Wrist Hinge

[Natty LA]

So I have always wondered how wrist hinge, or I should why wrist hinge was so important in the back swing.  The more I think about it I really wonder if it’s important at all.  Your wrist hinges in a radial/ulnar plane.  But the ball is struck in a flexion/extension plane.  All the power is from the body and maintaining as much width as possible.  Does that make sense to anyone?  If someone can explain to me why the hinging is needed I would appreciate it.  It wound seem to me the swing could be much easier without that added rotational movement.

[bweiss711]

Welcome to the site. 

As you can see by my handicap, I'm certainly no expert on the golf swing, but I found this video on YouTube, and keep coming back to it.  Its a pretty good explanation on what wrist hinge is and isn't.  I think the first 5 minutes or so do a pretty good job of showing what you're asking about.  I interpret his basic take on wrist set in the backswing is if you're thinking about it, you're probably doing something wrong.  Hope it helps.

 

 

[Esox]

Geez...... I dont know. My swing keys are to keep my armpits closed and turn my shoulders, and the hips will follow, let everything fold naturally  (yet the back leg naturally straightens). Then let it reverse, unfold then refold the other side all the way through till your hands are over your lead shoulder. Nice and smooth... But in actuality for me it results in a great lower body action and late release of the hands (wrists) through the ball, and a full follow through. Not to get into the nuances of flighting or working the ball.

[iacas]

@Natty LA, what you said would be true… if we didn’t rotate the forearms during the backswing. They do rotate, which orients the wrist hinge along the plane.

And the wrist hinge allows the clubhead to move farther. Wrist hinge adds another lever to the swing, and thus a source of power, and somewhat importantly, moves the CG closer to the hands, which allows us to swing faster (the radius is smaller).

[boogielicious]

12 hours ago, iacas said:

@Natty LA, what you said would be true… if we didn’t rotate the forearms during the backswing. They do rotate, which orients the wrist hinge along the plane.

And the wrist hinge allows the clubhead to move farther. Wrist hinge adds another lever to the swing, and thus a source of power, and somewhat importantly, moves the CG closer to the hands, which allows us to swing faster (the radius is smaller).

I’m assuming some people can hinge more than others. Mine hinges only a bit past 90 in the downswing. Others seem to hinge more. More would help speed would it not?

[Natty LA]

Thanks for the response.  Just started back with lessons after a couple years off.  Really having trouble with getting my hands ahead of the club at impact without completely feeling like a robot.  I try to have swing thoughts that have nothing to do with the upper body.  But don’t know how to do that and still get that correct impact position.  I would love to get out of my own head and to a place where there are absolutely no swing thoughts.  Oh well, guess I’ll just keep at it.  Something will click eventually.

[Vinsk]

46 minutes ago, Natty LA said:

Something will click eventually.

Or you’ll just start shanking it....lol. Ok...sorry.🥴

[iacas]

5 hours ago, boogielicious said:

I’m assuming some people can hinge more than others. Mine hinges only a bit past 90 in the downswing. Others seem to hinge more. More would help speed would it not?

Maybe. It can hurt too if your sequencing is off.

2 hours ago, Natty LA said:

Thanks for the response.  Just started back with lessons after a couple years off.  Really having trouble with getting my hands ahead of the club at impact without completely feeling like a robot.  I try to have swing thoughts that have nothing to do with the upper body.  But don’t know how to do that and still get that correct impact position.  I would love to get out of my own head and to a place where there are absolutely no swing thoughts.  Oh well, guess I’ll just keep at it.  Something will click eventually.

You’re likely going to have other things to work on, and your instructor should have a road map in mind.

Most likely you flip a bit as a compensation for something else.

[Vinsk]

18 hours ago, iacas said:

Maybe. It can hurt too if your sequencing is off.

You’re likely going to have other things to work on, and your instructor should have a road map in mind.

Most likely you flip a bit as a compensation for something else.

