Never Shank It Again Thanks To The Magic Sponge Golf Drill

Golfer hitting a shank with an inset image of the magic sponge drill set-up

This creative drill could save you plenty of shots on the course and rid you of the shanks for good...

(Image credit: Future)

published 3 September 2024

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.

Tom Motley demonstrating the set-up for the magic sponge drill to cure the shank

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!

Tom Motley demonstrating the magic sponge drill to cure the shank

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.

The Magic Sponge Drill

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