Trevor Ng
Hinging your wrists in golf is a fundamental concept that can help golfers generate more power and consistency in their shots. The wrists work as a link between the lead-arm lever and the club, storing up speed in the backswing and then releasing it in the downswing. This allows for increased clubhead speed in a full swing. The amount of hinge in the wrists during the backswing will impact the positioning of the club. The goal of a proper wrist hinge is to get the club into a square position at impact, and the wrists control the club face. There are different techniques for hinging the wrist, such as the Preset Wrist Hinge Drill, and the timing of the wrist hinge also varies depending on the player and the type of swing.
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What You'll Learn
Wrist hinge and clubface
The wrists play a crucial role in controlling the clubface and achieving power and consistency in your shots. The wrists work as a link between the lead-arm lever and the club, storing up speed in the backswing and then releasing it in the downswing.
The wrist hinge influences the positioning of the club at the top of the swing, which in turn affects the transition to the downswing and where the clubface is at impact. The goal of a proper wrist hinge is to ensure that, no matter how you take the club back, you can get your club into a square position at impact.
At setup, it’s normal for the lead wrist to be slightly cupped, but these angles need to change during the backswing. At the top of the swing, your lead wrist should be flatter and your wrists should have a controlled upward hinge, just enough, not too much. A good checkpoint is when the shaft is parallel to the ground, the club should point toward your target, and your wrists should feel set but not overdone.
The amount of hinge in your wrists during the backswing will have a significant impact on the positioning of the club. An early hinge, where the wrists begin setting by the time the club is parallel to the ground, often suits golfers with a more compact, rotational swing. A later hinge, where the wrists stay passive longer and only begin setting near the top, is favoured by many pros, including Tiger Woods, for added extension and fluidity.
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Timing of the wrist hinge
The timing of the wrist hinge is crucial in golf as it influences the positioning of the club at the top of the swing, which in turn affects the transition to the downswing and the resulting impact.
There are two main timing variations for the wrist hinge: early hinge and late hinge. An early hinge means that the wrists begin setting by the time the club is parallel to the ground. This suits golfers with a more compact, rotational swing and stronger players with good speed. It simplifies the motion and reduces the work needed to square the face, but it may limit overall swing length and power.
On the other hand, a late hinge means the wrists stay passive longer and only begin setting near the top of the swing. This pattern is favoured by many professional golfers, including Tiger Woods, as it adds extension and fluidity to the swing. It promotes a wider arc and a smoother transition, helping to generate speed through proper sequencing. However, it requires excellent timing, and the clubface must be squared early in the downswing.
The right timing for the wrist hinge can vary depending on the player, the type of swing, and the shot being played. It is important to find the right balance for your swing, as it will impact weight shift, clubhead speed, body rotation, and control over the clubface.
Some golfers prefer to let the wrist hinge happen naturally, focusing on maintaining their setup triangle (chest and arms) during the swing. Others like to use checkpoints, such as when the left arm is parallel to the ground or when the shaft is parallel to the ground, to ensure they are hinging their wrists at the right time.
Practising drills, such as the Preset Wrist Hinge Drill, and using tools like HackMotion, can help golfers improve their wrist hinge timing and positioning.
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Wrist cocking
The wrist hinge influences the positioning of the club at the top of the swing, which in turn affects the transition to the downswing and ultimately determines the clubface angle at impact. The clubface angle controls where the golf ball goes, so it is important to manage the wrist hinge in your golf game.
The amount of hinge in the wrists during the backswing will have a significant impact on the positioning of the club. An early hinge means the wrists begin setting by the time the club is parallel to the ground, which suits golfers with a more compact, rotational swing and can simplify the motion. A later hinge means the wrists stay passive longer and only begin setting near the top, which promotes a wider arc and smoother transition and helps generate speed through proper sequencing.
To achieve a proper wrist hinge, the angle between the left arm and the shaft should ideally be 90-100 degrees, providing an appropriate amount of wrist set to deliver speed and power into the ball. An earlier wrist set also gives more control. The trail wrist bends back on itself, with the knuckles on the right hand moving back towards the forearm, so the palm is almost facing the ground. The two wrist actions are slightly different due to the grip formation, but they combine to create a powerful position in the backswing.
