcements rewire your brain to associate wedges with success rather than fear, which naturally reduces tension and shanking.

My guess is that most weekend golfers never practice wedges at all—we just hit them on the course and hope for the best. Saturday morning golf, I realized I'd been making the same setup mistakes for years without even knowing it. Once I started these 20-minute sessions, my wedge shanks dropped by probably 90%.

Master Your Wedge Game and Finally Earn Those Bragging Rights

Here's what I want you to understand: wedge shanks aren't a talent problem, a coordination problem, or a "some guys can do it and some guys can't" problem. They're a simple mechanical problem with straightforward mechanical solutions.

Every single fix we've covered—proper setup distance and posture, centered weight distribution, neutral swing path, vertical swing thought, and soft hands with smooth tempo—works for weekend golfers who want to improve their own game without expensive lessons or endless practice time.

The difference between shanking wedges and flushing wedges often comes down to one or two small adjustments. Maybe you're standing 3 inches too close. Maybe your weight is shifting 2 inches forward. Maybe your takeaway is rolling 6 inches too far inside. These tiny errors create massive problems, but they're also easy to fix once you identify them.

Smart weekend golfers understand that mastering your wedge game does more than just eliminate embarrassing shanks. It gives you the confidence to attack pins, the ability to save par from tough spots, and the satisfaction of sticking wedge shots close while your buddies watch in respect. That's how you earn the right to brag about your round.

Start with the setup checkpoint—distance, posture, and weight distribution. Master those fundamentals first because they prevent about 70% of wedge shanks all by themselves. Then add the path drill with a headcover to train neutral swing mechanics. Finally, incorporate the soft hands and smooth tempo feel that brings everything together.

Give yourself three range sessions—just 20 minutes each—to build these new patterns into muscle memory. Then take them to the course with confidence. You'll be amazed how quickly wedge shanks disappear when you're addressing the actual root causes instead of making random compensations.

Your playing partners will notice the difference. Your scores will improve. And most importantly, you'll have the wedge confidence that separates golfers who hope for pars from golfers who expect them. That confidence transforms your entire short game and makes golf infinitely more enjoyable.

So grab your wedges, head to the range, and start implementing these fixes today. In just a few short practice sessions, you'll go from dreading wedge shots to looking forward to them. And isn't that exactly what every weekend golfer who wants to impress their buddies and improve their own game deserves?

Frequently Asked Questions About Wedge Shanks

Why do I only shank my wedges but not my other irons?

Wedges require a steeper, more upright swing path with an often-open clubface, which naturally places the hosel closer to the ball at impact. According to GOLF Top 100 Teacher Kellie Stenzel, this combination makes wedges significantly more prone to shanking than longer irons. Additionally, weekend golfers tend to make different setup and swing errors with wedges—standing too close, using too much wrist action on short shots, and swinging with tension to control distance. These wedge-specific errors don't show up as much with full-swing irons.

Can changing my wedge equipment eliminate shanks?

While equipment isn't usually the primary cause of shanks, certain wedge designs can help. Some manufacturers offer "shank-proof" wedges with onset hosels (positioned behind the leading edge) that make hosel contact nearly impossible. However, fixing your setup and swing mechanics is far more important than changing equipment. Smart weekend golfers choose wedges that fit their swing but focus primarily on fundamentals rather than expecting equipment to solve technique problems.

How long does it take to fix wedge shanks permanently?

Most weekend golfers see dramatic improvement within 2-3 focused practice sessions of 20 minutes each. The setup fixes (proper distance, posture, and weight distribution) can eliminate 60-70% of shanks immediately—literally from your next shot. The swing path and tempo improvements take a bit longer to solidify, usually 3-4 weeks of consistent practice. However, building permanent wedge confidence that holds up under pressure requires ongoing practice over 2-3 months. The key is quality practice on specific fixes rather than unfocused range time.

What's the difference between shanking and hitting it off the heel?

A true shank occurs when the ball strikes the hosel (the rounded part where the shaft connects to the clubhead), sending it sharply sideways at roughly a 45-degree angle with little distance. A heel shot strikes the clubface but toward the heel side, resulting in a weak shot that typically goes right (for right-handed players) but still flies somewhat forward. Both stem from similar causes—standing too close, weight forward, inside takeaway—but shanks are more severe. The fixes we've covered address both issues simultaneously.

Should I grip down on the club to prevent wedge shanks?

Gripping down (choking up) on your wedges can help prevent shanks by effectively shortening the club and pulling you farther from the ball. This creates more space and makes it harder to crowd yourself at address. However, gripping down is treating a symptom rather than fixing the root cause. It's far better to address proper setup distance, weight distribution, and swing path so you can use your wedges at their full length and get consistent distance control. Use gripping down as an emergency on-course fix, not a permanent solution.

Are wedge shanks mental or physical?

Wedge shanks are primarily physical—caused by specific mechanical errors in setup and swing. However, the mental component becomes significant once you've shanked a few wedges. According to GOLF Top 100 Teacher Jeff Warne, "shanks cause shanks" because the fear and tension from one shank leads to compensations that trigger more shanks. The solution requires both physical fixes (proper setup, path, and tempo) and mental strategies (reset routines, positive imagery, process focus over outcome focus). Fix the mechanics first, then use mental game techniques to maintain confidence under pressure.

More Resources for Weekend Golfers Who Want to Improve Their Short Game

Master Your Complete Short Game

• Chipping Fundamentals for Weekend Golfers
• Best Golf Chipping Tips That Actually Work
• Complete Short Game Practice Guide

Fix Your Swing Fundamentals

• Golf Setup Fundamentals Every Weekend Golfer Needs
• Correct Golf Swing Mechanics Simplified
• 13 Swing Plane Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Stuck in a Rut? Weekend Golfers to the Rescue!

Ever feel like the perfect swing is a cruel joke? Weekend Golfers feel your pain. We built our games from scratch, no natural talent, no endless lessons. We used quick fixes, dirty little secrets, and sheer grit to conquer the course.

But even Weekend Golfers have questions. That nagging slice? We've fought it. That impossible shot? We've (mostly) mastered it.

Here's where you come in.

What's the ONE question holding you back? Share your struggle in our 2-minute survey. We'll use YOUR questions to craft solutions for real golfers, not just the TV pros.

Break free from your golfing frustrations! Take the survey now!

This Form cannot be submitted until the missing fields (labelled below in red) have been filled in
What’s Your # 1 Question About Golf?
Please note that all fields followed by an asterisk must be filled in.
First Name*
E-Mail Address*
1. What’s your single most important question about golf?
2. Why would it make a difference in your life to get a good answer for this problem or find a solution for your need? (Details, please.)
3. How difficult has it been for you to find a good answer for the above to date?
Not at all difficult Somewhat difficult Very difficult
GDPR*	I am at least 16 years of age. I have read and accept the privacy policy. I understand that you will use my information only to create new content that is useful to myself and my fellow golfers in order to make the site more helpful.
Please complete the challenge that you see below.

About :: Privacy Policy :: Contact

GOLFEASER.COM - Copyright © - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED