Do you notice a difference in your swing if you don't wear a watch on your left hand?

[cougar978]

A little background - I had a major left wrist injury about 10 years ago that required pins, a screw, and a bunch of rehab. About three years ago, I started taking the game seriously again (I was about a 1.5 hcp my senior year of high school), and finally got it down in the low single digits again. Yesterday, I went out and had wrist pain to the point of it hurting to grip a club - I was afraid it was either a torn tendon or stress fracture so I cut my round short. Today, being the dumbass that I am, I go out and take another whack at it, this time minus my wristwatch. Turns out, I think the watch was making my radius bone rub against either the scaphoid or another of the small wrist bones and was causing discomfort. So, without the wristwatch, I've developed a sweeping hook off the tee - which contribued to an 85 today (I was skating balls out of the trees on 11 holes today).

My big question is, has anyone noticed a change in swing/ball flight when you remove a piece of jewelry from your hand or wrist, or is this in my head?

[zeg]

Depending on the size of your watch, where you wear it on your wrist, how tight you wear it, the size of your arms/hands, etc, I would believe it could make a difference. I know when I wore a watch, it interfered with folding my hands back (as you would, say, to do a push-up) unless I slid the watch a bit up my arm. If you wear it tightly, I would believe it could affect motion of parts within your arm. If tendons were inflamed or had scars from previous problems, perhaps a slight increase in pressure on them could create a problem. But, of course, I ain't no doctor.

As for a major change in trajectory, I'd bet there's a lot of psychology there. It'll feel a lot different, and we all know how important feel is to a golf swing.

[jojoampt]

I dont REALLY notice a change in my swing. But ive been wearing a watch religiously since like 8th grade (im 28 now) and if I try to hit balls without a watch on it feels sooo wierd and horrible. So psychologically it really messes with me.

[J_Bone]

Sounds Mental. Your watch might be so tight it restricts your wrist from rolling over, like a swing aide. Which could lead to the pain you were having as well. I would think with your handicap, you can get back your swing with out the watch. Just a bit more practice and time.

I can't wear a watch or any Jewelry for that matter. It just irritates me to no end. I don't even have a tan line on my ring finger.... I can't wear that either.

[Dub]

I can't wear watches or rings when I play.


I did damage my left wrist last May while golfing...long story....and had to take it very easy for a couple of months. I found that using a neopreme wrist wrap on the way to the course would get the muscles warmed up nicely an then I'd stretch very slowly and deliberately. Gotta have those wrists in good shape.....I never realized how much until I screwed mine up.

You've been through the ringer with yours, it sounds like. Good luck and be careful.

[Fourputt]

I used take my watch off, but I now I don't bother and it has had no effect at all on my swing or on my game. Don't see how such a thing could really be a problem unless it was really large and flopped around when you swing. Mine is a Casio G-Shock dive watch and it doesn't bother me at all... just the opposite, it feels funny when it isn't there. Not in a changing the swing funny, just in a "something's missing" kind of funny.

The only ring I wear is my wedding ring, and that doesn't come off either.

[Zeph]

I took off my watch the day I got a cell phone. To this day I have never used a clock since. Golf is a lot about mentality and feel. If you are used to having a watch on the wrist, I can understand if it feels strange when you take it off. It may not do anything directly to affect the swing, but it can make you focus on the missing clock and losing focus.

[ks8829]

I notice that when I don't wear my watch my timing is off.

[thr33]

Although I wear a watch almost everyday, I always take it off when swinging a golf club. Speaking of wrist injuries, i'm under the impression that I have weak wrists. Do you know of any good exercises or drills that could help strengthen them? thanks in advance!

[cougar978]

Although I wear a watch almost everyday, I always take it off when swinging a golf club. Speaking of wrist injuries, i'm under the impression that I have weak wrists. Do you know of any good exercises or drills that could help strengthen them? thanks in advance!

Get some power grips - I do 100 reps/day with them just to strengthen my forearms (if you have bad wrists, the best thing is to have strong forearms). By the way, I played Saturday and Sunday without the watch and my mechanics were way off - 85 on Saturday, 83 on Sunday. The silver lining on all that is, no wrist pain whatsoever. The mechanics and short game issues can be fixed - if that wrist goes out, it's lights out for the year or longer.