Hands Not Staying in Place on Backswing…

[kleraudio]

So I read a few posts talking about pressure points and hands staying together throughout the swing.

Went to the course to play a practice 9 today and took notice of my hands, and sure enough they come apart at around 9 oclock on my backswing and come together on the way down.

The slipping is happening between my lifeline of my right hand and my left thumb (Im a righty)

When I kept them together on purpose I pushed EVERYTHING to the right, it was a push slice...

Any tips on keeping the hands together without hitting that push slice everytime...

I went back to hitting my normal way and things fixed themselves, but "fixed" isnt the best thing in my game. Shot 4 pars on 9 holes and still ended up with a 44

Jim

[Elvisliveson]

Sounds likes the pressure you are applying with your right palm is causing your left wrist to bow to the left at the top of your backswing. You must make sure there is no bowing of the left wrist by applying equal pressure with the left hand back torwards the right so that the left wrist is pretty flat at the top of your backswing without any cupping.

[RIduffer]

I posted something recently on this topic, and it's really just about keeping the hands working together as a unit. If there's alot of tension in your grip (trying to squeeze them together) you might be locking the wrists and leaving the clubface open.

This #1 pressure point (lifeline covering thumb) is a swing key that works for me; but some people do not like to think about the hands at all in their swing.

When I first noticed that my hands were separating during my swing, I really focused on keeping them together. I'll admit my grip pressure was about a 9 out of 10 at first. But now that it's more comfortable, I'm just thinking about supporting the club through the swing with medium pressure.

Sorry if I led you astray!

[kleraudio]

LOL, I hit a 7 iron about 20 yards today, got about a foot off the ground and took off after about 5 yards just sliced to the right for another 15, Ive never hit a shot like that...

Its very weird, do all the good guys keep the pressure on that point?? Seems very awkward

Jim

[RIduffer]

No, as I mentioned earlier, not everyone thinks about pressure points in the grip. Fred Couples and Vijay Singh actually have their right hand coming off the club through impact. I've noticed alot of people appear to have very light grip pressure, especially with the right hand. Ben Hogan even calls the right hand thumb and index finger potential "swing wreckers", because they can trigger the right shoulder muscles if you apply too much pressure.

I was having a problem where the club was sliding around alot in my right hand during my swing and the clubface was twisting at impact. So I had to work on my grip to get the clubface square at impact. It has helped me make much more consistent contact lately.

If you weren't having problems squaring the clubface, I wouldn't worry about it. Remember I'm a 12 handicap so always take my golfing info with a grain of salt!

[bpolunin]

A little drill that makes me think of my grip and hand/wrist position is, after you make your grip, take the thumb and the index finger and open them up like you are making an imaginary gun. You know, thumb up and index finger pointing forward. Then swing like that. That will make you feel what it comfortable for you to control the club.
I saw this on the Golf Fix and it really helped me.

[sean_miller]

So I read a few posts talking about pressure points and hands staying together throughout the swing.

There's a drill I do that involves using a something other than a 10-finger baseball grip to hold the club properly and stretching. With an overlapping grip (vardon?) and being flexible enough that my left hand can move freely with my right hand all the way throughout the swing I don't ever recall having my hands separate during the swing.

Another alternative to the 10-finger grip is the interlock, but my finger joints don't agree with that one.

[Chas]

Sounds to me like you may be trying to get the club further back at the top by opening your hands a bit rather than completing a full shoulder turn. I've had this problem as well, my instructor pointed it out. Totally subconscious move and difficult to deal with IME. The swing thought that helps me, when I remember to use it, is just to make a full shoulder turn and keep the wrists passive at the top.

[dmcnab]

This topic is old, but perhaps readers are still able to post to it.....has anyone got a good tip on how to keep the hands together? I can set up properly, but when my hands 'come apart' in the back swing, and then re-connect on the downswing, the slightest shift in position changes the face angle (typically, it closes the face a bit and I hit to the left).....I try to counter (or anticipate) this by leaving the club face open a bit when setting up, but that's just a work-around, and I am looking for something better....any suggestions? Thanks

[iacas]

4 hours ago, dmcnab said:

This topic is old, but perhaps readers are still able to post to it.....has anyone got a good tip on how to keep the hands together? I can set up properly, but when my hands 'come apart' in the back swing, and then re-connect on the downswing, the slightest shift in position changes the face angle (typically, it closes the face a bit and I hit to the left).....I try to counter (or anticipate) this by leaving the club face open a bit when setting up, but that's just a work-around, and I am looking for something better....any suggestions? Thanks

Could be a poor grip, poor elbow mechanics, or just a lack of flexibility.

