So the lesson behind the explanation is for you to understand the situation of your wrists and the club-face at the top of your swing, and how to move towards a sound impact position. All things remaining the same, at the top, a bowed wrist with a neutral grip will manifest in a closed clubface, and a cupped wrist will show an open clubface.
How do the wrist work in a golf swing?
How the wrists work in a golf swing is varied, dependent on the golfer’s grip style, joint mobility, and strength. The wrist joint has a wide range of motion characterized by the following four terms; flexion (unhinging) (Fig. 1), extension (hinging) (Fig. 2), radial deviation (cocking) (Fig. 3), and ulnar deviation (uncocking) (Fig. 4).
How do you swing a golf club with both hands?
Because the club is held with both hands, wrist action is harmonized, with the lead wrist cocking during the backswing while the trail wrist hinges. As the body turns forward in the downswing, the wrists should reach their maximum load, i.e., fully cocked and hinged (Figure 5).
Should you have wrist hinge in golf swing?
If you are an older golfer or have less time to practice, you should have some wrist hinge in golf swing to help you hit the ball, giving you more arm speed to increase club head speed. If playback doesn't begin shortly, try restarting your device.
Where should your left wrist be on the golf backswing?
The left wrist should remain flat in line with the left forearm. The common error is to open or cup the wrist on the backswing. If you open it or move it to the left, there is no tension on the wrist and the power source is lost. This also opens the face of the club on the backswing. More of this later.
What does the wrist do in the golf swing?
How should your wrists work in the golf swing and what are the consequences of improper wrist action? A golfer's wrists act as a hinge between the arms and the golf club. Such a hinge can provide an advantage for moving the golf club faster, necessary for longer distance golf shots.
Should your wrists bend in a golf swing?
0:061:33Learn how wrist bends affect your golf swing - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThey really have two options they can either hit and they can extend their wrist which is going toMoreThey really have two options they can either hit and they can extend their wrist which is going to tend to cause shots to cover the right or when they hit they can flex the wrist.
Do you hinge wrists golf swing?
There is no 'proper' wrist hinge in golf. Many coaches suggest to start breaking your wrists once you pass parallel in the takeaway, while others advocate a one-piece takeaway and only allowing your wrists to hinge at the top of the backswing. Both methods can produce repeatable, powerful golf swings.
How loose should your wrists be in golf swing?
6:4411:42BEST DRILL TO LOOSEN YOUR WRISTS (Get More Clubhead Speed)YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo if you don't know what I'm talking about when I say I need your wrists loose that right there isMoreSo if you don't know what I'm talking about when I say I need your wrists loose that right there is going to give you the exact feeling. Because you can't do it if your wrists are tight.
Why do golfers use wrists?
Because the hands are the only contact with the club, players are forever looking for some new wrist technique, some grip secret that will revolutionize their golf games. Ironically, the only real secret to proper wrist action is not in what you do, but in what you do not do. The proper motion is a natural one, described here as a right-handed player would perform it; left-handers should substitute “left” for “right” and vice versa.
Which hand controls the golf club?
Even if your forearms are relaxed, there are other ways tension can creep into your arms. The left hand provides the primary connection for controlling the club. It is very common to grip too tightly with this hand.
What is proper wrist action?
The Proper Wrist Action for a Golf Swing. This position happens naturally with proper wrist action. Because the hands are the only contact with the club, players are forever looking for some new wrist technique, some grip secret that will revolutionize their golf games. Ironically, the only real secret to proper wrist action is not in what you do, ...
What finger do you tighten with a left hand?
According to teacher Michael Hebron, the secret is to tighten only the last two or three fingers of your left hand—the pinky and ring fingers, and perhaps the middle finger. In doing so, you create a strong grip without locking the wrist muscles and interfering with the free movement of your wrists.
How to keep your left hand flat?
According to teacher Jay Williamson, the simplest way to do this is to keep the back of the left hand flat—that is, the back of the left hand and the back of the left forearm form a straight line. Doing so limits the movement of the wrist to a single plane, improving consistency. This action will not be difficult because using only ...
Which hand can lock the right wrist?
Just as the thumb and forefinger of the left hand can interfere with proper wrist action, the thumb and forefinger of the right hand can lock the right wrist in position. Hogan recommended practicing with those two fingers completely off the grip. He also recommended adding some pressure with the middle and ring fingers ...
