Hitting off heel of club *sha##*

[Greenbird]

Recently, I have come down with a bad case of the shanks! Even when I am hitting the ball solid, I tend to hit on the heel section of the club face.

 

Below is a link to a slow-mo swing with a 7iron, with the end result, a wonderful shank to the right. I have some ideas why this is occurring, but I'm looking for some feedback before I start changing things.

 

Please let me know what you think.

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=8IwA7b3Bb9E

[The Arabic]

I'm no pro and could use some work myself but two things I'm noticing is your peeking soo early on, it's an old rule but keep your head down. Also, I can't really make out the ball position but it seems further back in your stance, am I correct? Try placing the ball close to the middle of your stance or at least close to your left foot.

GL

[mkotthoff]

You're not clearing your hips and your getting stuck. The club has no where to go. Gotta make sure that you initiate the downswing with the hips. You're also dipping the tiniest bit. Just try to stay a little more upright and try to feel like your hips are square to the target at impact.

[Orlimar1]

[quote name='mkotthoff' timestamp='1317565586' post='3614897']
You're also dipping the tiniest bit. Just try to stay a little more upright and try to feel like your hips are square to the target at impact.
[/quote]

I'm no instructor and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night either. But I agree with the dipping part. I'm of sufferer of this malady also. And a lot of the time I find myself losing my posture and that is not good. Try swinging and keeping your head at the same level till you've struck the ball.


Good luck and don't give up. You will get through it.

[russc1597187869]

[quote name='Greenbird' timestamp='1314573755' post='3526041']
Recently, I have come down with a bad case of the shanks! Even when I am hitting the ball solid, I tend to hit on the heel section of the club face.

Below is a link to a slow-mo swing with a 7iron, with the end result, a wonderful shank to the right. I have some ideas why this is occurring, but I'm looking for some feedback before I start changing things.

Please let me know what you think.
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IwA7b3Bb9E"]http://www.youtube.c...h?v=8IwA7b3Bb9E[/url]
[/quote]

You have a good overall swing ,but need to make some adjustments.First check the way that you bend to the ball.Try this .Stand up straight and push back on your hipbones in front of your body.As you push back you will feel your hamstrings stretch and your butt go up in the air .As you approach grounding the club bend your knees a little to settle in.Your weight should be on the balls of your feet and balanced.Do not bend your knees too much
The major problem in your swing is an inside out approach on your downswing with a noticeable flip at impact to square up the club.The correct swing path on the downswing is inside to square to inside,not inside out. .Your arms should be in sych with your body.In your case the arms are moving away from your body as you swing inside out causing the heel to get closer to the ball at impact,I would guess that you do no shank that often ,but that you hit every shot towards the heel of the club.
You did not provide a front view,so i can not check your setup angles or whether you are driving your legs too much thus causing or exacerbating your inside out move.
try these drills.

1.place a small beach ball or a nerf football between your elbows.Practice swinging with the nerf football between your elbows and then actually hit balls with the nerf football between your elbows.
2.Search for "punisher or punisher drill" on the golfwrx search function.select is this an anti flipping drill,pictures included.1/2 swings at 1/2 speed .pad the extended rod or shaft.make sure to take the club back straight as the starting forward position will increase the chances of snatching the club inside.

The goal of these two drills is to get your body really rotating left with your arms in sych with your body.As you rotate left the heel of the club will also be pulled more left and you will hit the ball more in the center of the clubface .

There are some things in your backswing that you will eventually need to change,but what i have suggested in going to plenty for the near term.

[jkro34]

Hi russc- I suffer from this same issue...is there any drills to focus on the driving leg problem? That seems to be my main probem. With the drive my pivot stalls and the flips come on...I've noticed when doing the drills you've listed that my swing is much flatter.

[russc1597187869]

[quote name='jkro34' timestamp='1317608901' post='3617265']
Hi russc- I suffer from this same issue...is there any drills to focus on the driving leg problem? That seems to be my main probem. With the drive my pivot stalls and the flips come on...I've noticed when doing the drills you've listed that my swing is much flatter.
[/quote]

Flatter meaning better or worse. ?.In doing these drills especially the punisher drill ,you must start the club straight back for the first foot or so.The punisher drill requires a golfer to NOT stall his pivot to NOT flip or else he will hit his side on the follow through. .Leg drive can be caused by sway or lack of the proper coil going back among other reasons.
Please post a dtl and front video.
In the interim try one the oldest and most effective drills,hitting balls with your feet together almost touching.If you drive your legs too much you will fall over.

