Impact & ReleaseIntermediateFixes: Shanking

THE BEST SHANK FIX DRILL EVER

Curated PGA Drill by Matt Fryer Golf

Focus Area

Impact

Rep Guidance

3 sets of 10 slow rehearsal reps

Equipment

Golf club, alignment stick (optional)

Skill Level

Intermediate

Video walkthrough by Matt Fryer GolfWatch on YouTube ↗

Why This Drill Works (Kinetic Mechanics)

A shank happens when the hosel, not the clubface, reaches the ball first, typically traced to a path swinging too far from the inside and/or an open face at impact; deliberately training a toe-side miss recalibrates the swing to bring the center of the face back to 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

    Identify whether your shank comes from a swing path working too far from the inside, an open clubface at impact, or both.

  2. 2

    Step 2

    Hit rehearsal swings designed to intentionally miss the ball on the inside or toe side, so you feel a path and face angle that would produce a toe strike rather than a hosel strike.

  3. 3

    Step 3

    Gradually move the strike back toward the center of the clubface while keeping that same feeling, so center-face contact replaces the near-hosel contact that causes shanks.

  4. 4

    Step 4

    Repeat in short reps, alternating a couple of rehearsal miss-swings with a real ball, until center contact becomes the default.

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

ShankingSwing path too far insideOpen clubfaceHosel contact

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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