Not releasing wrists?

[SwinginCaveman]

This seems to be a common problem and I suffer from it as well. I make a good swing up until impact. I tend to keep the top of my left hand facing the ground (left handed) which produces a push to the left. When I try to compensate, I end up releasing too early and pull a low-liner to the right.

Anyone have a good drill or tip on how to release my wrists at impact? I read that you should feel like you're slapping the ball with your left hand, but I haven't had a chance to try that yet.

Thanks in advance!

[murdock_]

+1 a problem for me as well sometimes... not consistent

[geezer]

Try this video: HERE . I think this is the right one, if not tell me. Ringers' instructional videos are the best!

Unfortunatly I can't check if this link is working or not; The computer I'm on has something or other turned off, way too technical for me.

[Avid Golfer]

This seems to be a common problem and I suffer from it as well. I make a good swing up until impact. I tend to keep the top of my left hand facing the ground (left handed) which produces a push to the left. When I try to compensate, I end up releasing too early and pull a low-liner to the right.

For most people releasing the wrists is an automatic action. If you try to physically make a movement in your swing you'll probably loose what consistency you have. I'd look to your grip first for a probable cause of your ball finishing off your target. If you can provide a picture of your grip that would be an easy way to confirm, deny, and/or help you if your grip is the issue. If that is not easy for you to do perhaps you could discribe your grip to us:

where do you hold the club in your hands? where do the v's formed by your thumbs and index finger point? how many knuckles do you see on each hand? A drill that is sometimes useful to determine what grip may be good for your swing is to setup as normal, make a swing and stop at impact. Where is your clubface pointed at impact? If it isn't square to your target loosen your grip slightly (while staying in your impact position) so that you can use your fingers to slowly roll the club in your hands until the clubface is square to the target (you're moving the club not your hands). Then firm up your pressure back to normal to hold the club stable. Now without taking your hands off the club move into a setup position. Look at how your grip looks and your arms hang (probably pretty different). Hit shots with your new grip and see if your shots finish closer to your target.

[rudygu]

This seems to be a common problem and I suffer from it as well. I make a good swing up until impact. I tend to keep the top of my left hand facing the ground (left handed) which produces a push to the left. When I try to compensate, I end up releasing too early and pull a low-liner to the right.

This is something I have (and still do sometimes) struggled with too. I find that the most common cause is that I'm gripping the club too tightly. It leads to me trying to manipulate the clubface at impact...this usually means anything from a shank to a pull hook. When I'm hitting the ball the most solidly, it almost feels like I'm not releasing (compared to how it feels when I try to force it).

Try gripping the club just tightly enough so that it won't twist in your hands and focus on a smooth swing tempo... all the way to a full finish. Don't focus on intentionally releasing your wrists.

[SwinginCaveman]

One of the problems I know I have is that I grip the club too tightly. I'm always afraid I'm gonna let go of it and send it 20 yards down the fairway. I guess I just have to trust myself to hold onto the club; one of those many things that are easier said than done.

As for my grip, it shouldn't be the problem. To practice, I put a tee in between the thumb and index finger on both hands and grip the club. The tees should be in a vertical line. If they're diagonal then there's something wrong with my grip. I've found this to be a good benchmark on my grip and it's worked pretty well.

I know that during the swing I focus on releasing the club which is probably a cause of it too. That's always the last thought in my head before impact and that's when I get the low liner off to the right.

So really, I should just loosen the grip and loosen up in general and just let it flow, right? It makes sense. The more you're thinking about the greater chances of a mishit.

Anyone else have any suggestions?

[rudygu]

I know that during the swing I focus on releasing the club which is probably a cause of it too. That's always the last thought in my head before impact and that's when I get the low liner off to the right.

I try to always make swinging to a full finish my last thought before starting a full swing.

If you think about it, if you finish the swing, your wrists have to release (unless you have some other serious swing flaws). Gripping the club too tightly introduces excess tension into the wrists and forearms, effectively delaying this release.

[SwinginCaveman]

I try to always make swinging to a full finish my last thought before starting a full swing.

I always make a full swing, it's just a delayed release, like you said. I was a baseball player for a long time and always used to holding my wrists through impact and gripping fairly tightly. It's just a transition that I'm going to have to make.

Well, I guess it's on to the range! Oh....wait....there's 2 feet of snow on the ground.

[beung]

When they say release the wrist they mean it is a rotational release not a hinge type release. What I mean by that is the angle between the back of the left hand and to the top of your forearm does not change very much during the swing, it stays pretty flat.

To visualize what you should be doing take your left hand and stick your thumb up. Now cup the back of your wrist, that is not what should be happening during impact. Instead with your thumb up again rotate your the thumb up and down basically at your elbow, think of the Roman time when a Gladiator's life was determined by a thumb up or thumb down.

If you want to see the good close-up go to Nikegolf.com, go to the Experience section and click the Swing Portrait. There is a close up of Tiger's hands, it shows how he rotates his left hand through impact not flips and cups his wrists.