How to Stop Shanking the Golf Ball: 7 Proven Fixes That Finally Let Weekend Golfers Impress Their Buddies

You know that sick, sinking feeling when the ball rockets 45 degrees right off the hosel? The one that makes your stomach drop and your buddies go silent? That moment when you realize you've just hit the shot every weekend golfer fears most?

I've been there. Saturday morning, standing over a wedge shot, feeling confident. Then—CLANK. The ball careens sideways into the trees like it's got a vendetta against me. My playing partner Dave doesn't say a word. He doesn't have to. We both know what just happened.

Here's the thing fellow weekend golfers need to understand: shanks aren't a mysterious curse or a sign that your swing is fundamentally broken. They're a mechanical problem with mechanical solutions. And you don't need expensive lessons or Tour-level talent to fix them. You just need to understand what's actually happening and know the seven proven fixes that work for golfers like us who improve our own game.

What Causes Shanks in Golf? (Understanding the Hosel Rocket)

According to Bradley Turner (Director of Online Golf Instruction at Keiser University College of Golf, MBA, PGA), "A shank occurs when the club's hosel makes contact with the ball instead of the face of the club."

The hosel is that rounded neck where your shaft connects to the clubhead. When the ball strikes this curved surface instead of your flat clubface, it ricochets off at severe angles—typically 70 to 90 degrees right for right-handed golfers.

But here's what most weekend golfers don't realize: there are actually two completely different types of shanks, and they require opposite fixes.

The Two Types of Shanks Every Weekend Golfer Needs to Know

Ed Ibarguen (GOLF Top 100 Teacher) explains that understanding which type of shank you're hitting is the first step to eliminating them.

Type 1: The Inside-Out Shank (Better Player Shank)

This happens when your swing path is too shallow and severely inside-to-out. Your hosel moves directly toward the ball because your downswing plane is too flat. According to Arccos statistics, major contact errors like shanks, chunks, and tops happen about 3% of the time for amateur golfers—and the inside-out shank is common among better players who swing too far from the inside.

I'm not totally sure why better players get this type more often, but from what I've noticed during my Saturday morning rounds, golfers who really focus on swinging from inside tend to get the club too shallow. Dave asked me what I changed after I fixed mine—turns out it was all about steepening my downswing just slightly.

Type 2: The Outside-In Shank (Over-the-Top Shank)

This is the opposite problem. Your swing is too steep and cuts across the ball from outside-to-in. Your hands flip and toss the clubhead through impact, exposing the hosel as the heel moves across your target line.

Brian Mogg (Waldorf Astoria G.C., Orlando) notes that "shanks usually happen when you move closer to the ball during your downswing."

🎯 Quick Shank Diagnosis

  • ⚠️ Inside-out shank = swing path too shallow, hosel leads into ball
  • ⚠️ Outside-in shank = swing too steep, cutting across with open face
  • ✅ Both types are mechanical issues that weekend golfers can fix
  • 💪 Smart weekend golfers diagnose first, then apply the correct fix

The Real Reasons Weekend Golfers Shank (It's Not Bad Luck)

Here's where understanding your game becomes critical to improving your own swing. Shanks don't just "happen"—they're caused by specific, fixable problems.

Standing Too Close to the Ball

This is the number-one culprit. When you set up too close, you eliminate room for your arms to swing freely. During the downswing, your body instinctively moves toward the ball to make contact, pushing the hosel ahead of the clubface.

The quickest fix? Stand farther away. Sounds almost too simple, but it works immediately for most weekend golfers.

Weight Shift Onto Your Toes

When your weight rolls forward onto your toes during the downswing, you move closer to the ball in 3D space. According to Michael Breed (Top 50 Coach), this forward movement changes your contact point from the center of the clubface to the hosel.

Sean Foley (former Tiger Woods coach, PGA Tour instructor) explains that shanks often occur during high-pressure situations because golfers tighten up and make subtle changes to their setup or swing. The tension causes them to lose their natural rhythm and balance—exactly the conditions that create weight shifts onto the toes.

That transformation from tension to fluid motion is what separates weekend golfers who occasionally shank from those who've conquered it for good. When you maintain balanced weight distribution, you create the foundation for consistent ball-striking that finally lets you impress your buddies.

It might just be my experience, but keeping my weight centered over the middle of my feet during Saturday rounds has been the single biggest fix. Between work and limited practice time, I can't groove complex swing changes—but weight balance? That I can control every single shot.

