Miles Bennett
The wrist plays a vital role in golfing techniques, and golfers are always looking for ways to improve their wrist set to optimise their swing and achieve greater control over the clubface. The wrist position changes throughout the swing, so it must be correct at the setup and at the top of the backswing to have the best chance for a square and solid impact. The wrists move in three ways: extension/flexion, radial deviation/ulnar deviation, and pronation/supination. Flexion and extension in the wrists are most critical for learning to control the clubface and hit straighter shots. One can use tools like the HackMotion wrist sensor to measure and analyse wrist action in golf.
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What You'll Learn
Wrist set and consistency
The correct wrist set is central to achieving an effective swing. Initiating wrist movement early in the swing, driving the club handle down, helps maintain a level path. Setting the wrists early ensures proper body alignment and enhances control over the clubface. However, an early wrist hinge may not suit all golfers, as it can reduce the extension and length of the swing.
Golfers can also opt for a late wrist set. This creates extension in the arms throughout the swing and is used by many professionals. With a late wrist hinge, the wrists don't hinge until the top of the swing. This requires working hard to square the clubface early on the downswing.
Consistency in golf swings can be achieved through understanding wrist mechanics and hand action. While some advocate for a twisting and rotating hand motion, others suggest a controlled, non-twisting hand action for better ball control. Additionally, the lead wrist should be slightly flexed (palm down/cupped) during the backswing, allowing both arms to move naturally and positioning them for the downswing.
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Wrist mechanics and control
The wrists play a vital role in achieving a powerful and consistent golf swing. They are capable of three sets of distinct movements: extension/flexion, radial deviation/ulnar deviation, and pronation/supination.
Flexion and extension in the wrists are critical for controlling the clubface and hitting straighter shots. When the wrist is in extension mode, you pull your hand toward your forearm, causing the clubface to open. Conversely, flexion occurs when you bow your wrist, which causes the clubface to close.
Radial and ulnar deviation can be understood as cocking or uncocking of the wrist. When you cock your wrist, the thumb gets closer to your forearm, and when you uncock, the pinky finger moves closer. Radial deviation increases the wrist cock, while ulnar deviation decreases it, and this is where power is generated.
The third key movement is wrist rotation, or pronation and supination, which involves turning the entire wrist. At impact, the lead wrist is typically in flexion (slightly bowed with the wrist bone raised) and in supination (palm pointing towards the sky).
The timing of the wrist hinge is also important. Hinging your wrists early in the swing can help create a compact swing with a lot of pivoting and body rotation. However, it may result in a lack of extension and length. On the other hand, hinging late, like many professional golfers, can create extension in the arms throughout the swing.
To optimise your wrist mechanics and control, it's essential to understand these wrist movements and their impact on the clubface.
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Wrist hinge and power
The wrists play a crucial role in a golfer's swing and overall performance. The wrists move in three ways: extension/flexion, radial deviation/ulnar deviation, and pronation/supination. Flexion and extension in the wrists are critical for controlling the clubface and achieving straighter shots.
The wrist hinge is a fundamental concept in golf that helps generate speed, power, and a brilliant angle of attack. It increases leverage, allowing for a more powerful swing. The wrist hinge also affects the swing plane, trajectory, and direction. A consistent wrist hinge improves rhythm, flow, and consistency in the swing.
Golfers can choose between an early wrist hinge and a late wrist hinge. The early wrist hinge involves setting the wrist angle early in the swing, which can increase clubhead speed. However, it may result in a lack of extension and length in the swing, impacting overall power. Stronger players with better speed often benefit from the early hinge method.
On the other hand, the late wrist hinge is employed by many professional golfers, including Tiger Woods. With this technique, the wrists don't hinge until the top of the swing, creating extension in the arms throughout. This method can provide more power for golfers with less strength and torque.
To optimize wrist mechanics, golfers can use tools like the HackMotion wrist sensor to measure and analyze their wrist angles and positions during the swing. This technology helps identify issues with wrist positioning and hinge, allowing for targeted improvements.
By understanding the mechanics of the wrist hinge and choosing the appropriate timing, golfers can improve their power, consistency, and overall performance on the green.
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Wrist movement and clubface
The wrists play a vital role in golf and have the largest influence on clubface control and presentation. The wrists move in three ways: extension/flexion, radial deviation/ulnar deviation, and pronation/supination. Flexion and extension in the wrists are the most critical for learning to control the clubface and hit straighter shots.
The wrist position changes throughout the swing, so it must be correct at setup and at the top of the backswing to have the best chance for a square and solid impact. The lead wrist is largely in flexion (slightly bowed with the wrist bone raised) and in supination (palm pointing towards the sky) at impact.
The correct wrist set is central to achieving an effective swing. Initiating wrist movement early in the swing, driving the club handle down, helps maintain a level path. Setting the wrists early ensures proper body alignment and enhances the ability to control the clubface throughout the swing.
An early wrist hinge is not the answer for everyone. With the early hinge, when you get to the top of the swing, you will have less work to do to rotate the clubface to a square position for impact. Many players like this early hinge because they can just turn their way through impact. However, the problem with the early wrist hinge is the lack of extension and length it creates in the golf swing.
Hinging late is something that many golf professionals do to create extension in their arms throughout the swing. With the late hinge, your wrists don't hinge until you get to the top of your swing. One interesting thing about professional golfers is that they work very hard to square that clubface up as soon as possible on the downswing.
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Wrist set and body alignment
The wrists move in three ways: extension/flexion, radial deviation/ulnar deviation, and pronation/supination. Flexion and extension in the wrists are most critical for learning to control the clubface and hit straighter shots. The wrist position changes throughout the swing and must be correct at setup and at the top of the backswing to have the best chance for a square and solid impact.
The grip is one of the most important things to focus on at setup. If the hands are not on the club properly from the start, the chance of getting your wrists into the right position throughout the swing is significantly reduced. Grip the club in the fingers of your hand. If the club is too much in the palms, wrist action is challenging to feel and keeps you from getting the wrist angles that could generate the most power.
The correct wrist set is central to achieving an effective swing. Mike Malaska, for example, highlights the significance of initiating wrist movement early in the swing, driving the club handle down to maintain a level path. By setting the wrists early, golfers can ensure proper body alignment and enhance their ability to control the clubface throughout the swing.
Mastering the art of wrist set requires focused practice and attention to detail. By refining hand action and wrist movement, golfers can enhance their swing mechanics and improve overall performance on the course. A flat left wrist at the top of the swing provides stability and power, facilitating a more explosive impact with the ball. Conversely, a cupped wrist can lead to inconsistency and loss of control over the clubface.
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Frequently asked questions
The wrist set is the position of the wrists during a golf swing. The wrists move in three ways: extension/flexion, radial deviation/ulnar deviation, and pronation/supination.
The wrists play a vital role in controlling the clubface and presentation. Understanding the wrist set can help golfers struggling with consistency in their golf swing.
The wrist set can impact the overall power and speed of your golf swing. An early wrist set can create a wider swing, while a late wrist set can allow golfers to take advantage of their rotation.
An early wrist set involves hinging the wrists early in the golf swing, which creates a compact swing with a lot of pivoting and body rotation. This method is preferred by stronger players with better speed.
A late wrist set involves hinging the wrists later in the golf swing, which creates extension in the arms. Many golf professionals, such as Tiger Woods, use this method to generate power with proper timing, consistency, and descent angle.
