BODY / SHOTMAKING B
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HOLD YOUR HANDS HIGH You’ll see the byproduct of standing closer to the ball at the top of my backswing. My arm plane is much steeper than it would be were I standing my normal distance from the ball, and my hands are higher, too ( below ). I also feel more open with my body at the top. From this position, it’s much easier to start down over the top and swing across the target line, which increases the chances of the hosel being first to contact the ball. This steep, high-hands position, combined with a quicker-than-normal transition – something most amateurs have – is what often leads to the shank.
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EXPOSE THE HOSEL TO THE BALL The first step in any pre-shot routine is visualisation. For a shank, I imagine the ball exiting 45 degrees to the right of my target line. That’s where my focus is. As for the setup, I’ll stand a little closer to the ball than normal ( above ), which is what really helps produce the shank. I’ll also press my hands forward, which opens the clubface and exposes more of the hosel to the ball. On the takeaway, ditch any notion you have of making an on-plane swing, and take the clubhead back outside your target line and slightly away from your body on a more vertical plane.
102 GOLF DIGEST SOUTH AFRICA
MAY 2024
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