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Tips for Her: Fix the shanks (part 1)

November 03, 2013

*Editor's note: Each week, Megan Padua, a teaching professional at Maidstone Club (East Hampton, N.Y.) and Belfair Plantation (Bluffton, S.C.), and one of Golf Digest's Best Young Teachers, offers tips and advice for women golfers.

The shanks can show up when you least expect them. If your club swings on an exaggerated out-to-in path, the hosel of the club will make contact with the ball before the club face does, resulting in a shank. I have a quick way to fix this problem.

The first thing you need to do is stand farther from the ball at address. This is initially going to feel uncomfortable, but it is crucial to helping you extend your arms in the follow through. Next step: take your setup so that your clubhead sits just under the golf ball (an entire clubhead closer to you). If you make your normal swing, you will either miss the ball or make contact toward the toe. To hit it in the center of the face, you will need to extend through the ball using an in-to-out swing.

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Once you get the hang of this drill, set up the same distance away using this measurement, then place your clubhead behind the ball. You'll feel farther away but you'll understand the need to extend through the shot, instead of to the shot.