Attack of the shanks!!!!!!!

Wow Ireland is a very distant memory considering its only been 2 days since I got back. I have been infected with a crippling golfing disease called the 'shanks'!! Oh it hurts just to read or hear the word. Let me first elaborate on what a shank is.... (the following link is a good explanation too): http://www.topendsports.com/sport/golf/shank.htm

In basic terms, for whatever reason, the strike on the ball seems to come from the hosel of the golf club, causing the ball to go right at almost a 90 degree angle. If you ever saw Tin Cup, its the problem Kevin Costner had before the US Open, where he was hiting shanks on the driving range, virtually de-capitating the other players. Ugh, there is a horrible stigmatism that goes with the shanks cos nobody really knows where they come from or where they go, just they are probably the most destructive shot in golf that virtually guarantees a double bogey, OR WORSE as I have found out over the last 2 days.

Coaches can argue that a shank is caused by a technical problem, but in all honesty whilst this may be partly true, once the shanks have set in, it is a mental problem that gradually disintigrates confidence.

I know of peope who have suffered many a time but in the 12 years I have been playing, this is the first real time I have been faced with this problem. Apparently the best way to get rid of them is to completely change your attitude and switch off your brain to golf. In Tin Cup, Costner's coach gets him to 'put all your change in your left pocket', 'turn your hat sideways' - anything so he wont think about shanking the ball so I will try this approach as fortunately I can build up my confidence very quickly, sometimes in just a matter of a few shots! Thus, I am looking at this as being character building as to be honest, in golf there is no worse feeling than hitting a shank!!!!

There you go, nuff said............