Swing Path Issues (Too Inside-Out or Too Outside-In)

Your swing path determines which type of shank you're fighting. An exaggerated inside-out path exposes the hosel as the club approaches from too far inside. Conversely, an over-the-top outside-in path causes the heel to move across the target line first.

Andrew Jones (Golf Monthly Top 50 Coach) identifies early extension as a common cause: "This refers to when your hips move towards the ball in the downswing. Just as with the 'sliding' issue, it has the effect of cramping you through impact and forcing the hosel to lead into the ball."

Fix #1: Stand Farther Away from the Ball (The Fastest Solution)

This is your emergency, mid-round fix. When shanks strike during a round, don't panic—just stand farther away from the ball at address.

Here's how to implement it immediately:

  1. Take your normal stance
  2. Move your feet 2-3 inches farther from the ball
  3. Check that your arms hang naturally without reaching
  4. Make sure you're not leaning forward onto your toes

Brian Mogg suggests this as the easiest fix because it instantly creates more room for your swing. You're giving yourself space to return the club to the ball without the hosel leading.

But remember, fellow weekend golfers—this is a Band-Aid, not a cure. For long-lasting results, you need to address the root cause.

Fix #2: Master Weight Balance (Keep It Over Your Arches)

The most sustainable shank fix is maintaining proper weight distribution throughout your swing. Your weight should stay balanced over the middle of your feet—not rolling forward onto your toes or back onto your heels.

The Ball-Under-Feet Drill

Brian Mogg's favorite drill for eliminating the forward move:

  1. Place a golf ball under the arch of each foot at the range
  2. Hit practice shots while keeping the balls in place
  3. Focus on maintaining that centered balance
  4. If the balls fall, you're shifting your weight incorrectly

This drill forces you to keep your weight over the middle of your feet, which stops you from moving toward the ball. When you're playing for real, simply focus on returning your hands at impact to the same place they were at address—an old-school swing thought that's still a bona fide shank-buster.

I've found that this athletic position naturally prevents the forward lunge that creates shanks. It's one of those fundamentals that weekend warriors sometimes forget when we're trying to hit hero shots to impress the guys.

Fix #3: Steepen Your Downswing (For Inside-Out Shanks)

If you're hitting the better player shank—where your path is too shallow and inside-out—you need to steepen your downswing.

Ed Ibarguen's fix from GOLF.com:

  1. At address, tilt your spine more toward the ground
  2. This promotes a steeper shoulder turn
  3. Allow your arms to lift higher in the backswing
  4. This steepens your downswing naturally
  5. Moves your path more to the left (less in-to-out)
  6. Keeps the hosel farther away from the ball

The key is making these changes feel natural. Weekend golfers who improve their own game understand that overcorrecting creates new problems. You want just enough steepness to prevent the hosel from leading.

Could be luck, but after I adjusted my spine tilt slightly during setup, those inside-out shanks disappeared. My playing partner actually asked what I'd changed when I started flushing my irons again.

🏆 Your Journey From Shanks to Pure Contact

  • 😤 Round 1: Hitting dreaded hosel rockets that kill your confidence
  • 💡 Round 2: Discovering which type of shank you're fighting
  • 🎯 Round 3: Applying the specific fix and feeling crisp contact return
  • 🏌️ Round 4: Earning the right to brag about eliminating the shanks

Fix #4: Shallow Your Downswing (For Outside-In Shanks)

If you're hitting the over-the-top shank—where your swing is too steep and outside-in—you need the opposite fix. You need to shallow the club.

Michael Breed's two-part solution:

Part 1: Fix the Face

  1. Square the clubface at address
  2. Place both hands in a strong grip position
  3. Turn your hands dramatically away from the target
  4. Don't just grip and twist—that only rotates the face open
  5. The combination of square face + strong grip closes the face through impact

Part 2: Fix the Path

  1. Make a full shoulder turn in your backswing
  2. As you start down, keep your back to the target a beat longer
  3. This drops the club to the inside of the target line
  4. From there, swing out to the ball
  5. The hosel won't be exposed from an out-to-in path

For maximum shank-proofing, try to hit the inside-back portion of the ball with the toe of the club. This keeps your path coming from the inside and prevents the hosel from moving closer to the ball.

