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ChippingShank (shank)Wedge play = Pitching and Chipping Wedges Beginner / Intermediate ⏱ 6 min 🇫🇷 Video in French

Shank and chipping: Don't push your hands toward the ball

Jean Van de Velde admits that he still makes two shanks a year. He points out that it’s purely a mechanical issue of alignment, then explains a common cause of chipping: hands pushed outward at address.

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Jean Van de Velde
Jean Van de Velde · his YouTube channelFree lesson selected by Fred P.

To be continued

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What the lesson shows

Jean Van de Velde describes the shank as a contact on the curved part of the heel, at the point where the clubhead makes contact: the ball flies off at about a 45-degree angle to the right. He emphasizes the emotional impact of the shot, but also makes a reassuring point: it’s a alignment issue, i.e., mechanical, which we know how to correct.

The video explains one cause of chipping. Many players, wanting to make the ball roll, move their hands forward, pushing them outward, toward the ball. The clubhead leads, and the heel makes contact with the ball. Move your hands forward parallel to the line of play is no problem at all. The natural starting point: hands hanging down in front of the body, with the ball in the center of the clubface. The other components of his “4 P” method are covered in a paid training course.

The Exercise, Step by Step

  1. Let your hands hang naturally at your sides.
  2. Place the ball in the center of the clubface.
  3. If you want to move your hands forward to roll the ball, move them toward the target, parallel to the line of play.
  4. Make sure they aren't moving outward toward the ball.
  5. Bet the chip while keeping your hands in this position.

Key Takeaways

The shank is a centering issue, so it's a mechanical problem.
The ball hits the rounded part of the heel, where the shaft joins the heel.
When chipping, hands positioned outward present the clubface to the ball.
Moving your hands parallel to the line of play is not a problem.
Starting position: Hands hanging naturally in front of the body.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Push your hands toward the ball to close the chip.
  • Position the club shaft before the clubface at address.
  • Move backward and “side-step” at the address after a shank.

Driving Range Mode

Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.

  1. Chips with the hands hanging down in front of the body
  2. Hands extended parallel to the line of play, never toward the ball
  3. Controlling the point of impact on the face

Your Questions

Does moving your hands forward when chipping cause a shank?

Not in and of itself. Jean Van de Velde has no problem with his hands positioned parallel to the line of play. It’s pushing them outward, toward the ball, that causes the clubhead to make contact first.

What hand position should you use at the start?

Let them fall naturally in front of your body, with the ball in the center of the clubface.

Does the video cover the entire 4 P's method?

No. It covers only one cause of chipping; the other factors are discussed in a separate training session.

Learn More

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Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Jean Van de Velde). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons without hosting them.

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