The Wrists May Be the Cause of Your Contact Problems
The relationship between wrists and posture by JOSH APPLE , PGA
critical aspect of the golf swing is the relationship between wrists and posture , and yet it isn ’ t heavily discussed . Changes in wrist angles will have a major impact on the overall posture of the body , which ultimately influences heavy or thin contact .
Let ’ s start with the setup . If you tend to be further away from the ball than average , then you will likely have wrists that are more “ hinged up ” and a body that is in a lower posture . If you tend to be closer to the ball than average then you will have wrists that are more “ hinged down ” and a body that is in a taller posture . If you were to stand up tall and also “ hinge up ” with the wrists , then the club would not reach the ground .
If this concept is true in setup , then it is also true during the motion of the swing .
Now let ’ s talk the golf swing . If you are a “ caster ” of the golf club in the downswing , meaning you tend to throw the clubhead early with the wrists , then you have essentially “ hinged down .” This particular wrist action makes the golf club longer . If you have made the golf club longer , then you need to have tall posture . Thus , a caster needs to stand up taller during the swing to make room for the longer golf club .
Have you ever been told you “ lifted your head ” during the swing ? Many golfers who “ lift their head ” are doing so as a necessary reaction to the wrong wrist pattern in the swing .
On the other hand , if you are someone who does a good job holding wrist angles in the downswing , often referred to as “ lag ,” then your wrists are more “ hinged up ” on the approach to the ball . Just like in setup , wrists that are “ hinged up ” require a lower body position for the ideal contact .
HINGED UP = Thumbs pointed more up to the sky HINGED DOWN = Thumbs pointed more down to the ground
The best players in the world create lag in the downswing , which shortens the golf club . If the club is shortened , then the body posture needs to get lower . This is the reason nearly every tour player gets lower with the upper body during the downswing .
Casting and loss of posture are two common topics in the golf instruction world . But they aren ’ t grouped together enough . If casting occurs , which is a wrist problem , then loss of posture must also occur to make room for the lengthened golf club .
The most extreme example of getting lower in the downswing is Chilean tour pro Joaquin Niemann . He does an incredible job of maintaining wrist angles , which shortens the club , allowing his upper body to properly work down to the ground without fear of a heavy result . Not all tour players drop as much as Niemann of course , but if you analyze tour swings you will see a downswing drop of varying degrees . This is not possible without the appropriate wrist mechanics .
The casting fix . If you are a caster , then you are throwing the clubhead toward the ground too early in the downswing . Most casters also set the club too late in the backswing with the wrists , essentially dumping the club behind their head .
Instead , you need an earlier set of the wrists in the backswing with stable wrists at the top of the swing . Once you have stable wrists at the top , you want to then pull the handle of the club first in transition , keeping the clubhead high and behind your body as long as possible . The clubhead should not “ release ” until the bottom of the swing arc .
NOTE : The downswing drop refers to the upper body only getting lower , called “ side bend .” If you are a right-handed golfer , you will have side bend on the right side of your body , similar to doing a side crunch . Be sure the drop does not come from the lower body , as it is not a squat and the lead leg remains straight ( left leg for a right-handed golfer ).
38 V IRGINIA G OLFER | J ANUARY / F EBRUARY 2023
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