Miles Bennett
Wrist extension in golf is a crucial aspect of achieving powerful and consistent shots. The wrist position, including flexion and extension, directly influences the clubface angle and the direction of the golf shot. Extension occurs when the hand is pulled towards the forearm, opening the clubface, while flexion, or bowing, closes the clubface. Amateur golfers often struggle with slices and hooks due to excessive wrist extension in the backswing, highlighting the importance of understanding and controlling wrist action for improved performance.
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What You'll Learn
Wrist extension and flexion
Wrist Extension
When you pull your hand toward your forearm, your wrist is in extension mode, and the clubface responds by opening. This is sometimes referred to as "cupping" or "arching" the wrist. An open clubface at impact is caused by too much wrist extension in the lead wrist, which delays squaring it to the target. The trail wrist should gain extension in the downswing and keep it through impact, working in the opposite direction of the lead wrist to square the clubface.
Wrist Flexion
Wrist flexion occurs when you bow your wrist, and most elite players exhibit this move. The clubface responds by closing. More flexion, or "bowing," closes the clubface earlier and helps to square it to the target. The lead wrist is largely in flexion at impact, and the trail wrist should be in flexion at the top of the swing.
Improving Wrist Action
To improve wrist action, golfers can use drills and devices like the HackMotion wrist sensor to analyse their wrist movement. One drill involves mimicking the feel of throwing a shot put with the trail hand to train ulnar deviation and maintain wrist extension through impact. Another drill is to perform slow swings with different amounts of flexion and extension to feel the difference between a super shut face and a super open face.
Understanding the wrist extension and flexion movements in golf is key to controlling the clubface and improving the accuracy and power of your shots.
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Ulnar and radial deviation
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.
Radial and ulnar deviation can be thought of as cocking or uncocking the wrist. This movement is more side to side. When you cock your wrist, the thumb gets closer to your forearm; when you uncock, the pinky finger moves closer to your forearm. Radial deviation increases the wrist cock, whereas ulnar deviation decreases it.
Radial and ulnar deviation also affect the dynamic lie angle of the golf club. More radial deviation will result in a "toe up" club angle, while more ulnar deviation will result in a "toe down" club angle. This angle at impact will also affect the clubhead speed.
To improve your wrist position in golf, you can try drills with HackMotion feedback. One drill to train ulnar deviation is to mimic the feel of throwing a shot put with your trail hand while maintaining wrist extension through impact. Hold the club in your trail hand only and, at the bottom of the swing, push your palm outward as if throwing a shot put. Keep the wrist extended and lead with your body rotation.
The trail wrist is the golfer's dominant wrist and plays a crucial role in the golf swing. The trail wrist should gain extension in the downswing and keep it through impact. It works in the opposite direction of the lead wrist (the trail extends while the lead flexes) to square the clubface.
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The role of the trail wrist
The wrists play a vital role in a golfer's swing and have the largest influence on clubface control and presentation. The trail wrist, which is the dominant wrist for many golfers, works in opposition to the lead wrist. If you want more flexion in the lead wrist at impact, you'll need more extension in the trail wrist.
The trail wrist should gain extension in the downswing and keep it through impact. This lets you get more power and keep the clubface square. On average, professional golfers have 10-20 degrees more extension at impact than their address position. If the trail wrist is flat or flexed, you'll spend the downswing correcting the clubface rather than delivering the club with rotation, which often leads to timing issues and a loss of distance.
To set up the trail wrist correctly, it should be in a slightly cupped position at the top of the backswing, with the clubface square. Then, focus on rotating your chest toward the target while maintaining that extension. When you do this, the lower body can drive the downswing, the arms and club can follow naturally, and you'll be able to strike the ball with both speed and consistency.
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. If you struggle with trying to flex your lead wrist, then instead try to put your trail wrist in extension. This will put your lead wrist into flexion.
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The role of the lead wrist
The wrists play a crucial role in a golfer's swing and have the largest influence on clubface control and presentation. The lead wrist is the most common wrist to focus on, but the trail wrist is the dominant hand for many golfers. The wrists work opposite of each other, so if you want more flexion in the lead wrist at impact, you'll need more extension in the trail wrist.
The lead wrist is largely in flexion (slightly bowed with the wrist bone raised) and in supination (rotated so that the palm is pointing toward the sky). Everything before impact should lead to this situation. To train this movement, grip the club as if holding motorcycle handlebars and "rev the engine" by rotating your lead wrist down through impact. This helps train the proper wrist action for a square clubface and straighter shots.
To increase club head speed, more radial deviation through impact is best. Additional wrist supination will lead to a more out-to-in path; the opposite would create an in-to-out swing path. The golf swing has too many moving parts to find an exact number for flexion/extension or rotation through the ball. Instead, maintaining consistency and learning what that square clubface feels like will improve your game.
An open clubface at impact is caused by too much wrist extension in the lead wrist. This can be caused by flipping at impact because of a poor position at the top of the backswing. Adding too much extension to the lead wrist during the backswing from the setup to the top will open the clubface and delay squaring it to the target.
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Drills to improve wrist extension
Wrist extension in golf is when you pull your hand toward your forearm, causing the clubface to open. Mastering wrist extension and flexion is crucial for controlling the clubface and achieving straighter shots.
Slow swings
Start with controlled, slow swings, ensuring stability before increasing speed. Perform swings with varying degrees of wrist extension: one swing with a super shut face (tons of flexion), one with a super open face (tons of extension), and one with the amount of flexion you desire. This helps your body understand the difference between the two extremes and find the "sweet spot".
Hit Hard Stop Quick Drill
This drill helps golfers who flip through impact (early wrist extension) and lose power and consistency. All you need to focus on is stopping the club, and the rest of the wrist issues are fixed for you.
Towel drill
Place a small, folded towel about one grip-length behind the ball on the target line. Focus on striking the ball cleanly without hitting the towel. As you improve, gradually move the towel closer to the ball. This drill helps fix issues with an open clubface or flipping your wrists at impact.
"Motorcycle" drill
Grip the club as if holding motorcycle handlebars and “rev the engine” by rotating your lead wrist down through impact. This drill helps train the proper wrist action for a square clubface and straighter shots.
"Chopsticks" drill
Secure two alignment rods (or "chopsticks") at one end with a rubber band. Place them under your arms so they extend out in front, creating a channel for the putter shaft. Practice swinging the putter back and forth without a ball, feeling how the rods prevent excessive radial (up) or ulnar (down) wrist motion. Once comfortable, add a golf ball and roll putts, focusing on stable wrists.
HackMotion
Use the HackMotion wrist sensor to record data at setup, the top of the backswing, and impact. This technology helps you measure and analyze your wrist action, allowing you to make adjustments for more consistent and accurate shots.
Remember, the wrists work opposite of each other. If you want more flexion in the lead wrist at impact, you need more extension in the trail wrist, and vice versa. Experimenting with both wrists will help you achieve quicker results.
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Frequently asked questions
Wrist extension in golf refers to the movement of pulling your hand toward your forearm, which opens the face of your golf club.
Wrist extension opens the clubface, while wrist flexion closes it.
The trail wrist and lead wrist work in opposite directions. The trail wrist extends while the lead wrist flexes to square the clubface.
Having the correct wrist extension during your swing is critical for controlling the clubface and hitting straighter shots. Too much wrist extension can cause an open clubface at impact, resulting in slices or pulls.
Yes, one drill is to mimic the action of throwing a shot put with your trail hand to train ulnar deviation and maintain wrist extension through impact. Another drill is to do slow swings with varying amounts of extension to feel the difference between a super shut face and a super open face.
