Despite following your bunker tips, I have started to shank in the bunker. Is this caused as you say or is the clubface too open?
I also hit thin shots too often from the bunker.
David D.
Bunker shots are your normal golf swing. So if you were shanking in the bunker you are shanking on the course. You didn’t say that so you are changing your swing in the bunker. You need to do your real swing in the bunker with a few set up changes. Right now you are changing your golf swing. I would imagine you are trying to hit or help the shot instead of going through to your follow through. Thin shots are telling you that you are hitting. The harder you hit, the more you look to see what you did to it. Loosen up. Also, you need to check your club. If there are mark on the hosel you are shanking. If you are hitting it thin I would suspects you are blasing it not shanking it. Check your club.
I am not saying the face is too open when shanking. I am saying you are rolling onto your toes when you hit the ball due to hitting with your arms. You may also be too close to hit. Get closer to the ball and you will shank it. So check your set up. Feel the weight balanced in the middle of your feet. Once you get to the top you stay relaxed and keep the arms turned off. You hit the bunker shot by using your legs and hips moving through to the touch the legs position. Once finished you are also touching the club to your head between your ears. They would be relaxed because you weren’t trying to hit anything.
Why not just go on the grass first. Hit some normal pitch shots. Then open the face and hit some. Then go right into the bunker and do the same swing after digging your feet in and aiming left. If you dug in you would hit the sand.
I go through this all of the time. Once someone gets into the bunker they do a different swing. As soon as I get them doing their real golf swing they hit amazing bunker shots.
The Pro at my club in Denver,Al Artact in 1968, explained how to cure my shanking in 5 miutes. It is exactly like your hinge & turn but he explained that when you clear your hip turn first it automatically pulls your hands inside, you are doing this in your hing & turn.
Paul, I ‘ m really very good at short pitch shots,and chip,shots .
Then ,Usually when I’ve hit two very good long shots and I am close to the Green ,I do the worst possible shot in the game : the SHANK !
I’m caught Red handed at being over confident and perform a sloppy stance,Usually too close to the ball .
YOUR lesson is just to the point.
Thanks .
This was helpful and I will try to be aware of that from now on. I think some of my shanks may be because I hit off the toe, so I’m guessing I probably am falling away from the ball. Yes?
There is one more thing I would like to ask: How do I properly grip the club when I want to open up the face? I know I’m not doing it right. You must have a lesson about it somewhere.
thanks,
terr
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. AcceptRejectRead More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
10 Responses to “Short Game – How To Stop Shanking Pitch Shots”
July 3, 2015
daviddonaldsonDespite following your bunker tips, I have started to shank in the bunker. Is this caused as you say or is the clubface too open?
I also hit thin shots too often from the bunker.
David D.
July 5, 2015
Paul WilsonDavid,
Bunker shots are your normal golf swing. So if you were shanking in the bunker you are shanking on the course. You didn’t say that so you are changing your swing in the bunker. You need to do your real swing in the bunker with a few set up changes. Right now you are changing your golf swing. I would imagine you are trying to hit or help the shot instead of going through to your follow through. Thin shots are telling you that you are hitting. The harder you hit, the more you look to see what you did to it. Loosen up. Also, you need to check your club. If there are mark on the hosel you are shanking. If you are hitting it thin I would suspects you are blasing it not shanking it. Check your club.
I am not saying the face is too open when shanking. I am saying you are rolling onto your toes when you hit the ball due to hitting with your arms. You may also be too close to hit. Get closer to the ball and you will shank it. So check your set up. Feel the weight balanced in the middle of your feet. Once you get to the top you stay relaxed and keep the arms turned off. You hit the bunker shot by using your legs and hips moving through to the touch the legs position. Once finished you are also touching the club to your head between your ears. They would be relaxed because you weren’t trying to hit anything.
Why not just go on the grass first. Hit some normal pitch shots. Then open the face and hit some. Then go right into the bunker and do the same swing after digging your feet in and aiming left. If you dug in you would hit the sand.
I go through this all of the time. Once someone gets into the bunker they do a different swing. As soon as I get them doing their real golf swing they hit amazing bunker shots.
July 3, 2015
DarrelStutesmanPaul,
The Pro at my club in Denver,Al Artact in 1968, explained how to cure my shanking in 5 miutes. It is exactly like your hinge & turn but he explained that when you clear your hip turn first it automatically pulls your hands inside, you are doing this in your hing & turn.
Darrel
July 5, 2015
Paul WilsonDarrel,
That’s great. Not hard to cure shanks if you know what you are doing.
July 6, 2015
RaymondCHASTELPaul, I ‘ m really very good at short pitch shots,and chip,shots .
Then ,Usually when I’ve hit two very good long shots and I am close to the Green ,I do the worst possible shot in the game : the SHANK !
I’m caught Red handed at being over confident and perform a sloppy stance,Usually too close to the ball .
YOUR lesson is just to the point.
Thanks .
July 6, 2015
Paul WilsonRaymond,
Very good. This is a shot no one should be hitting.
January 11, 2020
MichaelJansenPaul,
On these pitch shots, my miss is not a shank. I tend to miss by hitting the ball thin. Why does this happen?
Thanks!
Mike J.
January 12, 2020
Paul WilsonMike,
You are trying to see if before you’ve done it.
Stop looking. The ball is only going to go a short distance. I guarantee you are going to find it.
Topping: Watch for the Blur: https://ignitiongolf.com/watch-for-the-blur/
January 11, 2020
terrybadgerThis was helpful and I will try to be aware of that from now on. I think some of my shanks may be because I hit off the toe, so I’m guessing I probably am falling away from the ball. Yes?
There is one more thing I would like to ask: How do I properly grip the club when I want to open up the face? I know I’m not doing it right. You must have a lesson about it somewhere.
thanks,
terr
January 12, 2020
Paul WilsonTerry,
Yes or coming out of it. Better players toe it. Poorer players heel it. Just focus on the ball a little longer delaying your reaction to see it.
Are You Practicing Looking Early?: https://ignitiongolf.com/practice-looking-early/
You can use this tip below:
How To Open The Clubface On Flop Shots: https://ignitiongolf.com/open-face-flop/