Fix #5: The Headcover Drill (Instant Path Correction)

This drill from Me And My Golf works wonders for golfers fighting the inside-out shank:

  1. Place a headcover about 2 inches outside your ball
  2. Set it on the toe side of the ball
  3. Take your normal swing
  4. Try to miss the headcover while making solid contact
  5. If you hit the headcover, your path is too in-to-out
  6. Success means you're swinging straighter through impact

The beauty of this drill is immediate feedback. You know instantly whether you're correcting the path. It's perfect for weekend golfers who want to fix their own game without a coach watching every move.

From what I've noticed at the range, golfers who use alignment aids like this make faster progress than those who just beat balls hoping the shanks disappear. The guys who understand what they're fixing are the ones who actually fix it.

Fix #6: The Whiff Drill (Groove Shank-Proof Motion)

This counterintuitive drill from Brian Mogg at Golf.com teaches your body the opposite motion of shanking:

  1. At address, set the hosel directly behind a teed ball
  2. Now swing, intentionally whiffing to the inside of the ball
  3. To do this, you must tuck your elbows close to your body
  4. This promotes the proper inside-out path
  5. Keeping arms and hands inside the ball on the downswing ends hosel rockets
  6. Repeat the whiff several times to groove the motion
  7. Then hit normal shots from your regular address position

It takes a whiff to fix the shanks. Sounds crazy, but it works because it trains the exact opposite movement pattern.

I've used this drill when the shanks showed up mid-round. After a couple of practice whiffs, the next real swing felt completely different—like my hands finally had room to get through without the hosel leading.

🎥 Visual Demonstration

Rick Shiels breaks down the downswing and impact mechanics that prevent shanks. Watch how proper sequencing keeps the clubface, not the hosel, arriving at the ball first.

📺 Watch on YouTube →

Fix #7: Mental Recovery (Stop the Shank Spiral)

Shanks are as much mental as physical. Once you hit one, fear and tension create more shanks. Breaking this cycle is critical for weekend golfers who want to perform under pressure.

Immediate Mental Reset Strategies:

1. Take Deep Breaths Before your next shot, take three deep breaths. Exhale tension. Weekend golfers who master the mental game understand that physical fixes don't work when you're tight.

2. Visualize Success Don't replay the shank in your mind. Instead, picture your last pure iron shot. See the ball flying straight at the target. Feel that crisp contact. This rewires your brain to expect success, not failure.

3. Focus on Process, Not Outcome Rather than thinking "don't shank," focus on one simple swing thought: "Keep weight centered" or "Swing the shaft inside the ball."

4. Accept That Tour Pros Shank Too Even PGA Tour players hit occasional shanks—Ian Poulter famously shanked on the 18th hole at TPC Sawgrass during the Players Championship. If professionals can shank under pressure and recover, so can weekend warriors like us.

5. Use Your Practice Swing Take a slow, smooth practice swing focusing on the correct motion. Feel your weight staying balanced. Feel the club path working correctly. Then replicate that exact feeling on your real swing.

The golfers who conquer shanks permanently are the ones who combine mechanical fixes with mental toughness. You can know every technical solution, but if you step up to the ball terrified of shanking, your body will create exactly what you fear.

Not sure if this makes sense, but the moment I stopped being afraid of shanking was the moment I stopped shanking. Playing with my regular foursome on Saturdays, I finally relaxed and trusted the fixes I'd practiced.

What to Do When Shanks Strike Mid-Round (Emergency Fixes)

You're in the middle of a round. You just shanked. Here's your battle plan:

Immediate Actions:

  1. Stand 2-3 inches farther from the ball on your next shot
  2. Take two slow practice swings focusing on balance
  3. Check that your weight is over your arches, not your toes
  4. Make one simple swing thought: "Keep weight centered"
  5. Trust the process and commit to the shot

For the Rest of the Round:

  • Avoid full wedge shots if possible (they're shank magnets when you're tight)
  • Take less club and make a smooth swing tempo
  • Focus on course management, not swing mechanics
  • Play conservative shots that rebuild confidence
  • Remember: you're just one good iron shot away from forgetting the shank ever happened

According to Andrew Jones, changing posture while swinging can change the club's path, causing the hosel to hit the ball. So once you've set up properly, maintain that posture throughout the swing—don't let tension make you stand up or lean forward.

