For those of you who suffer from a shank, there is a fundamental mistake that many of you do before you even hit the ball leads to your mistake. A poorly balanced swing causes a shank more often that you’d think…

When we talk about a balanced swing, there are two important balanced positions to look at.  For almost all shots, you want your weight centered 50/50 between your two feet, but also, you want your weight to be balanced on each foot.  More specifically, you do not want to start your swing with your body weight on your heels or your toes.  In the image to the right, the blue circles show where you want your weight resting before each swing. The video above and to the right describes how this common fault can lead to a shank.

One thing the video does not describe is how important a balanced swing is on every shot, especially those on uneven ground.  When you’re hitting from a fairway bunker, or a downhill, uphill or sidehill lie, the effects of a poorly balanced swing are exaggerated… and you’ll be much more likely to hit fat and thin shots, not to mention, more shanks.  So be especially cognizant of this fact when you’re in these situations.

So the next time you’re suffering from a shank or poor contact, balance your setup as described above, and fix your ball position if needed to reach the ball. Once you’re set, you should find it much easier to make solid contact because your swing now has a solid base of support to be performed on.

Give it a try!

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• Anti-Shank Drill -12/03/2008
• Quit Shanking Drill -12/03/2008
• Bucket Shanking Drill -08/01/2008