Drills for flat left wrist/cupped right wrist

[shortstop20]

I am working on shallowing out my swing plane and getting my left wrist flat at the top of the backswing. I'm a believer that the two are intertwined somewhat. I've made some progress with good results but I was just wondering if anybody had any drills or swing thoughts to help progress more.

I know about the tee in the glove trick. For some reason concentrating on keeping the left wrist flat does not work for me, I just have a hard time doing that consciously, however, when I think about cupping my right wrist I get into a better position because my left wrist automatically goes flat because of it.

I'm starting to hit some hooks here and there(not that I'm upset), more straight shots and less slices.

[DaveLeeNC]

A cupped right wrist and flat left wrist (for a rightie) come and go together. For a given grip the angle of one pretty much determines the angle of the other.

I would suggest that you start with the longest shot that you can't hit with a flat left wrist (or cupped right wrist). It might well be a little-bitty chip shot with a 7i (or even a putt!). Or maybe a half-swing LW that carries 40 yards. But whatever it is fix that first. The much smaller swing and speeds involved with make it easier to do. In a full swing stuff happens really fast through impact and is tough to consciously manage.

Another good drill is to learn to hit a 3/4 swing 7i somewhere around 30 yards less than is normal for you - but learn to hit it so that the ball never gets more than about 20 feet off the ground. You can't do that with a bent left wrist and you will find this shot to be a very handy trouble shot if you play on courses where trees are a factor (as in hitting under the branches).

dave

[ninetwothree]

Hi! first reply here....


I am new to the game and have only taken lessons for 5 months and played by 20th game ever today. I shot 97.

My teacher gives me 3 drills each month and one of them is to learn how to hit a punch shot. I look for my hands to be in front of the club or above the club head when I finish, so I have to stop the swing almost right after contact. I find that my ball really takes off when I do it right.

[shortstop20]

Well I've been to the range once and finally got a chance to try my new driver swing today(weather's been crappy the last week). I hit 3 out of 6 fairways today with my driver, and missed another fairway by only 5-10 yards(in a fine spot). The one that was a little off line actually went about 270 yards as well.

Needless to say I am very happy with the results.

What i changed in my swing is that I purposely "drop" the club a little bit flatter at the start of my downswing(kinda like that move Sergio does at the top) which automatically flattens my left wrist for some reason, I am obviously coming into the ball shallower as well because I pushed one ball to the right a little bit(no slice or hook) so my swing path is definitely shallower. Never had a single ball start left today or slice. Had one hook, some nice slight draw/fades and a push to the right as previously mentioned.

Can't wait to go back out again.

[tm22721]

For a flat left wrist, I get the bottom of my spine to the left side by impact and the top of the spine behind the ball. When I do that correctly my hands are ahead of the clubhead and the bottom of the swing is in front of the ball.

I cannot reliably achieve a flat left wrist via hand manipulation because it requires precise timing. I am consistent when my hands and arms are totally passive throughout the swing. For best results I have learned to use my body and let the hands just hold onto the club.

[rtbuckshot]

Can someone please elaborate for me what is meant by a "flat left wrist"? I can deduce some from the above posts, but I don't quite understand what they are talking about. Which part ot the wrist is flat? Flat like parallel to the ground or flat like in line with the plane of your forearm?

[DaveLeeNC]

Can someone please elaborate for me what is meant by a "flat left wrist"? I can deduce some from the above posts, but I don't quite understand what they are talking about. Which part ot the wrist is flat? Flat like parallel to the ground or flat like in line with the plane of your forearm?

For a real definition that matches the purpose of the discussion (good impact position), flat left wrist is probably not a good label. Shaft lean at impact would be better (IMHO). If your shaft is pointed somewhere between forward of your 'lead ear' and your 'lead shoulder' (in deference to the lefties in the crowd) you have a good impact position.

Left wrist flatness is a function of your grip. dave

[Stuart]

You've got the idea...the only way your left wrist will be flat is if your right wrist is hinged back....the reason you may hit a few hooks is because you are now more square because the club face is not open

I am working on shallowing out my swing plane and getting my left wrist flat at the top of the backswing. I'm a believer that the two are intertwined somewhat. I've made some progress with good results but I was just wondering if anybody had any drills or swing thoughts to help progress more.

[uttexas]

hold a thin book or magazine in your hands (prayer position). Hold the book/magazine so that the book/magazine goes down your left forearm. Swing the book/mag so that the book/mag doesn't leave your left forearm.

[wachesawgolfer]

What bends the left wrist forward prior to impact is the arms coming off the body too soon in the downswing, once the arms get ahead the left wrist breaks down. Learn to make a better coil and take the club back with your body and not your arms and the lower body move to trigger the downswing will come naturally and the over the top move will disappear. Drills to correct the problem only, otherwise, would involve tensing the left arm resulting in a poor hinge back and an open club face/poor release in the downswing.

[wannabe]

some really well written, helpful responses in this thread, reinforcing what I've either heard directly from my teaching pro, or seen on the zillion videos I've watched.

awesome.