Golf Swing’s Wrist Action

The Golf Swing’s Wrist Action

The wrist motion in the golf swing is critical not only for the direction and distance of a shot, but also for both.

A player may have trouble doing what the game asks if they don’t use their wrists properly; to get the ball into the hole.

However, the wrist hinge isn’t anything we spend a lot of time thinking about.

It’s an unconscious movement that happens as we rotate our forearms through the impact zone.

The goal is to keep the wrists firm, but not locked, throughout the golf swing.

A relaxed grip will also promote wrist hinge and help you to release the clubhead properly.

However, it is a critical component of the swing that, if properly executed, may significantly improve your golf shot.

So, in this article, we’ll delve a bit further into wrist necessities.

Using Your Wrists in the Right Way

Before starting, we must recognize that there are 2 separate wrists we will be discussing.

• The left wrist is known as the front wrist for right-handed players.
• The Back Wrist in racket sports is the right wrist for a left-handed player.

You’ll see that there are 3 distinct hinge positions I’ll discuss in this post.

• Cupping is the first and most widespread form of Thai massage. It involves creating a cup-like structure with the back of the forearm and hand, with the bottom of the “cup” being the wrist crease.
• A bent posture follows. When the palm of the hand wrinkles in towards the arm, forming a bump or bow on the wrist, it’s termed a bowed wrist.
• The final hinging position is side to side, in which the palm of the hand moves alongside while the back of the wrist stays flat.

The wrists stay relatively flat at the start of a swing. The amount of hinge on your wrist is determined by the distance between your wrist and hand. Keep your wrist flat at the address position to get yourself in a good place to start the swing correctly.

As the swing gets underway, the wrist on the back side begins to hinge little by little. Rather than bending, it adopts a cupping motion.

When the hands reach waist-high, the front wrist remains relatively flat. The majority of the wrist hinge is still in the back wrists until just before the waist-high point.

The front wrist starts to hinge in a side motion (wrist cock) away from the target as soon as the hands reach waist-high.

The wrist hinge is most apparent in the downswing, when we reach the top of the backswing. There are three distinct subgroups that utilize this technique at this time. Then, cupped, bowed, and flat will be discussed.

1. Flat Wrist Left

Assuming a right-handed golfer, a flat left wrist would be one where the left wrist is relatively flat at the top of the backswing. This type of wrist position is often considered ideal, as it allows for a more consistent swing and better contact with the ball.

There are a few ways to achieve a flat left wrist at the top of the backswing. One is to simply keep your grip pressure light throughout the swing. This will promote a natural wrist hinge and help you to achieve a flat left wrist at the top.

Another way to achieve a flat left wrist is by using an exaggerated shoulder turn. This will help you to keep your wrists in a good position as you swing and promote a more consistent swing.

2. Bowed Wrist Left

A bowed left wrist is one where the left wrist is bent forward at the top of the backswing. This can be caused by several factors, such as gripping the club too tightly or using too much wrist in the backswing.

A bowed left wrist can also be caused by an incorrect shoulder turn. If your shoulders don’t turn correctly, it can put your wrists in a bad position and cause them to bow.

3. Cupped Wrist Left

A cupped left wrist is one where the left wrist is bent backward at the top of the backswing. This is often caused by an incorrect grip, such as gripping the club too tightly or using too much hand in the backswing.

A cupped left wrist can also be caused by an incorrect shoulder turn. If your shoulders don’t turn correctly, it can put your wrists in a bad position and cause them to cup.

The Best Wrist Positions

All of this is to say that, if you’re still having trouble with your swing, I recommend concentrating on the flat position for a while. If you want to progress to a more tough swing, go through the others one by one after you have mastered the earlier.

Whatever position you select, it’s critical to maintain the back of the front wrist and the club face’s angle fairly parallel. If your grip is too weak, the club will face open and you’ll come over the top. If your grip is too strong, the club will close and you’ll slice it.

To ensure that you have a good grip, I recommend using an interlocking grip or an overlap grip. The interlocking grip is where the pinky finger on the leading hand interlocks with the index finger on the other hand. The overlap grip is where the pinky finger on the leading hand overlaps the index finger on the other hand.

Both of these grips will help you to maintain a good grip on the club and promote a more consistent swing. I prefer the interlocking grip, but it’s really a matter of personal preference.

Experiment with both and see which one feels better for you.

The wrists should be released

One of the most important aspects of releasing the wrists is to do so in a controlled manner. You don’t want to just let go of them and let them fly all over the place. This will not only lead to inconsistent shots, but it can also be dangerous.