Who said "I wish I had three right hands"?
Ben Hogan famously wrote that, after his hands had passed his hips on the downswing, he tried to hit the ball as hard as he could—“I wish I had three right hands.”. But for most teachers, including de la Torre, the right wrist does very little during the swing except respond to the swinging of the club.
The Grip
The importance of the grip can never be underestimated, and once this is established, we are all set to hit the ball far and consistently. Make sure your grip is in a position for the hands and wrists to work in unison.
The Wrists and Power
Cocking or hinging the wrists during the backswing and then releasing them through the downswing is a power source for hitting the ball further. If the hinging is not free and easy, the tendency is to use the arms and shoulders to muscle the ball through impact. So developing this power source is a must!
Left-Hand Wrist Hinge Position at the Top of the Swing
With the left arm in an extended position, place it down on a table with the fingers extended and resting on the little finger and the thumb pointing to the sky. Now lift or cock the wrist upwards off the table while keeping the arm in the original position.
The Flat or Bowed Left Wrist
The left wrist should remain flat in line with the left forearm. The common error is to open or cup the wrist on the backswing. If you open it or move it to the left, there is no tension on the wrist and the power source is lost. This also opens the face of the club on the backswing. More of this later.
The Right Wrist Position at the Top of the Swing
Think of carrying a tray of drinks like a waiter, with the right hand at shoulder height. The right palm faces upwards and the right elbow points down to the ground at 90-degrees. The club rests in the right-hand palm in the same fashion at the top of the swing.
A Drill to Perfect Hinging
Stand in the address position with a driver or iron. Place the club on the ground in preparation to hit a ball. Now lift the arms and clubhead off the ground in front of you to shoulder height keeping the left arm straight and cocking the left wrist.
Bowing the Left Wrist at the Top of the Back Swing
Sergio Garcia has been one of the best strikers of a golf ball for many years and is acknowledged by his fellow pros for this feat. Most of the current top pros make this move and there are two basic reasons.
What is the function of the wrist in golf?
A golfer’s wrists act as a hinge between the arms and the golf club. Such a hinge can provide an advantage for moving the golf club faster, necessary for longer distance golf shots. How the wrists work in a golf swing is varied, dependent on the golfer’s grip style, joint mobility, and strength. The wrist joint has a wide range ...
What is the purpose of wrists in golf?
How should your wrists work in the golf swing and what are the consequences of improper wrist action? A golfer’s wrists act as a hinge between the arms and the golf club. Such a hinge can provide an advantage for moving the golf club faster, necessary for longer distance golf shots.
What happens to the wrists when the body turns forward?
Because the body motion is generally circular, the wrist will begin to unload through the impact zone. Ideally, at ball impact, the lead wrist will be fully uncocked while the trail wrist will be in the process ...
What is wrong with wrist action?
Improper wrist action can be categorized by faulty timing and rotation. Faulty timing is allowing or creating the unloading of the wrists too early or too late relative to ball impact. Too early will cause loss of power, increased loft, and typically fat or thin ball strikes.
Which direction do forearms rotate?
For right-handers, forearms rotated in a clockwise direction will create an open clubface orientation; forearms rotated in a counter-clockwise direction will create a closed clubface orientation. If either of these rotations occurs during the impact zone, the direction of the clubface can be altered from the intended target.
Do forearms stay passive?
Ideally, the forearms will remain passive through the impact zone while the wrists unload, producing generally straight golf shots. If you’d like to study with Ken Martin and other PGA Master Professionals, contact The College of Golf today. Back to Blog.
Proper Use of the Wrists
If you think that the wrist is not doing anything in a good backswing, you will need to think again. The wrists are actually an integrated part of the golf swing that contributes to a good or bad swing.
Troubleshooting Bad Wrist Action in the Golf Swing
A golf swing that exhibits poor wrist action during the downswing is very common. The good news is that it's usually fixable, but it needs to be fixed early if you want to keep the likelihood of injury at a minimum.
Drills to Improve your Wrist Action
First, let’s look at where the golf swing and power come from: the backswing and the transition to the downswing. In doing so, think of the wrist action as using less and less of the wrist action as you create more and more swing speed.