An Easy Drill to Overcome the Shank

The shank is one of the most frustrating shots in golf. One minute you're striking the ball well, and the next the ball is shooting sharply off the heel of the club and travelling sideways. The good news is that in most cases, the shank can be fixed with a simple drill that helps improve your strike location.

One of the best drills to overcome the shank is the two-ball drill. To set this up, place the golf ball you're going to hit in its normal position. Then place a second ball approximately one inch outside the first ball, further away from your body.

Your goal is to strike only the inside ball. If you hit both balls, or make contact with the outside ball, it is a sign that the club is moving away from your body through impact. This movement often causes the heel of the club to strike the golf ball first, resulting in a shank.

As you practise this drill, focus on feeling your arms stay closer to your body throughout the swing. Many golfers who struggle with shanks tend to push their hands and the club away from themselves during the downswing, causing the clubhead to move too far out towards the ball.

Another important feeling is to keep the clubhead outside your hands during the takeaway. A takeaway that becomes too far inside can often lead to compensations later in the swing, making it more difficult to return the club to the centre of the ball consistently.

Start by making small swings and gradually build up to longer shots as your contact improves. The objective isn't to hit the ball harder, but rather to train the club to return to the centre of the golf ball and strike the middle of the clubface.

With regular practice, this simple two-ball drill can quickly improve your strike quality and help eliminate the shank from your game. Remember, the key is to strike only the inside ball while maintaining good connection between your arms and body throughout the swing.

If you'd like any further help overcoming the shank, contact David Waters Golf Coaching, located at Emerald Lakes Golf Coaching Centre.