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Wrist hinge and swing type
The wrist hinge is a fundamental concept in a golf swing that can help golfers generate more power and speed, as well as create a brilliant angle of attack. The wrists work as a link between the lead-arm lever and the club, storing up speed in the backswing and then releasing it in the downswing. This allows for increased clubhead speed in a full swing.
The proper wrist hinge in golf can vary depending on the player, the type of swing, and the shot being played. However, the wrists control the clubface, and a proper hinge leads to a square clubface at impact. The amount of hinge in the wrists during the backswing will significantly impact the positioning of the club. A good checkpoint is when the left arm is parallel to the ground, with an angle of 90-100 degrees between the arm and the shaft. This allows for an appropriate amount of wrist set to deliver speed and power into the ball.
There are two main types of wrist hinge timing: early hinge and late hinge. An early hinge suits golfers with a more compact, rotational swing and stronger players with good speed. It simplifies the motion and requires less work to square the face, but it may limit overall swing length and power. In an early hinge, the wrists begin setting by the time the club is parallel to the ground. A later hinge, on the other hand, is favored by many pros, including Tiger Woods, for added extension and fluidity. It promotes a wider arc and smoother transition, helping to generate speed through proper sequencing. However, it requires excellent timing, and the clubface must be squared early in the downswing.
To improve your wrist hinge, you can try the Preset Wrist Hinge Drill or the drill suggested by HackMotion. In the HackMotion drill, you take the club to the top of your swing and intentionally hinge your wrists too much, feeling the trail wrist overly bent and the lead wrist cupped. Then, reset and keep the lead wrist flat, limiting radial deviation to around 15 degrees. Alternate between the two positions to build awareness and improve your wrist hinge.
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Wrist hinge and grip pressure
The wrist hinge is a fundamental concept in the golf swing that helps golfers generate speed and power, as well as create a brilliant angle of attack. The wrists work as a link between the lead-arm lever and the club, storing up speed in the backswing and then releasing it in the downswing. This allows for increased clubhead speed in a full swing, leading to more power and consistency in shots.
The proper wrist hinge in golf can vary depending on the player, the type of golf swing, and the shot being played. However, the goal is to ensure that the clubface is in a square position at impact. The wrists control the clubface, and the amount of hinge in the wrists during the backswing will impact the positioning of the club. A good checkpoint is when the left arm is parallel to the ground, with an angle of 90-100 degrees between the left arm and the shaft. This allows for an appropriate amount of wrist set to deliver speed and power into the ball.
The timing of the wrist hinge is also important. An early hinge, where the wrists begin setting when the club is parallel to the ground, suits golfers with a more compact, rotational swing. It simplifies the motion and works well for stronger players with good speed. On the other hand, a later hinge, where the wrists stay passive longer and only begin setting near the top, is favoured by many pros for added extension and fluidity. It promotes a wider arc and smoother transition but requires excellent timing.
Grip pressure also plays a crucial role in wrist mechanics and swing. Gripping the club too loosely can lead to inconsistent ball contact, reduced power, and an early release where the wrists unhinge too soon in the downswing. On the other hand, gripping the club too tightly can restrict the natural release of the wrists. The correct grip pressure encourages a little waggle of the club, allowing the player to feel the weight of the club and ensuring proper wrist action in the swing.
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Frequently asked questions
The wrists work as a link between the lead-arm lever and the club, storing up speed in the backswing and then releasing it in the downswing.
The angle between the left arm and the shaft should ideally be 90-100˚, which is an appropriate amount of wrist set to deliver speed and power into the ball.
An early hinge suits golfers with a more compact, rotational swing, while a later hinge promotes a wider arc and smoother transition.
The goal of a proper wrist hinge is to get the club into a square position at impact, no matter how you take the club back.
The Preset Wrist Hinge Drill is one of the easiest ways to learn the proper wrist hinge move, and it is available in the HackMotion app.
