9 oclock position?

[kleraudio]

Was talking to the pro at the course today and he was tellin me when your arms get to the 9 oclock position (right handed) the butt end of the club should be pointing to the ground somewhere between the ball and your feet....

To achieve this he said you have to set your wrists when you reach the 9 oclock position...

My questions are, Is this correct? And if so, how would you prevent cupping the wrists at the top when you set them so soon (at 9 oclock position)??

Thanks a lot!

Jim

[squaddie]

Basically that's setting the wrist early, which is a technique used by Nick Faldo (per his book, A Swing for Life). I was practicing early setting of the wrists at the range this evening (with success).

To prevent the left wrist cupping I think about rotating my left forearm about a quarter turn (90*). When I turn my left forearm this way my right wrist has to hinge back, as does my left wrist hinge properly without cupping. At that point I should be at the 9 oclock position, then I just focus on turning my shoulders without turning the arms or hinging the wrists any further.

Here's a drill by David Leadbetter that gets one in the set position at 9 o'clock. Leadbetter was an instructor for Nick Faldo, and Faldo also lists a variation of this drill in his Swing for Life book. Leadbetter doesn't state to rotate the forearm in the drill, but I do so in order to avoid getting my left wrist too cupped.



Per Faldo you can also put a headcover under your left arm to ensure your arms are turning properly with your body to the 9 o'clock position, rather than independently.

[kleraudio]

Great vid man, thanks for the tips, I just wish I had access to a camera to see what my swing looks like....

Anyone else have anything to say bout setting the wrists at 9 oclock?

I know Ernie Els does it, and man do I love his swing!

Jim

[kleraudio]

Nothing? A little unusual for this group

[WUTiger]

I have been working with the same pro for 14 months (four full lessons total). He gives swing drills too.

Base drill involve a takeaway, a check at waist level - make sure club is pointing slightly upward, and return to address point.

Second drill involves waist-level check, coming to the top, and coming back to address point (with weight shift and hip turn once you get the hang of it.) This one can be done indoors if you have a 7' ceiling or better.

A variation involves coming to top, pulling down with left hand three times - the third time firing under and swinging to hit the ball. Thus far, I can do the three-pull with a six iron or above and hit a fairly good shot. If I try a driver, it's pretty sorry.

If I have a couple of really bad rounds, I just lay off for a week and return to these drills. It usually stabilizes the swing.

These swing drills have produced a takeaway in which the hands seem to cock automatically. I don't really worry about it any more.

(I lose my swing sometimes during a round, but can work back into it after a couple of bad holes.)

[tm22721]

There's nothing wrong with a cupped wrist at the top. In fact pronating the left forearm in the backswing is a recommended move. As the forearm suppinates in the downswing it will help to insure a flat to bowed left wrist into impact. Also enhances the ability to release using body rotation to square the clubhead instead of a problematic rolling of the wrists to release down the line.

[golfdad]

just want to point out one thing regarding the first post,,,setting wrists, early vs late, and "cupping" are 2 different entities. in other words, you can "cup" with early or late set. and cupping, if i am not mistaken, the bulging out of the wrist, aka wrist flexion tends to close the clubface.

in one of those golf mags of late, there was an article i think by todd anderson (davis love iii's teacher) who suggested that your left wrist angle, at address and at the top of the backswing, should be similar, if not the same.

btw, l like leadbetter's video. wie probably falls into that school.

[FHopper]

If you stop my swing at 9:00 I seem to doing exactly what is recommended, club butt pointed at the ground between the ball and my feet.
http://gallery.mac.com/fhopper#100151

[danieldrieberg]

Nick Faldo's book "swing for life" is GREAT.
When setting an early wrist cock make sure the "set" is going to promote an "on plane" swing. Thsi is in regards to both the shaft and club face.