Why I Shank My Wedges (and the One Drill That Fixes It)

The shank feels random. It isn't. It's almost always a setup that puts the hosel where the ball used to be — and a swing that moves the body toward the ball, not around it.

The real cause

• Ball positioned too far from your body at setup.
• Weight drifts to the toes during the downswing.
• Arms extend through impact instead of rotating.

If you've shanked once, your brain is now scared of the hosel. The fix is mechanical, not mental — change the setup, the brain follows.

The 15-minute drill

Set up to a wedge shot. Place a second ball against the toe of the clubhead. Make half swings; if you hit the second ball, you came over the top. Twenty reps and the pattern resets.