"Bowed Wrist" Question

[canadianpro]

Here is a question posed to me....let's hear your opinion.

For those players who have a bowed wrist at the top, like C. Villegas, D. Johnston, Lucas McGuire, etc., etc,.

Do they typically have a weak grip, or a strong grip,,,,  or is the grip irrelevant to the club face, facing the sky at the top of the swing????

[boogielicious]

I have been working on this with Evolvr (James).  For me, James had me strengthened the grip slightly to help flatten the wrist at the top (not bowed, but flat).  I was cupping before.  This has helped keep the club on plane in the down swing along with other things (hips moving forward and right elbow in toward the belly button).  In looking at my swing, the face was open at the top due to a cupped left wrist.  I had to time the squaring of the face at impact or I got a push or push fade, even with a good swing.  My club head was moving above plane on the downswing and would be out to in at impact if I didn't get my hips forward enough.

It took me a couple of weeks to get used to it, but now I feel comfortable with the flat wrist and stronger grip.  My drives and long irons are straighter with misses being to the left if I don't get those old hips moving forward enough.  I think, for me, it has helped a lot in keeping the face where I want it at impact.

Oddly enough, the cupped wrist feeling is what I use for my sand shots.  It is an excellent swing feeling thought.

[mchepp]

I am not sure I have seen Lucas McGuire swing, but DJ and CV both have fairly strong grips. Especially strong right hand grips.

Not sure how that all affects their position at the top but from the guys you listed it looks like a strong grip might be a pre-requisite to a bowed position.

[miami8miami]

I would assume they have a strong grip.

It helps control the rate of closure, if the clubface closes early through impact, it shuts the face dramatically relative to the path, and could equal a monster hook.

[Beachcomber]

Strong grip will lead to a bowed wrist... This was one of the issues I had/have.  A bowed wrist at P4.  One of the issues is your hinge pins are confined by a strong grip.  Getting a more neutral grip - will help keep the club shaft and face square to your target as you will be able to properly hinge the club from P3 to P4.

Here is a great video on the correct neutral grip (among many other grip positions):

But I will add... A strong grip is not the only thing that could be attributing to a 'bowed' wrist at P4.  For instance, another issue that I'm still struggling with is the placement of my right elbow at P4. So while my grip has gone from strong - to neutral - which enables me to hinge the golf club more naturally... My right elbow lifts off my side (scapula keeps moving toward the target) - thus causing a bowed wrist - or open club face at P4.

So again, while you may have fixed your grip (gone from strong to neutral/weak)... To help eliminate the bowed wrist; you also need to consider the placement of the right elbow.  If it travels up and away from the trunk of your body (according to my lessons, it should remain roughly 4 to 6 inches from your side)... Then you still may see a 'bowed' wrist at P4, and it has nothing to do with your grip... But more so your right elbow.

Lastly, shortening your back swing can help with the right elbow spacing.

[boogielicious]

A bowed wrist at P4 should close the face with respect to the club path, not open. A cupped wrist would be open.