Hitting off of mats leading to the shanks?

[LCP]

Yesterday, I went to play. We'd had torrential downpours the previous few days, so I went to the side of town with the least amount of rain and found a course to play. The range was open, but only off mats. When I pulled out a wedge and 8 iron, I kept shanking them repeatedly. I finally had the thought that I was trying to get the face grooves parallel to the ground instead of slightly toe up. On the course on natural turf toe up would probably seem natural but not something I'd notice. On the firm mats, I'd want things to be "even" since I could really see a deviation. That gets me with a more upright lie angle and standing closer to the ball, which resulted in many shanks. I think I've gotten a series of shanks before indoors and off mats at another club with irons as well. So I think this is the cause. Has anyone else experienced this or agree with this line of thinking? I rarely shank the ball on the course.

[roundersmitty]

Upper body most likely going toward the ball by 2". I find striking off mats way easier....it's the perfect lie and slightly forgiving on fat hits. The only time I run into shanks is chipping and pitching, never full swings oddly enough.

[TServos]

Interesting that you posted this. Yesterday my old friend The Shank showed up after several years in remission. It happened on mats that the course had just installed. I don't know why mats would create a shank, but they were there today too, off the mats. Tomorrow they should be back on grass. It will be nice if they disappear.

[BobbyDPlaysGolf]

I'll shank one occasionally off a matt. Usually it happens because the matt will move (concrete below matt) after a few swings and i'm not paying attention to my alignment so my body will be lined up way right of the target. Matts are in general uncomfortable because it kind of wants to line you up a certain way, but if you want to hit a lot of golf balls, it makes it a lot easier.

[Golfnut801]

I stopped hitting off of mat's for the same reason. I'd have to keep adjusting when the season starts. Just not the same as hitting off grass.

[fcfowler27]

THANK YOU. This is definitely it - I get the shanks so bad on the range, our course has hard mats.

 

I was absolutely trying to “level” the club, when I went back to feeling like the heel could rest “in the grass”, the ball flight was amazing and the shanks gone.