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Fairway Support›Glossary›Shank

Shank

The ball contacts the hosel instead of the clubface and shoots hard sideways.

✗ Shank hosel meets ball The swing drifts closer to the ball, so the hosel gets there first. ✓ Solid middle of the face The club returns where it started, and the face meets the ball.

See the full breakdown: Shank

Every common cause and fix for this exact issue.

More contact & strike terms

Fat Shot (Chunk)

The club strikes the ground before the ball, losing speed and distance.

Thin Shot (Skulled)

Contact happens too high on the ball, sending it low and hot with no height.

Toe Strike

Contact made toward the far end of the clubface (away from the shaft) instead of the center.

Heel Strike

Contact made near the shaft end of the clubface instead of the center, a milder cousin of a shank.

Sweet Spot

The small area on the clubface (roughly the center) that produces the most efficient, powerful contact.

Pured (Flush)

Slang for a shot struck perfectly out of the center of the clubface, it usually feels like almost nothing in the hands.