Erik, what’s your thoughts on why people tend to flip rather than have the lead wrist straight or slightly bowed with trail wrist bent back? Why is flipping the more ‘natural’ movement?

[iacas]

20 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

Erik, what’s your thoughts on why people tend to flip rather than have the lead wrist straight or slightly bowed with trail wrist bent back? Why is flipping the more ‘natural’ movement?

I don't think it's more "natural." I think people learn to flip because they have to get the clubhead down to the ball somehow. It's a compensation.

[Natty LA]

So I went out to play yesterday and it was not pretty but I do believe it is starting to make sense in my mind what I’m trying to do.  I actually had about 10-15 decent shots in which the ball was compressed and a nice divot.  I need to feel like I am laying a blanket over the or like a matador pulls the cape over the bulls head.   So essentially dragging the club head behind my hands.  The club will unhinge naturally with gravity.  As long as my weight continues to shift forward and hips continue to turn the contact will be descending with a shallow angle of attack.  It makes sense in my mind anyway.  I have another lesson in two weeks.  I’ll see what the pro thinks.

[Vinsk]

5 minutes ago, Natty LA said:

So I went out to play yesterday and it was not pretty but I do believe it is starting to make sense in my mind what I’m trying to do.  I actually had about 10-15 decent shots in which the ball was compressed and a nice divot.  I need to feel like I am laying a blanket over the or like a matador pulls the cape over the bulls head.   So essentially dragging the club head behind my hands.  The club will unhinge naturally with gravity.  As long as my weight continues to shift forward and hips continue to turn the contact will be descending with a shallow angle of attack.  It makes sense in my mind anyway.  I have another lesson in two weeks.  I’ll see what the pro thinks.

I would really recommend you confirm what you’re doing with video. Maybe you’re fine but so very often what we feel isn’t real. You may feel you’re compressing the ball only to see a flip or at least not an ideal wrist position at impact despite feeling it.

[Natty LA]

Oh definitely!  I don’t trust myself at all when it comes to this game.  I have been videoing my swing and will also take it to my pro next week.  

[TourSpoon]

21 hours ago, iacas said:

Most likely you flip a bit as a compensation for something else.

For me its to square up the open club face because I have a slight cupping that I have misunderstood for years.  

@iacas, the broom drill in the video above starting at 15:22, do you have an opinion on this? It clicked for me to better understand that the hinge is better served as a flattening versus what would produce cupping.  I also like the idea of the broom handle against the thigh a little longer for those that have arms that move first and leave the body turn behind. Thoughts? 

[iacas]

21 hours ago, TourSpoon said:

@iacas, the broom drill in the video above starting at 15:22, do you have an opinion on this? It clicked for me to better understand that the hinge is better served as a flattening versus what would produce cupping.  I also like the idea of the broom handle against the thigh a little longer for those that have arms that move first and leave the body turn behind. Thoughts? 

I’m not sure what we’re talking about with flattening versus cupping. Players will go from flat at setup to cupped, cupped at setup to flat, or cupped and maintain, or flat and maintain… and all can work. Depends on the grip, backswing, etc.

I like that drill to encourage a bit more passive, “one-piece” takeaway. So, the second part of what you said.

[Natty LA]

I’m just trying to focus on impact position at this point.  The less I have to think about the better.

[iacas]

3 minutes ago, Natty LA said:

I’m just trying to focus on impact position at this point.  The less I have to think about the better.

You likely are doing something in the backswing or downswing that’s going to make arriving at a good impact position difficult or impossible.

My recommendation is to find your priority piece, your biggest issue, and work on that. It’s unlikely to be around impact, though it almost surely will change impact (otherwise, it’s probably not the priority).

[ellamia]

I feel like the wrist hinge is the most important variable in creating clubspeed.  I am mainly concerned with how fast the clubhead is going around the hands, not necessarily around my body.  so if I can push off my front foot (reaction torque) then I can accelerate the clubhead and think about hitting the ball; and my body is just along for the ride.  Make sense to anyone.  Anyone agree?