This week I would like to focus on what I believe to be the single most important aspect of the golf swing that we all must learn and constantly evaluate. One of my current students, Autumn Reid, who is just learning the game is our featured golfer this week. This is Autumn’s first year and one of the keys we are working on is the setting or “cocking” of her wrists at the top of her swing. The picture of Autumn at the top of her swing shows the proper position, however, we are still working on a straighter left arm. I have seen just about every type of swing and body type there is and taught players of all levels. I have come to the conclusion, especially for beginners, that the most critical feature of the golf swing that must be addressed and learned to have any success at this game… is the cocking and uncocking of the wrists. This is also one of the basic fundamentals I stress with young junior golfers as they get started.
IT’S ALL IN THE WRISTS!
It doesn’t matter what shot you are playing, it could be a chip, iron or drive the wrists play a vital role in making the shot a success. Of course there are many other parts of the swing ie: grip, posture, weight transfer, spine angle, swing plane that are important but without the proper use of the wrists you will never be able to hit a ball properly.
The uncocking of the wrists at impact is your number one source for power! How well you can do this will greatly determine how far you can hit a ball and whether you hit it straight, hook or slice. There can be several reasons why people slice the ball but the most common reason is the uncocking of the wrists too early on the down swing causing a “casting” of the club resulting in a swing that cuts across the ball…creating the side spin that makes your ball “slice”!
For now though, I would like to focus on the wrist cock at the top of the swing. This is where most problems begin. We will address the uncocking or release of the club later. For some reason, those new to the game have a tough time getting the wrists properly cocked at the top which holds them back from hitting with power and accuracy.
PROPER WRISTS AT THE TOP
- A proper wrist cock at the top should have the left arm and the back of the left hand forming a straight line as we see with Autumn. As Autumn takes the club further back the club will point to the target and be on plane.
- The most common error I see is the wrist not cocked at all but “layed off” with the club pointing way to the left at the top. No power here and very prone to slicing.
- A less common error is a “cupping” of the wrist at the top with the club pointing to the right. This is a powerful move but often results in hooks or a straight push. A flying right elbow can contribute to this fault.
- Finally, there’s the short back swing with no or very little cocking of the wrists. People who do this generally have quick swings and are afraid of feeling a loss of control of the club. The result is usually a slice and loss of power.
Check on your wrist position by using a mirror or ask a friend to take a look. Repeat getting into the proper position with your wrists at the top of your swing. The more you do that you will make it repeatable and eventually feel natural.
Setting of the wrists properly at the top of the swing is your first step…. to playing YOUR best golf!