Practice Drills That Prevent Shanks Forever

Smart weekend golfers who improve their own game don't just fix shanks—they build swing patterns that prevent them from returning. Here are the drills to make that happen:

The Alignment Stick Drill

  1. Place an alignment stick parallel to your target line
  2. Position it just outside where the ball would be
  3. Practice swinging without hitting the stick
  4. This trains the correct path automatically
  5. Your brain subconsciously learns to avoid the barrier

The Towel Drill for Weight Balance

  1. Place a towel under your lead foot
  2. Practice half swings
  3. Feel your weight stay balanced, not rolling forward
  4. Graduate to full swings
  5. Remove the towel and maintain that feeling

The Toe-Contact Drill

  1. Try to hit balls off the toe of your club intentionally
  2. This forces you to swing with the clubhead ahead of the hosel
  3. Once you can hit toe shots consistently, return to center
  4. You'll have trained yourself away from hosel contact

These practice routines build muscle memory that lasts. They're not complicated, and they don't require expensive equipment or lessons. Just a commitment to fixing your own swing.

I keep a headcover in my bag specifically for the headcover drill at the range. Playing once a week, I can't afford to let bad habits creep back in. Five minutes of focused practice beats an hour of mindless ball-beating every time.

Key Takeaways: Your Shank-Free Future Starts Now

Fellow weekend golfers, here's what you need to remember about eliminating shanks for good:

Shanks are mechanical problems, not mysterious curses. There are two types—inside-out and outside-in—each requiring different fixes. The fastest emergency solution is standing farther from the ball, but the real fix is maintaining balanced weight over the middle of your feet throughout your swing.

For inside-out shanks, steepen your downswing. For outside-in shanks, shallow your path and strengthen your grip. Practice the headcover drill to groove correct path, and use the whiff drill to train the opposite motion of shanking.

Most importantly, master the mental game. Fear creates tension, tension creates more shanks. When you understand the mechanics and trust your fixes, you break the cycle. That's when weekend golfers like us finally earn the right to brag about conquering golf's most feared mishit.

You're not trying to become a Tour pro. You're just a weekend golfer who wants to hit solid iron shots, impress your buddies, and enjoy Saturday mornings without the fear of hosel rockets. These seven fixes give you exactly that.

Now get out there and prove to yourself—and your foursome—that you can improve your own game and eliminate shanks without expensive lessons. Because that's what smart weekend golfers do. We take control, we learn the fundamentals, and we make it happen.

Frequently Asked Questions About Shanks

Why do I suddenly start shanking the golf ball?

Sudden shanks typically occur when you make subtle setup changes—standing too close to the ball, shifting weight onto your toes, or tensing up under pressure. Sean Foley explains that high-pressure situations cause golfers to tighten up and lose their natural rhythm. The good news? Once you identify the cause, the fix is immediate.

Can shanks be fixed without golf lessons?

Absolutely. Weekend golfers who understand the two types of shanks—inside-out and outside-in—can diagnose and fix their own problems. Standing farther from the ball, maintaining weight balance, and practicing the drills outlined above eliminate shanks for most golfers without professional instruction. Smart players who improve their own game succeed by understanding mechanics, not by spending hundreds on lessons.

What's the fastest way to stop shanking mid-round?

Stand 2-3 inches farther from the ball, check that your weight is over your arches (not your toes), and make one simple swing thought: "keep weight centered." Take two smooth practice swings focusing on balance, then commit to the shot. This emergency fix works immediately for most weekend golfers.

Do PGA Tour pros ever shank the golf ball?

Yes. Ian Poulter shanked on the 18th hole at TPC Sawgrass during the Players Championship. Even top professionals occasionally hit shanks, especially under pressure. The difference is that pros understand the mechanics and fix it quickly. Weekend golfers can do the same once they know the causes and solutions.

Is shanking caused by an open or closed clubface?

Contrary to popular belief, the clubface position varies by shank type. Outside-in shanks typically feature an open clubface, while inside-out shanks can occur with various face angles. The key factor isn't face angle—it's that the hosel, not the clubface, arrives at the ball first due to swing path and weight distribution issues.

What's the best drill to eliminate shanks permanently?

The ball-under-feet drill creates lasting change by training proper weight balance. Place a golf ball under each foot's arch, hit shots keeping the balls in place, and focus on maintaining centered balance. This prevents the forward weight shift that causes most shanks. Combined with the headcover drill for path correction, these two drills eliminate shanks for weekend golfers committed to improving their own game.

Can standing too far from the ball cause shanks?

While standing too close is the primary cause, standing too far can also create problems. When you're too far away, momentum pulls you toward the ball during the swing, exposing the hosel. The solution is finding the proper distance where your arms hang naturally without reaching or cramping. Use the athletic golf stance where weight is balanced and arms feel free to swing.

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