Instead, you want to release the wrists gradually and in a controlled manner. This will help you to maintain a more consistent swing and produce better shots.

There are a few drills that you can do to help you with this. One is to grip the club with your left hand only and make swings without using your right hand. This will help you to get a feel for how the wrists should release in a controlled manner.

Another drill is to place your left hand on your right forearm and make swings without using your left hand. This will help you to get a feel for how the wrists should release in a controlled manner.

Once you have a feel for how the wrists should release, you can start to use both hands again. However, it’s important to still concentrate on releasing them in a controlled manner.

If you find that you are still having trouble with this, I recommend seeking out the help of a qualified golf instructor. They will be able to give you further instruction and help you to correct any problems that you may be having.

Golf swing troubleshooting: Is my Wrist Movement Affected?

It’s all too easy to make errors in the wrist action when there are so many moving parts, as well as angles, hinging, and lagging . Don’t give up yet. You’ll never forget the sensation you get when you’ve found it.

1. Setting of wrists too early:

The wrist action in golf is one of the most important aspects of the game. Setting the wrists too soon, however, is the first mistake that golfers make with their wrist movement. This indicates that they bend and position their wrists too soon after the start of the golf swing. As a result, the club is brought too far inside and around the body, which makes it difficult to hit the ball squarely.

There’s no need to hurry the wrists into position above the swing. Until then, they don’t have to be armed and ready. I frequently encounter golfers who have fully cocked wrists at their waist-high stance. This is incorrect. The wrists should be in a neutral position until the golf swing reaches the top.

2. Let go of their wrists too soon:

The wrists should not be released too soon by novice golfers.

As a result, as soon as possible after the completion of the backswing, you should maintain your wrist angle as long as feasible to maximize club head speed. Releasing the wrists too early causes the club head to approach the ball from an inside path, resulting in a weak slice or pull.

3. Cutting too late into the wrist:

Releasing wrists too late causes the club head to approach the ball from an outside path, resulting in a push or hook.

The final mistake is to allow the wrists to prematurely release. As I previously stated, in order to produce club head speed, it’s critical to lag the club head behind the hands. When the wrists release too early, it eliminates this lag and causes the club head to approach the ball from an inside path. This will result in a weak slice or pull.

Drills To Enhance Your Wrist Action

As I mentioned at the outset, obtaining the correct wrist posture might be tough because you cannot see your wrists for the majority of the golf swing.

Let me teach you three wrist-stretching exercises that can tell you whether or not your wrists are in the proper alignment and, if they are not, how to get there fast.

Impact Bag Drill:

The Impact Bag Drill is a great way to improve your wrist action and to correct any problems that you may be having. To perform this drill, you will need an impact bag and a club.

1. Place the impact bag on the ground in front of you.
2. Grip the club with your left hand only and make a backswing.
3. As you reach the top of your backswing, allow your left wrist to hinge so that the club points directly at the bag.
4. From this position, make a downswing and hit the bag with the club.
5. Repeat this drill until you feel comfortable with the movement.

Wrist Hinge Drill:

The Wrist Hinge Drill is another great way to improve your wrist action and to correct any problems that you may be having. To perform this drill, you will need a club and a golf ball.

1. Take your stance and grip the club with your left hand only.
2. Make a backswing and, as you reach the top of your backswing, allow your left wrist to hinge so that the club points directly at the golf ball.
3. From this position, make a downswing and hit the golf ball.
4. Repeat this drill until you feel comfortable with the movement.

To keep the drill flat, hold the front ruler on the back of your hand:

Finally, a rubber band and a little ruler are needed for the last exercise.

1. Enfold the rubber band around your left hand just below your thumb. This will be your guide for positioning the ruler.
2. Place the ruler on the back of your left wrist so that it is parallel to the ground.
3. Take your stance and make a backswing. As you reach the top of your backswing, allow your left wrist to hinge so that the club points directly at the golf ball.

These are three great drills that you can use to improve your wrist action and to correct any problems that you may be having. Remember, it is important to keep your wrists in the correct position throughout the entire golf swing. If you have any problems with your wrist action, make sure to consult a professional golf instructor.

Conclusion

So, if you follow these comprehensive guidelines above, the golf swing’s wrist action can really assist you to hit the ball further, on-line, and more solidly. Remember, a good golf swing starts with the wrists. So, be sure to keep them in the proper position throughout your entire golf swing! Thanks for reading and I hope this article has helped you out.

I hope this article has helped you to understand the wrist hinge and how it can help your game. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below. I will be happy to answer them as best I can. Thanks for reading!