This Household Item Can Cure Your Golf Swing And Banish The Shanks...
Golfers are generally pretty resourceful, but have you ever considered using a sponge to improve your golf game? You will after reading these expert tips...
A shank in golf is one of the most irritating occurrences in golf, and for some golfers the common fault can become a persistent pest that is difficult to shake.
It doesn't matter how far you hit your iron shots, or how much power you generate with your driver, if you have a tendency to occasionally throw in a shank here or there you will feel the pain when signing for your scorecard.
So, how can we cure the shanks? Well, there are plenty of great expert tips out there, but this one has to be my favourite. In this article, Golf Monthly Top 50 Coach Tom Motley shares a creative solution which harnesses the power of a great sporting icon... 'The Magic Sponge'.
The Magic Sponge Drill
The shank is a really destructive shot that can throw you off your game. If you’re suffering from the odd ‘hosel rocket’ – a shot that shoots off sideways – you have my sympathy.
Fear not, for there is a fix, although there can be a number of reasons for it, including poor set-up where you’re either too close or too far away from the ball. If you’re looking for a quick fix, the drill below might be worth trying.
Take your set-up as normal, making sure you have the correct ball position and your weight balanced evenly between your feet. Then, place a sponge (or a headcover) on the outside of the ball no more than a centimetre from the toe of the club.
You don’t want to make this too easy, so make sure the distance is no more than that. You want half the sponge behind the ball and half in front to ensure it’s only around the impact area. The drill is then simple – your only aim is to miss the sponge!
Get the Golf Monthly Newsletter
Subscribe to the Golf Monthly newsletter to stay up to date with all the latest tour news, equipment news, reviews, head-to-heads and buyer’s guides from our team of experienced experts.
This drill is designed to stop you coming over the top, one of the most common causes of the shank. I see it regularly, where golfers get to the top of the swing and then the club gets further away from the body.
This results in the hosel being presented to the ball. It’s an effective drill because having the visual prop helps you to feel the arms coming more inside. Ideally we’d like to aim to hit it out of the toe a little bit here to over-exaggerate the feels, create better awareness of impact location and remove any extreme heel strikes and the dreaded shanks.
Give it a try, I am sure you'll be impressed by the powers of the magic sponge.
Location: The Kendleshire
Tom Motley has been a PGA professional since 2005. He offers a high level of coaching, utilising the best possible coaching technology eg Swing Catalyst with pressure plates, TrackMan 4 along with a vast array of training aids. Tom continually develops his skills through spending time with some of the best coaches across the globe.
Teaching philosophy:
Player first, swing second and understanding the human in front of you is so important. Swing techniques are all different and players want different things from a coach. It is my job to ensure I know how the player works, learns and is most comfortable to ensure they get the most benefit out of each session. On a technical level, simplicity is key but sometimes simple is left incomplete, so deliver the information is the simplest way for any student but don’t leave a session without the player having full understanding.
Most common problem:
Many have poor concept of what they’re doing/trying to do technically. For this clear communication of faults and fixes is key. Secondly players have expectation levels beyond their skill set, course management is in my opinion one of the most under-taught aspects of the game yet the most influential on lowering players' scores. Seeing players of all levels playing is a huge part of my coaching to ensure I coach the player and the players game not just the swing.
Most common impact fault:
Clubface orientation. Most players don’t understand why the ball does what it does. By explaining why they have a certain ball flight and giving the focus on start direction rather than swing path quite often a player starts to straighten ball flight. Also off-centre impacts and a lack of understanding of what gear effect is.
-
Which Players Will Feature In All Five Sessions Of The 2024 Solheim Cup?
A total of 24 players are competing at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, but only two will play in all five sessions over the three days of action
By Mike Hall Published
-
Leona Maguire Had Never Missed A Solheim Cup Session... Now She's Missed Three
The Irish star has played a pivotal part in Europe's past Solheim Cup success but, at the 2024 event, she has featured just once in four sessions...
By Matt Cradock Published
-
You Might Not Even Know You Are Doing This... But It's Killing Your Short Game
Allowing this destructive habit to eek into your set-up for chip shots can play havoc with your short game, but PGA pro John Howells has the perfect antidote...
By John Howells Published
-
Solheim Cup Star Nelly Korda's Game Plan For Shooting Lower Scores
Nelly Korda tees it up at the Solheim Cup this week, but what is the secret to her success? Her game plan holds the answers and will help you play better golf
By Barry Plummer Published
-
I'll Never Fear These Diabolically Difficult Golf Shots Again Thanks To 4 Expert Tips
When you get a dodgy lie or an unlucky break around the green it can be easy to rack up a big number... but not if you utilise these four expert short-game tips
By Barry Plummer Published
-
This Bunker Shot Masterclass Changed Everything For Me... I Feel Like A Sand-Saving Machine!
I used to find bunker shots daunting, as finding the sand would often seriously damage my scorecard, but this professional masterclass changed everything...
By Barry Plummer Published
-
Hit It Like Monty With The Hall Of Famer's 5 Favourite Tee-To-Green Tips
With over 50 professional wins, in a career that spans five decades, Colin Montgomerie is a true golf legend – and his expert tips can help you play better golf
By Garrett Johnston Published
-
Surfer Signals To Shadow Spotting... 10 Innovative Iron Play Tips And Drills From An Expert Golf Coach
Sometimes, to get the results you desire, you have to think outside the box. Well, PGA pro John Howells has done exactly that with these expert iron play tips
By John Howells Published
-
This Is Pure Short Game Sorcery... Expert Tips To Get Up-And-Down From 80-Yards
The 80-yard pitch shot is a tricky skill to master, but with these tips you can transform your short game and add another weapon to your wedge-play arsenal...
By Gary Munro Published
-
Rickie Fowler's 5 Tee-To-Green Tips To Help You Play Better Golf
Rickie Fowler is an iconic name in the game of golf, with plenty of tour titles and a few near misses in the Majors. Here, he shares five tee-to-green tips...
By Garrett Johnston Published