Cupped lead wrist, the source of my out to in

[MJP]

I've always struggled with consistency in shot shape. Usually it's a fade, but sometimes it's a large pull fade or a dead straight shot. I've never been able to really swing in to out and I think I realized the reason for that today.

With a cupped left wrist at the top (right handed), and I'm talking 90 degrees cupped, the club face was SO OPEN at impact the only way I wouldn't shank the ball was to wipe across it out to in. If I swung in to out at all the heel would be so far ahead and club face so open that there's basically no choice for a shank. My compensation for this was obviously come over the top so the club face was squared up. And, perhaps if I felt myself (this is all subconscious feeling of course) on a better path on the downswing (for a square to the plane club head, not an extremely open one like mine), I would HAVE to rotate some part of my arms/wrists to square the club face at impact. This is probably why that occasional pull hook comes into play.

I'm experimenting with a flat wrist at the top and it feels more awkward, but I can definitely tell it is right because the shaft is pointing well left of target at the top. When I was cupping the left wrist 90 degrees, I was pointing slightly right of the target at the top. Now, I am looking more like Steve Stricker. because it's much more laid off (but not like Ricky Fowler laid off).

As I come into impact using a flat left wrist, I feel and see no manipulation of the club face what so ever. It almost appears that there is less wrist cock but there isn't...because cupping the left wrist isn't wrist cock. It's left wrist hinge which provides no power...apparently. I knew I needed a flat left wrist at impact. I just never knew that not having it at the top of the swing caused so many compensations.


Anyways, if you have a short back swing with the arm relatively straight against the chest yet you're club is still pointing right of the target at the top, this is likely why.

[bullseye]

your post was very interesting since I was just watching a video by tombertrand1 explaining hogans laying off the club. Seems that the uncupping was his way of driving the right elbow into the the right hip and also the start of the pronation move at impact.Its just way too much for me to think about, i like to keep it simple I mention it because if you already cup your wrist at the top it maybe easier to make the move hogan did rather than the flat wrist, might be worth a watch.Personally I have always had a flat wrist at the top and I really don't think Hogans move would give me anymore distance plus I swing inside out (most the time too much ).For what its worth,Be a little careful in developing the flat wrist that you don't start fanning the club open. good luck cheers

[Chubbs]

I dealt with this exact same issue recently. Over some time, I developed a cupped wrist at the top of my swing and became wildly inconsistent with my ball striking and ball flight. Push, pull, hook, fade, straight. Complete uncontrollable. I tried every drill I could think of, made every swing change I thought it could be. Then one day, while swinging my arms in the bedroom window, it just clicked in my mind and I noticed my wrist. It took a day or two on the range to get the weird feeling of a flat wrist out of my system, but it's all back to normal. Amazingly solid shots with much more control (still a slight pull / pull-hook if I get lazy), plus have added about 15 yards to my irons, and about 35-40 to my drives. All bc of my wrist and keeping an unfloppy wrist at impact.