How to Stop Shanking The Golf Ball With Irons

Do your iron shots feel inconsistent? Are you struggling to find the center of the clubface? If so, you're not alone. Many golfers—beginners and experienced players alike—don’t always realize how much poor contact affects their game. In this post, we’ll break down a simple but powerful tee drill that builds better clubface awareness, improves contact, and delivers instant feedback, all without needing fancy gear or complex swing thoughts.

Why Centered Contact Matters

One of the core fundamentals of consistent ball striking is making contact with the center of the clubface. Shots hit off the toe or heel can lead to poor distance, accuracy issues, or even dreaded shanks. While swing path and clubface control certainly play a role, sometimes the solution isn’t in complicated mechanics—but in awareness.

It’s easy to get lost in technical details during a full swing. That’s where this drill comes in. It redirects your focus to a single, crucial element: striking the middle of the clubface.

The Tee Gate Drill Explained

Here’s how it works:

Setup:

Place two tees in the ground—one just outside the toe and one just inside the heel of your clubhead. Leave just enough space to fit the clubface through cleanly.

Purpose:

This creates a “gate” that encourages you to return the club to impact in the correct position. If your contact is off-center, you’ll likely clip one of the tees, providing immediate feedback.

Why It Works:

The beauty of this drill is that it keeps things simple. You don’t have to think about the top of your backswing or your follow-through. In fact, it’s best to start with half-swings—from hip to hip—so you can focus entirely on clean contact.

Even elite players use this drill regularly. Tiger Woods, for example, is known to revisit it when his strike needs sharpening. That’s how fundamental and effective it is.

What This Drill Reveals

If you’re consistently hitting the outside tee, you may be making contact with the hosel, leading to shanks. This is common, and players are often shocked when they hit the tee—especially when they’re unaware they’re striking the ball that far off-center.

For instructors, this drill is a goldmine. It offers undeniable evidence to players, especially when they might not believe where their miss is coming from. Sometimes, players don’t trust video or swing data, but when a tee goes flying? That’s hard to ignore.

Adjustments and Progressions

If setting up two tees feels overwhelming at first, don’t worry. A great beginner variation is to start with just one tee—either the inside or outside one depending on your typical miss—and focus on avoiding it.

For example, if you’re hitting shots off the hosel and clipping the outside tee, try removing it and keeping the inside tee as a reference. Then, focus on hitting slightly more toward the toe. One student who struggled with shanks saw immediate improvement just by removing the outer tee and visualizing striking the inner one.

Pro Tip:

Adjust the tee placement to be about a golf ball’s width from the clubhead at address. This gives you just enough space to work with while still holding you accountable for centered contact.

Drill Recap: The Tee Gate Contact Drill

Setup:

Two tees placed on the ground—just outside the toe and just inside the heel.

Execution:

Use a half swing (hip to hip) to focus only on clean, centered contact.

Watch for feedback—did you strike one of the tees?

Adjust if needed. Start with one tee if two is too challenging.

Goal:

Hit the ball and avoid both tees. This builds centered contact and better face awareness.

Conclusion

At the end of the day, solid golf doesn’t require overthinking your mechanics. If you can strike the center of the clubface consistently, everything else—ball flight, distance, direction—starts to fall into place. The Tee Gate Drill is a simple, low-pressure way to reinforce that skill.

So, next time you're out practicing or warming up before a round, set up two tees and see where you're really striking the ball. You might be surprised—and more importantly, you’ll know exactly what to fix.