early wristcock in the backswing

[donkba]

when i first started playing, i did not hinge my wrists and as a result i only got my 6 iron 150 yards. i had a few lessons with a pro and he told me to hinge my wrists early in the backswing, and i have been using this method for a whileand can now get my 6 iron 175 yards and my 8 iron 150 yards and have got my handicap down from 28 to 14 this season. however, i am having some issues with my driver and have not been hinging my wrists as i do with my irons and my drives lack power and i feel i cannot get any lag or the same feeling as i do with my irons at the top of the backswing. should i be hinging my wrists early as i do with my irons and would this get me more power as it has with my irons?

[Zeph]

This is a subject with lots of opinions and ways. I learned from my first pro to fully hinge the wrists as the first part of my swing. Since then I've changed it and now hinge it late in my swing. I find this more natural and comfortable. It's like the weight of the club force me to hinge them when I take it back.

If you get to the same position at the end of the backswing it doesn't really matter when you hinge the wrists as long as you're able to come down with a good rhythm and release properly. Most I talk to recommend to hinge the wrists late, but if it works for you I don't see why you should change it.

Why don't you try to hinge it early with the driver and see what happens. Having one swing is something I recommend, don't give yourself too much work by having different swings with all the clubs.

I do not like to hinge it early with the driver, I take it back as much as I can, at least until it's 90º from the ground before I pull back the arm and hinge the wrists.

[Mr Eagle]

I dont hinge my wrists at all,well I dont "try" to, just let it happen where it happens.(somewhere around 3 o'clock)The only exception being when I need to come down steep on the ball when an early hinge is the order of the day.

Basically the less you have to think about the better

[jambalaya]

The question is why aren't you taking the driver back the same way you are all the other clubs? By all means take the driver back the same way.

[kfowler]

To me this is all personal preference. Compare Ernie Els to Jack Nichlaus, Ernie hinges fairly early while Jack hinges pretty late. At down swing both look the same.

[bradpet]

when i first started playing, i did not hinge my wrists and as a result i only got my 6 iron 150 yards. i had a few lessons with a pro and he told me to hinge my wrists early in the backswing, and i have been using this method for a whileand can now get my 6 iron 175 yards and my 8 iron 150 yards and have got my handicap down from 28 to 14 this season. however, i am having some issues with my driver and have not been hinging my wrists as i do with my irons and my drives lack power and i feel i cannot get any lag or the same feeling as i do with my irons at the top of the backswing. should i be hinging my wrists early as i do with my irons and would this get me more power as it has with my irons?

In my case, I've had to fight against the temptation to wrist cock early. It throws my swing off plane. Also, the conventional wrist cock encourages shoulder turn. Shoulder turn = more power.

Good luck whichever method you choose.

[donkba]

i will try the early wrist cock with my driver on the weekend and see if it works. i have never really thought to swing the driver the same as my irons before, and was working on a wide takeaway with my driver, however, in my last round, i averaged just 215 yards with the driver which is very poor ( but 57% fairways hit) and although i shot 80 (3 putted on the 18th for bogey), i only hit 4 GIRs and felt this was due to my bad driving. i think that if this early wrist cock were to get me more yards, say 230-240 average at least, then i could break 80 consistently

[donkba]

i also feel it is easier for me to generate clubhead speed as it is easier to maintain the lag in the downswing, rather than a wide takeaway, where i feel little or no lag and it does not feel the same

[tm22721]

Early wristcock gives me more control due to a more compact swing.

But it creates fatter shots due to a steeper downswing plane. Ideal in the rough or a hanging lie.

[hamletsdead]

I tried it and it doesn't work for me -- I can't fee the weight of the clubhead properly if I cock early. I prefer to cock my wrists as part of the tempo of my swing.