How to Eliminate the Shank in Golf

There's no feeling in golf quite like the powerless shock of a shank. That horrible 'clank' sound, the ball diving violently to the right (for a right-handed golfer) - it’s enough to send a shiver down the spine of even an experienced player. It's often called the 'golfer's virus' because it can appear without warning and feel impossible to cure. This guide will walk you through exactly what a shank is, why it happens, and provide you with a lineup of simple, effective drills to eliminate it from your game for good.

What Exactly is a Shank (and Why Does it Happen)?

Before you can fix the problem, you need to understand it. In simple terms, a shank occurs when you strike the golf ball not with the clubface, but with the hosel - the rounded, socket-like part of the iron where the shaft connects to the clubhead. When the ball hits this curved piece of metal, it shoots off at an extreme angle, almost perpendicular to your target line.

Unlike a slice or a hook, which are caused by issues with clubface angle and swing path, the shank is an issue of contact point. But what causes this misplaced contact? It almost always boils down to one of two things, or often a combination of both:

1. Your Body Moves Closer to the Ball: At the start of your swing, you are a certain distance from the golf ball. If, during your downswing, your hips, chest, or hands move closer to the ball than they were at address, the entire club moves closer too. Your brain knows where the sweet spot should be, but because your body has lunged forward, the hosel arrives at that location instead. This is the most common cause of the shanks.
2. An Extreme "Over-the-Top" Swing Path: This is a path fault. An over-the-top swing happens when you initiate the downswing with your shoulders and arms, throwing the club 'outward' and away from your body before swinging steeply 'inward' across the ball. This out-to-in motion pushes the hosel forward and directly into the path of the ball, presenting it as the first point of contact.

The scary part is that trying to "fix" a shank by aiming more left (for a righty) often makes it worse. This adjustment naturally encourages an even more severe out-to-in path, feeding the very problem you’re trying to solve.

First Step: Diagnose Your Shank

To choose the right medicine, you have to diagnose the illness. You need to figure out if your shank is primarily a body movement problem or a swing path problem. Here’s a simple way to check:

The Balance Test

After your next swing at the range (good or bad shot), hold your finish and check your balance. Are you tipping forward onto your toes? Do you feel like you could lose your balance and fall toward where the ball was? If so, your body is likely lunging forward during the swing. This indicates your issue is probably rooted in lower body action and balance.

The Two-Tee Gate Test

Find a spot on the driving range and place a tee in the ground where you'll put your ball. Now, place another tee about an inch and a half outside of that one (further from you), and a third tee an inch and a half inside of that one (closer to you). The goal is simple: swing and hit the ball, but miss both of the other tees.

• If you consistently smash the outside tee, you have a severe out-to-in swing path. Your club is coming from 'over the top'.
• If you hit the inside tee, your path is likely not the issue, but it reinforces the idea that you might be moving closer to the ball, changing the swing's arc.

Once you have a general idea of your root cause, you can start applying drills that directly address it.

Drills to Eliminate the Shank for Good

You can't just think your way out of a shank. You need to retrain your body with drills that build the right muscle memory. Here are some of the most effective drills used by coaches worldwide.

Drill #1: The Headcover Guard Rail

This is a an all-time classic drill because it gives you instant, undeniable feedback on your swing path. It’s perfect for the golfer with an "over-the-top" swing.

• What you need: Your golf club, a golf ball, and an old headcover (or a small towel or water bottle).
• How to set it up: Address the golf ball as you normally would. Now, place the headcover on the ground just outside the golf ball, about two inches away from the toe of your club.
• The Goal: Hit the ball without hitting the headcover. If your swing comes from over the top, you will inevitably hit the headcover on your downswing. To avoid it, your brain will subconsciously force the club to approach the ball from the inside.
• What it Feels Like: You should feel your right elbow (for a righty) staying closer to your body on the downswing. It will feel like your hands are dropping down more vertically to start the downswing, rather than being thrown outward toward the ball. This is the feeling of an in-to-out path. Start with small, slow swings and gradually build up to full speed.

Drill #2: Stand Back from the Ball

This drill is all about fixing the body lunge. The shanks create a phobia of missing the ball on the inside (near the hosel), so golfers naturally cramp in closer to the ball. This drill reverses that instinct and creates space.

• What you need: Your normal setup.
• How to set it up: Take your normal address position with an iron. Now, take a tiny step back from the ball - just an inch or two is enough. You should feel like you are reaching for the ball just a little bit.
• The Goal: Hit shots from this slightly farther position, focusing on maintaining your balance and hitting the center of the clubface. Since you are starting farther away, your habit of lunging forward will actually move the club *into* the sweet spot, not into the hosel.
• What it Feels Like: This gives your arms and body the freedom to rotate without getting "stuck." You’ll feel more stable on your feet and less like you’re falling toward the ball post-impact. It trains you to stay in your posture through the hitting area.

Drill #3: The Feet Together Drill

Imbalance is a major contributor to the shank. The typical lunge forward is a power move gone wrong - an attempt to add force by throwing the body at the ball. This drill removes that option completely and forces you to use proper rotation.

• What you need: A wedge or short iron.
• How to set it up: Stand with your feet touching each other, with the ball positioned in the center of your narrow stance.
• The Goal: Make small, half- to three-quarter swings and hit the ball solidly. From this position, any lunge or sway will cause you to completely lose your balance and fall over. It forces you to rotate your chest and hips around a stable spine. This is the a very pure move centered on body rotation.
• What it Feels Like: You'll feel incredibly centered. Power will feel like it's coming from an 'unwinding' of your torso, not a forward thrust. It synchronizes your arms and body, eliminating the independent, shank-causing arm a common cause motion.

Drill #4: Hitting off the Toe

This is a mental and physical drill that tackles the fear head-on. Most golfers fighting the shanks are trying so hard *not* to hit the hosel that they tense up, which only makes the problem worse. This drill actively changes your focus.

• What you need: A middle-iron and some athlete's foot spray or impact tape (optional but helpful).
• How to set it up: Set up to the ball as you normally would. Then, intentionally line the ball up with the toe of the clubface - the part farthest from the hosel.
• The Goal: Your only thought should be to hit the ball on the toe of the club. Make swings trying to feel that specific contact point.
• What it Feels Like: Counterintuitively, trying to hit the toe often results in a perfect, center-face strike for someone battling the shanks. The intention of hitting the toe prevents the forward lunge that would typically bring the hosel into play. It provides a positive swing thought ("hit the toe") instead of a negative one ("don't shank it").

Final Thoughts

The shank feels like a complex, chaotic disease, but the cause is almost always simple: the hosel gets too close to the ball due to a body lunge or a major path flaw. By correctly diagnosing your issue and dedicating time to drills that rebuild proper movement patterns, you can regain control and confidence over the ball.

Of course, building that lasting confidence sometimes requires getting the right answer at the right time, especially when a bad habit shows up on the course. That idea is exactly why we built Caddie AI. When you're standing over a tricky shot and the shank pops into your head, it's a huge benefit to be able to ask for a simple swing thought or get a suggestion on how to play the shot safely. You get instant, on-demand advice to guide you through tough moments, ensuring one bad swing doesn't ruin your entire round.