AARGGH! The driver shanks!

Nut_Case · July 13, 2007

Hiting balls off the heel, my confidence is trashed.

Lately, I've been really working on my swing. I've fixed all my issues, now I have one more to overcome, and it is not a pleasant one. I am shanking my driver and I don't get why!! I kkep my right elbow firnly in my side, yet the driver feels like an airplan wing, and ends up hitting the ball off the heel, or a plain old hosel rocket! My confidence is trashed, and I haven't even been golfing, in fear of denting one of my clubs. This is so unlike me. My long game is normally awsome, and i never mishit. What gives? Anybody have any ideas to what could cause this? I was thinking that maybe my driver shaft is now to light, and I need some more weight, does this sound feasable? I don't seem to do this with heavier drivers. Thanks for all help.

ej002 · July 13, 2007

I had the same problem a while back. I just started setting up with my toe at the ball, and that worked. Other than that, somtimes, I noticed that I set up closed with my driver and I end up heeling it. So if I open up just a little, then I am farther from the ball. If that is your only problem it probably is not your swing. Hope this helps.

MikeJohnson · July 13, 2007

YOu may be standing too close to the ball. Step back a bit almost like you feel you are reaching for it. That may help.

XYB34A · July 13, 2007

you are leaning forward in your swing. trying to swing in to out and not hit a sh---------------. stand more upright and keep the weight on the balls of your feet.

MNRehab · July 13, 2007

I agree with moving back away from it a bit, but the one thing that always helps me get over things like that is to swing harder!! Honestly, I tend to try and guide the ball to the target when I swing bad, and if I swing harder, things work themselves out.

Not saying hurt yourself, but swing at 95% a few times on the range and see if that makes you hit it in the middle of the club again. Counter-intuitive but it works for me!

Rehab

aportela06 · July 13, 2007

yea whenever something is going wrong with my swing I take a few ball and swing as hard and as fast as i can and for some reason it gets me back on track.

Nut_Case · July 13, 2007

Thanks guys. A few of you pointed out some things I know I do in my swing. I took a video of myself earlier today, and I have identified the problem. I tilt forward in my backswing. Then, in my downswing, and followthrough, I stay on that path. I noticed at the top, because of my tilting, my downsing starts on a different plane, so I end up hitting on the heel. So the root of my problem is tilting forward, even though I try not to do that, and I can't even feel it. So how do I go about fixing that? I don't think I stand too close to the ball, as I am comfortable at my address.

rolling green · July 13, 2007

I used to suffer from the same issue. Also affected my irons. Here's what worked it out for me. I was leaning forward at the top of my backswing because when I brought the club back, the weight of the club which is now behind me needed to be counterbalanced. Hence the lean forward. Try and stick your butt out more at address. Feel solid and balanced. Basically bend a little more from the waist at address.

Nut_Case · July 14, 2007

I have started doing just that, quite recently! It does help, but I still have a good dip of my head on the backswing. Could it be that I am not getting to the top the right way?

I wish I had a bid mirror to look at, while I wing, so I can figure why I keep doing this, and find something that work, but I don't. I'll solve it eventually. I am so close to having the swing of my dreams. Just this one little last thing..lol.

hayam · July 14, 2007

Try to setup with 1-2 inch higher hands. May work

Nut_Case · July 14, 2007

Alright, well I've tried all the suggestions here, and so far nothing has worked. Let me ask this: Could my clubs be too long? I am 5'6" tall, and I swing a 43" 3 wood, and a 45" driver. W.T.F of about 32". Should I have them cut? I'm thinking that would help a lot..

mikpga · July 14, 2007

Does your driver have offset?

When you say shank, is it going left or right?

Nut_Case · July 15, 2007

No ofset. Goes left usually.

bdc30 · July 16, 2007

I was/am having this same issue. I love this forum, so glad to know I'm not the only one...lol

I've been trying the "toe address" for my last couple rounds and it seems to be working. I think I've actually OVERcorrected, as I'm now fading them a bit right whereas before it was heel left, heel left, heel left, heel left....

I'm curious if anyone has or uses a TM R7 and can suggest maybe a weight configuration change for me. I've been thinking of setting it to the draw since I'm now fading everything, but I think that might lead me down a slippery slope and back in to the left rough...lol

For now, I'm addressing it just at the toe and adjusting my alignment slightly.

Nut_Case · July 16, 2007

I played a round yesterday, and I tried a few things that seemed to work! I hunched over further, and I moved the ball a little further out, and aimed for the spot in between the toe, and sweet spot. I was hitting 280 yarders again! Got my draw back too! I guess because I've been fixing my swing, I had to make a few modifications to swing properly. I fixed my swing, but I never adjusted the ball positon..I didn't think it mattered..boy, was I wrong!

My iron game was great, as usual, and I ended up scoring 3 bogies, 1 Birdie, and 5 Pars through nine! I couldn't be happier! The only reason, I had bogies, was due to misjudged chip shots, leaving me with an uncomfortable distance to the cup on my putts. Those were two putts. On the bright side, I didn't shank, skull, thin, or curve a ball the wrong direction the whole round! That's prgress, in my book!

Thanks for the suggestons guys! I was a combination of things afterall.