Full Swing & TempoIntermediateFixes: Shanking

GOLF: How To Stop Shanking In 5 Minutes

Curated PGA Drill by Eric Cogorno Golf

Focus Area

Setup/Impact

Rep Guidance

3 sets of 10 slow rehearsal reps

Equipment

Golf club, alignment stick (optional)

Skill Level

Intermediate

Video walkthrough by Eric Cogorno GolfWatch on YouTube ↗

Why This Drill Works (Kinetic Mechanics)

This fix targets the two most common shank triggers: poor setup distance and posture, and weight or the swing low point moving too far toward the ball; restoring balance and full body rotation through impact keeps the clubface center, not the hosel, meeting the ball.

How to Perform the Drill

Follow these step-by-step instructions. Rehearse slowly to build proper motor patterns before adding full swing speed.

  1. 1

    Step 1

    Check your distance from the ball at address: standing too close is one of the most common setup causes of shanking.

  2. 2

    Step 2

    Check that your weight stays balanced through the swing rather than drifting toward your toes or the ball, which pushes the hosel closer to the ball at impact.

  3. 3

    Step 3

    Focus on rotating your body fully through impact rather than letting the arms and hands take over, since stalled rotation is a common swing cause of shanks.

  4. 4

    Step 4

    Hit a series of slow, controlled shots checking these setup and rotation checkpoints before building back up to full speed.

What Good Feels Like

Focus on smooth tempo and maintaining body connection through impact. Your body and club should move as a single synchronized unit.

Common Mistake to Avoid

Rushing transition before completing backswing or lunging upper body forward towards ball at impact. Keep movement controlled.

Swing Faults & Ball Flights Addressed

ShankingSetup distanceWeight moving toward toesRotation through impact

Comprehensive Guides Featuring This Drill

How to Stop Shanking the Golf Ball

Shanks happen when the club's hosel or heel reaches the ball first instead of the center of the face. Stop it by keeping your hands and the clubhead closer to your body through impact rather than letting them drift outward. Two-ball and head-cover constraint drills retrain this directly, usually within a single range session.

Not sure this is your real fault?

Upload one swing video and our AI will identify whether shanking is actually what's costing you strokes, using physics-backed metrics and a practice plan matched to what it finds. Your first analysis is free.

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