[jkro34]

I would think flatter would be better if my pivot is controlled and does not slow down to let my arms pass by and hit the ball. I will try to get something posted tonight. It can be very frustrating with the driver. I go through stints where I can hit the ball with a snap hook or a 50 yard slice followed by a few up the middle.

[shoota34]

Hi Russc/Monte and anyone that can offer any assistance!

Here are those links of my swing with a 7 iron DTL and face on.

The Face on shot was definitely a hook of roughly 10 yards. Any help is greatly appreciated!

I am thinking that my lack of right elbow attached to my hip has something to do with my consistency as well. The problem is that I do not know what the problem is...setup ...transition? both?

Thanks.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wn3khjhf1FI"]http://www.youtube.c...h?v=wn3khjhf1FI[/url]
Face on

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpTcBi2LzWw"]http://www.youtube.c...h?v=MpTcBi2LzWw[/url]
DTL

Right now I am playing at a 6 handicap but lately my accuracy is no way playing at a single handicap.

[shoota34]

Whoops! I am jkro34. I mistakenly signed on as my other username!

[russc1597187869]

[quote name='shoota34' timestamp='1317684941' post='3620799']
Hi Russc/Monte and anyone that can offer any assistance!

Here are those links of my swing with a 7 iron DTL and face on.

The Face on shot was definitely a hook of roughly 10 yards. Any help is greatly appreciated!

I am thinking that my lack of right elbow attached to my hip has something to do with my consistency as well. The problem is that I do not know what the problem is...setup ...transition? both?

Thanks.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wn3khjhf1FI"]http://www.youtube.c...h?v=wn3khjhf1FI[/url]
Face on

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpTcBi2LzWw"]http://www.youtube.c...h?v=MpTcBi2LzWw[/url]
DTL

Right now I am playing at a 6 handicap but lately my accuracy is no way playing at a single handicap.
[/quote]

First you need to kick your right knee down and in a bit at setup.This will do three things .First it will place weight on the inside of your right foot .second it will align your lower spine w ith your your middle spine and make the backswing pivot easier.Your shoulders and hips should be parallel and slightly, about 8 degrees, tilted away from the target.Third it will brace the right knee . You must maintain the brace of the right knee all the way to the top even as the right leg straightens.Maintaining the brace of the right knee will help restrict your hip turn on the backswing,shorten your backswing a bit and most of all help you develop the necessary elastic tension that will semi-automate the downswing.In your case you are going through the brace of the right knee going back ,partially due to your lateral sway .You also need to align your head with the spine..On the backswing it is ok to rotate the head somewhat around 25 degrees.
You major probelm is that you sway load going back.Using the front view,put your cursor on the outside of your left hip.LoOk at the movement of your left hip between setup and the top of your backswing.There should be very little or no lateral movement on the left hip area going back.Now place your cursor on the outside of your right hip.At the top of the backswing,space should open up on the right hip area vs setup,as you rotate back .In your swing space opens up at the left hip as you move laterally away from the target,while there is no space opening up on your right hip.By swaying going back,you need to move laterally too much going down.

Drill
Take the correct posture .place hands on opposite shoulders.Turn your right shoulder until your shouders are in line with your right foot.Do not try to restrict your hips from turning as the brace of the right knee will naturally restrict any excess hip rotation.My emphasis is on rotation on the backswing as rotation is what the backswing is all about.The movement of your arms and club will be enough to qualify as weight shift on the backswing.
The punisher drill will prevent any pivot stall or flip,but make sure to start the club back straight for the first foot or so
Try this additional drill to feel pure rotation in the lower downswing without any added hand movement.Slowly take the club back and then start down .Stop when the club is near impact and is parallel to the ground.Pump and then pivot through FOCUSING on JUST ROTATING YOUR CORE .No thoughts about releasing the hands at all

[jkro34]

Great info here, I will work on this and come back with updated videos

[samgouldengolf]

I have 2 videos up on this topic on my website: [url="http://samgouldengolf.com"]http://samgouldengolf.com[/url] and many videos on youtube.
Hitting off the heel can be caused by many, many things.

http://youtu.be/j4t6G7e8nUs how to stop shanking #1

[url="http://youtu.be/He6vUrNGh5A"]http://youtu.be/He6vUrNGh5A[/url] how to stop shanking #2

more to come!

[Atrayn]

[quote name='jkro34' timestamp='1317693493' post='3621585']
Great info here, I will work on this and come back with updated videos
[/quote]


Russc is right on target. Stick with his advice.