An Incorrect Takeaway Can Cause a Shank

One of the biggest reasons golfers can start hitting the heel of the golf club is an incorrect takeaway. A lot of golfers focus on what they are doing at impact, but in many cases, the problem can actually start much earlier in the backswing.

When I analyse a golfer who is struggling with shanking the ball, one of the first things I look at is how they start their backswing and, more importantly, what their hands and club head are doing during the takeaway.

How the Takeaway Can Cause a Shank

One of the most common mistakes I see is golfers pushing their hands away from their body at the start of the backswing while allowing the club head to move behind their hands too early.

When this happens, the hands have already moved away from the body before the golfer has reached the halfway point of their backswing.

The problem with this is that, on the way down, the hands will often continue to work away from the body as they approach the golf ball.

This can cause the heel of the club to make contact with the ball, resulting in a shank.

Although standing too close to the ball can contribute to heel contact, it is not always the defining cause. In many cases, the way the golfer moves their hands and club during the takeaway can play a much bigger role.

Why It Can Be Worse With Chipping and Bunker Shots

This is something I particularly notice when golfers start shanking their chip shots and bunker shots.

Because these shots generally involve a shorter swing, there is less time for the golfer to make adjustments during the downswing.

If the hands move too far away from the body during the takeaway, it can become difficult to return the club to the ball consistently without bringing the heel into contact with it.

This is why I always like to look at the takeaway first rather than simply trying to fix the problem at impact.

If you can improve the way you start your backswing, you can give yourself a much better opportunity to deliver the club consistently into the ball.

How to Improve Your Takeaway

The first thing I would recommend is checking your posture and setup.

Ideally, you want to have approximately a 45-degree spine tilt and around a hand span of distance between the butt end of the club and your body.

From here, the key is to maintain that distance between your hands and your body as you start the backswing.

You want to feel as though your left arm is sliding across your body, with your hands working in towards you and the club head staying out in front.

As you make this movement, allow your body to turn naturally rather than simply moving your hands independently of your body.

A good checkpoint is when the club reaches parallel to the ground during the takeaway. At this point, you want the club head to be approximately in line with your hands, with the distance between your hands and your body remaining consistent.

The important thing is to avoid pushing your hands away from your body while allowing the club head to disappear too far behind you.

Start With Half Swings

Once you understand the correct takeaway position, I would recommend starting with small half swings.

Focus on keeping the hands closer to your body, allowing the left arm to work across your body and keeping the club head out in front of your hands.

You do not need to hit the ball hard or make a full backswing straight away. The goal is to develop a consistent movement that allows you to return the club to the ball without pushing your hands away from your body.

This drill can be particularly useful for chipping and bunker shots, but it can also help with your full swing.

By starting small and getting the fundamentals right, you can gradually build up to longer swings while maintaining a better takeaway.

Focus on the Takeaway First

If you are struggling with shanking the ball, do not automatically assume that the problem is happening at impact.

In many cases, the issue can start with the way you move the club away from the ball.

Focus on maintaining the distance between your hands and your body, keeping your hands working in and the club head staying out in front of you.

If you can improve this initial movement and build your swing from there, you can go a long way towards improving your contact and developing a more consistent strike.

If you're struggling with shanking the ball and would like help improving your contact, contact me at David Waters Golf Coaching, located at Emerald Lakes Golf Coaching Centre.