Straight Left Wrist

[jbm2862]

I know that the left wrist should be straight at the top of the backswing but I am having trouble achieving this position. To really get my left wrist straight at the top, I have to really flatten out my swing plane and really lays the club off at the top. I cock my wrists on the way up but this seems to cock both wrists and cups the left one. When I watch pro golfers swing it seems that they always keep the left wrist straight at the top and dont have to flatten their plane at at all. Can anyone let me know how to acheive this position and also what happens when the left wrist is cupped at the top?

[shootin4par]

Re: Straight Left Wrist

cup your right wrist before you cock the left one

[Simon Woo]

Re: Straight Left Wrist

I had a big problem with this when I was overdoing the right wrist cock. (Qualifier : my fault) When I went through Greg's right hand drill, I focused so much on the right wrist cock, so much so that whenever I did it, it caused a left wrist cup. On hindsight, I think overdoing the right wrist cock took out the more important (IMHO) right wrist cup.

I hope this makes sense :P

[jbm2862]

Re: Straight Left Wrist

At what point in the backswing do you cup the right wrist?

[shootin4par]

Re: Straight Left Wrist

At what point in the backswing do you cup the right wrist?

during the first move back

[jbm2862]

Re: Straight Left Wrist

I've been taking practice swings at home with a mirror trying to cup the right wrist on the first move of the backswing, but at the top the left wrist is still somewhat cupped. The left wrist only straightens out with a flat backswing or by have the club really laid off at the top. Could someone tell me what I'm doing wrong?

[Simon Woo]

Re: Straight Left Wrist

Shootin, is this an example of a late wrist cup?

http://www.golfdigest.com/instructio...507goosen.html

[Timothy Slaught]

Re: Straight Left Wrist

Hello:

The flat (straight as you say) left wrist position at the top is not an imperative but if you have to much cupping or bowing of the left wrist then there will be some serious issues. Most pros find the flat position so you know it is probably a good one to strive for.

The best way to describe the feel is to have the right wrist as if you were holding a waiters tray at the top of the backswing. Obviously you would not be able to support a heavy tray if your right wrist was not flexed into a relatively flat hand position (Palm facing the sky). It is the same with the grip and shaft of the club at the top. The right hand should be supporting it in that same position. You will have cocked both wrists to get in this position and the left wrist will be relatively flat. It also tends to keep your arms on a good plane if you focus on the correct wrist set.

I used to struggle with this because at set-up with a good solid neutral grip, both my wrists were slightly cupped. I knew that to get the left wrist flat at the top, that there must be something going on in the wrist motion other than just cocking it up in the backswing. You are actually cocking the wrists as well as cupping ( I focused on this feel because it seemed easy to control) the right wrist to that waiters position.

One popular training aid for this is the swing glove which has the plastic hinge built in the glove. As the instructions for this product state, at set up with the glove on and a correct grip, you will feel the upper portion of the hinge pressing against the back of the hand. This is due to the cupping position that is found in both wrists at set-up which is natural. However when you begin the back swing the glove forces the position mentioned above where it straightens the left wrist and increased the cupping of the right wrist from the set-up position. Add to it the cocking up which the hinge allows and bingo you have your flat left wrist at the top. It is important to maintain a light grip pressure to allow this to happen with or without the swing glove.

The advantage to this is during the downswing, you basically release the club with the rotation of the body and a simple downcocking of the wrists. Think of this as releasing the thumbs down toward the ball as you unwind your body. You need to correct body rotation and open hips at impact but the release will be consistent and you will not be swatting which as we all know is not good.

[jbm2862]

Re: Straight Left Wrist

I just dont see how it is possible to both cock up and cup the right wrist and still keep a flat left wrist. I understand the waiter's position, but to do that, I feel as though i get to the top of the back swing and then and then flex my right wrist downwards.

[shootin4par]

Re: Straight Left Wrist

I just dont see how it is possible to both cock up and cup the right wrist and still keep a flat left wrist. I understand the waiter's position, but to do that, I feel as though i get to the top of the back swing and then and then flex my right wrist downwards.

by cupping the right wrist you flatten the left. You do not consciously cock the RIGHT wrist. in the backswing the right has the job of cupping and flattening out the left. The left has the job of cocking, and in turn it will cock the right a little.

SIMON, SORRY for missing your post. at arms parallel his right wrist is cupped some, kind of medium but notice how his left wrist is not cocked at all? if his right wrist was not cupped at all he would be PERFECTLY straight with his left arm and club at parrallel,

[lgskywalker37]

Re: Straight Left Wrist

if you have a stron grip, your cupping and cocking is a compeltey different motion (that is why i prefer a neural grip) if your grip is strong, from adress, to move your club strair up you would be cupping the right wrist and bending the left wrist up. with neutral to move the club up and down you just cok and uncock wrists. and with strong drip your left hand cupping motion is now the cocking. i could be wrong, i don't really konw too much about strong grips, that is just what it seems to me

so i am not sure how to get a flat wrist up top exept to have a neutral grip.

[Simon Woo]

Re: Straight Left Wrist

No worries shootin. I ask that question because I am current cupping way earlier than that, and I hope it's not wrong. Definitely there's an opposite relation between an early cup and the feeling of width. But personally, I would rather go for the early cup than the feeling of huge width, because my swing is more consistent and impact is better with no sacrifice in distance so far. I think a big reason for is that I set the wrists earlier, then just use the body to complete the backswing. If I set the wrists any later, at the top they tend to do some very funny things on their own :P

jbm, I went through this issue too - focused too much on cocking the right wrist, and it got me nowhere. So now I just focus on cupping it and trying very hard to keep it cupped. As for left wrist cock, I think this comes very naturally in the backswing so I don't give it any thought at all.

My only swing thought going back now is to keep left hand straight, cup right wrist, and stop wrists from any further movements.

[shootin4par]

Re: Straight Left Wrist

No worries shootin. I ask that question because I am current cupping way earlier than that, and I hope it's not wrong. Definitely there's an opposite relation between an early cup and the feeling of width. But personally, I would rather go for the early cup than the feeling of huge width, because my swing is more consistent and impact is better with no sacrifice in distance so far. I think a big reason for is that I set the wrists earlier, then just use the body to complete the backswing. If I set the wrists any later, at the top they tend to do some very funny things on their own :P
.

people get confused about width, width is determined by how far the hands are away from the body, particularly how far the rear arm is away. Also, go look at ernie els, he has width and he cups very early, you shoud see it in his second picture from a face on view.

[Simon Woo]

Re: Straight Left Wrist

Roger that. I get much better contact when I don't try to swing with such a wide arc, but just get the wrists nicely set early and complete the shoulder rotation.