Wrist at the top of the Backswing

[Tiger Spuds]

I've recently set up a mirror where I practise my swing so I can get good feedback on exactly what I'm doing during the Swing.Things are mostly good, good shoulder turn, very much on plane etc.However, I've noticed at the top of the backswing, my right wrist (I'm a lefty) is cocked very much upwards, and I was wondering if that's 'casting' that I keep hearing about?Anything I've read about it online seems pretty vague.I'm assuming that wrist position is not a good thing at any rate.I've tried to flatten my wrist out in the backswing but it feels weird, and uncomfortable.Any tips or drills for this would be appreciated.

[bsettle]

No, that is not casting.
"Casting" - is not maintaining your wrist angle thorough the downswing or releasing your wrist angle as you transition from the top to the downswing.

Any change like that is going to be uncomfortable and weird, it should be you are not used to it. That wrist angle a function of a couple things:

Your grip - a more neutral grip is usually what a flat wrist comes from, but it can be achieved with other grips. Usually a stronger grip gives you the cupped wrist that you are seeing.
Hands/Wrist Rotation in Backswing - if you rotate, open the face up, your wrist or hands in the backswing more or less than needed it can change that wrist angle. More rotation usually leads to a broken down wrist, opposite of your problem, but I do not know for sure that no rotation generates a cupped wrist, but I would assume that is the case.

I would just be more worried about if the club face matches the plane of my arm (right arm for you) at the top. That says your clubface is square which is one of the keys to look at. Along with making sure the club is pointing to the target and not layed off or across the line.

[iacas]

etc.However, I've noticed at the top of the backswing, my right wrist (I'm a lefty) is cocked very much upwards, and I was wondering if that's 'casting' that I keep hearing about?

It's not casting, as someone's already said, but it very well could be "cupping" the left wrist at the top of the backswing. Is that accurate?

For a righty (ignore the labels and look at the wrists): Top left is "cupped." Top right is "bowed" or "arched." Bottom is "flat" or correct. Note there's a little bit of cupping - the "bowed" wrist is probably technically the "flattest."

[Tiger Spuds]

It's not casting, as someone's already said, but it very well could be "cupping" the left wrist at the top of the backswing. Is that accurate?

Yes, it's definitely cupping, thanks for the explanation on that guys.But it's not just a little cupped, it's about as cupped as you can get.I think it might be because I hold my hands very low at address.That cupped wrist seems to me to be the natural outcome of that, but I could be wrong.Is there any drills to get rid of that cupping or is it just a case of forced repitition of the correct position until I get it right?

[zenchili]

It's not casting, as someone's already said, but it very well could be "cupping" the left wrist at the top of the backswing. Is that accurate?

Good post.

[delav]

There was an article recently in Golf Digest that described how important the left hand/forearm angle is in solid ball striking. For a RH player, the arctile mentioned maintaining the relational angle between the left hand (your right) and the forearm that you create while address. If you flatten or cup your wrist at the top, it can effect your ball striking and squareness at impact.

"Casting" typically refers to breaking down at the top, doesn't it (different than what we are talking about here)

[bsettle]

"Casting" typically refers to breaking down at the top, doesn't it (different than what we are talking about here)

As iacas and myself have mentioned before, "casting" does not have anything to do with your position at the top. "Casting' is a move - if on your downswing you do not maintain your wrist angle and release the club from the top with the hands.....that is casting.

Here is a PGA article about it: http://www.pga.com/2008/instruction/...recall_ross_2/

[iacas]

As iacas and myself have mentioned before, "casting" does not have anything to do with your position at the top.

OK, since he's not casting, let's perhaps focus on the thing he is doing, which is excessive cupping.

I've seen a lot of people "cup" because they roll their wrists on the takeaway and then lift the club up. Do your hands stay out while the club goes deep on the takeaway, or the opposite? When the club shaft is parallel to the ground on the takeaway, where are your hands and the club in relation to each other in a down-the-line view?

[Tiger Spuds]

I don't think my wrists are rolling on the takeaway, the hand position when the club is parallel to the ground looks fairly good from what I've read about where they should be.Although, to be honest I'm not really sure what you mean when you asked if my hands 'stay out while the club goes deep', you'll have to forgive my ignorance on that.

From what I see in the mirror though, I think it might be the position at address that's causing it.Have you ever seen Ryan Moore at address with a driver?How low he holds his hands.I do that with all clubs, I almost feel like I'm 'pushing' the club downwards, and it seems to stay in that position throughout the backswing, culminating in the cup at the top.When I lift the club up a bit at address, it seems easier to keep the wrist flat, although it's taking a lot of getting used to.That's just my untrained observation from 2 days in front of the mirror though, I could be way off!I'm going to keep working on a better hand position at address anyway, think it'll be benificial.