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 Roger Gunn is the PGA director of instruction at Tierra Rejada Golf Club, in Moorpark. He can be reached at (805) 531-9300. Age: 44 Current handicap: 12 Lowest handicap: 9 Plays: Once or twice a month Practices: Twice a month Ailment: I’ve started hitting about one shank a round with a wedge. It even happens from the middle of the fairway off a perfect lie. Is there a mental checklist I can use to keep this from happening? Prescription: Check to see if you’re too close to the ball at address and that you’re not standing too tall. Both can contribute to hitting a shank. You need some bend from the waist to be in a good posture position. Also, make sure your weight distribution isn’t too far back on your heels. The final checkpoint is to make sure you’re keeping your connection while swinging around a steady center. If you lean toward the ball during the swing and push your arms away from yourself, you’ll shank it every time. Keep your posture steady and get a sensation that your arms are staying very close to you throughout the downswing. Groove this movement and those shanks will be a thing of the past. Patient: Male Age: 65 Current handicap: 7 Lowest handicap: 4 Plays: Once or twice a month Practices: Once a month Ailment: I pick my iron shots, including wedges, off the grass without taking a divot. As a result, I’m hitting the ball much shorter. Is there a drill I can work on that will help me make more solid contact? Prescription: You need to hit down on the ball for crisp iron shots. Here’s what I recommend: On a grass range, set up so your clubhead is next to a ball on the ground. Take a practice swing and take a divot, making sure that the divot starts after the ball. To get this done, feel like you’re driving your weight onto your front foot and really hitting down on the ground. When you can do this consistently, go ahead and hit a shot. Try to get the same feeling you had when swinging the club next to the ball. If you do your job properly, you’ll see a nice divot on the ground. If there’s no evidence that you’ve been there, go back to the drill until you get the hang of it. |
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