The Key to Curing Your Shank Can Be Due to Incorrect Ball Position

One of the first things I look at when a golfer is battling the shanks is their basic fundamentals.

This applies to almost every part of your golf game. Before making major changes to your swing, you need to make sure your setup and fundamentals are correct. In many cases, your fundamentals can account for a large percentage of what is causing the problem.

One of the most common things I see with golfers who are struggling with the shanks is their ball position being too far back in their stance.

How Can Ball Position Cause a Shank?

When the ball is positioned too far back, it can cause the hands to move too far forward at address.

This can also result in your left shoulder being too far forward of your left hip. For a right-handed golfer, this can create a setup position where your upper body is already too far ahead of where it should be.

From there, as you start your downswing, you can become more upper-body dominant and begin to lunge toward the ball.

This can cause the club to become steeper and your hands to move further away from your body as you approach impact.

When this happens, the heel of the club can move toward the ball, increasing your chances of making contact closer to the hosel — which can lead to the dreaded shank.

So, Where Should Your Ball Position Be?

For your numbered irons, I recommend having the ball position just forward of centre in your stance.

This helps create a better setup position and gives you a better opportunity to move through the golf ball rather than getting too steep and reaching toward the ball during your downswing.

Now, there are times when you may deliberately move the ball further back, such as when you're trying to hit a lower shot. That's perfectly fine.

The important thing is that you don't allow a ball position that is too far back to become your standard setup if it is negatively affecting your fundamentals.

Get Your Setup Working Together

Once you have your ball position just forward of centre, you also want to make sure your left hip is slightly bumped to the left.

For a right-handed golfer, your left hip and left shoulder should be relatively aligned at address rather than having your left shoulder sitting too far forward of your left hip.

Then, add a slight tilt of your right shoulder.

This helps keep your head slightly behind the ball and creates a much better starting position for your swing.

When your left shoulder is more in line with your left hip, you're able to sequence your body more effectively during the downswing.

Combined with a slightly more forward ball position, this gives you a better opportunity to move through the golf ball instead of becoming steep and reaching toward it.

Check Your Fundamentals First

If you're struggling with the shanks, don't immediately assume that you need to completely rebuild your golf swing.

Start with the basics.

Check your ball position.

Check your left shoulder and left hip alignment.

Check your shoulder tilt and make sure your head is slightly behind the ball.

These simple setup changes can make a significant difference to how you deliver the club into impact.

If your ball position has been too far back and you've been struggling with the shanks, correcting this one fundamental could go a long way toward fixing the problem — and it may even help cure your shank altogether.

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