Shank
Also known as: socket, hosel rocket
A shank is when the ball strikes the hosel (the socket where the shaft meets the head) instead of the face, sending it violently to the right (for a right-hander) at roughly 90°.
A shank is one of the most alarming shots in golf because it flies at a sharp right angle and can be nearly unplayable. It happens when the hosel is presented to the ball at impact — usually because the golfer's path or weight shift moves the club's contact point outward to the hosel. Common triggers include standing too close, an excessively in-to-out path that exposes the hosel, or early extension shifting the club outward. The fear of shanking can itself cause a shank.
Example
A wedge shot that flies 90° right and very low — "shanked" — means the hosel made first contact rather than the face.
Related terms
- Early ExtensionEarly extension is thrusting the hips toward the ball during the downswing, which causes the golfer to stand up out of posture and forces compensations at impact.
- Low PointLow point is where the clubhead reaches the bottom of its arc through impact. Controlling it — keeping it at or just ahead of the ball with irons — is the basis of pure contact.
- AlignmentAlignment is the direction the body and clubface are aimed at address. Poor alignment is one of the most common causes of off-target shots even with a good swing.
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