[Vinsk]

6 hours ago, dmcnab said:

This topic is old, but perhaps readers are still able to post to it.....has anyone got a good tip on how to keep the hands together? I can set up properly, but when my hands 'come apart' in the back swing, and then re-connect on the downswing, the slightest shift in position changes the face angle (typically, it closes the face a bit and I hit to the left).....I try to counter (or anticipate) this by leaving the club face open a bit when setting up, but that's just a work-around, and I am looking for something better....any suggestions? Thanks

I suffer from this. It's become a trigger for me to start my downswing which will be difficult to cure. But I believe one, if not the only reason, I do this is poor positioning of my trail elbow. Try this and see if you notice this with your swing:

Take your grip. Take the club back slowly to your top position. Now move your trail elbow upward while trying to hold the club and you may notice your trail hand palm comes off the lead hand thumb.  If your elbow is 'flying' that may be causing your trail hand to separate from the grip. Of course this may not be your issue and it may be grip or flexibility as @iacas mentioned.

[dmcnab]

Thank you, iacas & Vinsk.....my grip (according to my pro) is fine....I believe that it has something to do with lack of flexibility, but I was hoping that someone out there might have a suggestion about a slip grip change (or, anything) that might overcome the lack of flexibility.....I am going to try the suggestion from Vinsk, but I need some clarification - do you think that the hand-separation could be caused by flying elbow, which is caused by trying to have too much backswing? And, that if I shortened my backswing (say, 75%) that this might alleviate the problem? or, should I make more effort to keep my trail elbow in against my body during the backswing (eg: I have seen suggestions about practicing while holdingwith a towel under each armpit).....??..??

[Vinsk]

2 hours ago, dmcnab said:

Thank you, iacas & Vinsk.....my grip (according to my pro) is fine....I believe that it has something to do with lack of flexibility, but I was hoping that someone out there might have a suggestion about a slip grip change (or, anything) that might overcome the lack of flexibility.....I am going to try the suggestion from Vinsk, but I need some clarification - do you think that the hand-separation could be caused by flying elbow, which is caused by trying to have too much backswing? And, that if I shortened my backswing (say, 75%) that this might alleviate the problem? or, should I make more effort to keep my trail elbow in against my body during the backswing (eg: I have seen suggestions about practicing while holdingwith a towel under each armpit).....??..??

Moving your elbow like a chicken wing puts a pulling pressure on your wrist thus it can pull your hand off the club. Over swinging is one way this can occur. Keeping your elbow in/close to your side won’t help a wrist flexibility issue probably. But if your trail wrist is up in the ‘waiter’s tray’ position and then the elbow moves away from your body that can cause your wrist to separate. 

Try and do a bs and the moment you feel your hand separate stop. Replace your hand and then bring your club back down to start position. Then back up again. This may allow you to make a small adjustment that will prevent your hand from coming off at the top. I’m still working on this too. 

One more thing: When you respond to a member use the @dmcnab and the member will be notified you responded. Just type the ‘@‘ symbol then start typing member’s name and you will get a list of members...select that member and you’re done. Cheers!

Edited October 6, 2018 by Vinsk

[MarvChamp]

On 10/5/2018 at 8:19 PM, Vinsk said:

it may be grip or flexibility as @iacas mentioned.

@dmcnab My wrists are damaged by RA and not very flexible without pain. I'm right handed. I have started to (1) grip down a little more (oversize arthritic grips); (2) make sure the right hand is really tight against the left in the grip; (3) that my pinky is farther/firmly into the overlap and (4) that the right forefinger is kind of lightly curled down and around the lower grip of the club. #1 probably doesn't have much to do with topic, but all have worked for me to keep the hands working together. Best, -Marv

[Jay28]

I've been "letting go" with the last 3 fingers a little at the top of the backswing since I started playing.  Never realised it was such a serious fault until I recently took lessons. For me it appears to be caused by a very weak pinky finger (i mean very weak) on the left hand.  I am currently strengthening it with one of those hand grippers.   When I started I couldn't move it on the lowest setting with just my pinky pulling against the lever. I can now pull all the way in and am starting to increase the pressure setting.  It's made quite a big difference to the consistency of strike.

[Dick Foot]

On 10/6/2018 at 12:29 AM, iacas said:

Could be a poor grip, poor elbow mechanics, or just a lack of flexibility.

Make sure you keep your thumb over the left compactly, I sometimes lose control of the club face if my right hand slides down my thumb a little and my hands start working out of sync, leading to a cast.