Do I cock or hinge my right wrist on pitches?

[lewisgl]

Originally Posted by Goat Green

The reason I ask is, in Dave Pelz's Short Game Bible, he talks about the importance of cocking the right wrist (for a right-hander) as opposed to hinging it.

But then there is Phil Mickleson's "Hinge and Hold," which seems to say the complete opposite.

Then, I have also noticed that some people use the words "hinging" and "cocking" interchangeably, even though they mean two very different things. So I am confused. I felt like I was starting to get a pretty good feel, using the hinge and hold. But with the cocking of the right wrist instead of hinging it, all I do is skull it. Which maybe mental on my part... So are these just different methods, or have I misunderstood one of them?

I searched here, and on google of course, but there doesn't seem to be a definitive answer.

You are exactly right in feeling confused about this. I have always been somewhat confused by the differences in describing wrist action.  Wrist cock and wrist hinge are words that are used very loosely in golf books and magazines and then you get words like "loading" the back wrist, and "side bending of the back wrist" and on and on.  Dante's book on the 4 Magic Moves of golf shows a distinct back bend of the right wrist while the Stack and Tilt book says "Don't do that".  Dave Pelz wants you to cock the wrists up for a pitch shot while Phil Mickelson has more of a back wrist bend to start with.   The answer seems to be somewhere in between the two.  The back wrist does bend back to some extent and as the swing progresses both wrists hinge up.  You might want to check the axe drill by Pete Cowens on youtube.  It is a full swing drill but seems to illustrate that you need a little bit of a hinge or side bend as well as an upward hinge. Jerome Andrews seems to have a similar idea as Pete Cowens on wrist hinge.  They both start the swing with a little side bend of the wrists.

[wadesworld]

There's also a difference in implementation.  Phil teaches to take the club back, hinge during the backswing and hold.  Others teach to hinge while in the setup and just hold all the way through.  Just different ways to accomplish the same thing.

[Truegolf]

Originally Posted by Goat Green

The reason I ask is, in Dave Pelz's Short Game Bible, he talks about the importance of cocking the right wrist (for a right-hander) as opposed to hinging it.

But then there is Phil Mickleson's "Hinge and Hold," which seems to say the complete opposite.

Then, I have also noticed that some people use the words "hinging" and "cocking" interchangeably, even though they mean two very different things. So I am confused. I felt like I was starting to get a pretty good feel, using the hinge and hold. But with the cocking of the right wrist instead of hinging it, all I do is skull it. Which maybe mental on my part... So are these just different methods, or have I misunderstood one of them?

I searched here, and on google of course, but there doesn't seem to be a definitive answer.

I dont think alot about my chipping , it's more of a feel for me.

If I had to comment about my wrist is that I like to feel my wrist is "cupped" .

Right wrist cupped for my chip type shots around the green , and Left wrist cupped for flop type shots around the green

[mvmac]

I would say a pitch shot is where you use more of the bounce of the club and a chip is more of a puttish stroke, carrying the ball a short distance and having it run a much greater distance.

I would say you hinge your wrists allowing the club head to swing with the hands not moving back very much, on both sides of the ball.

Here I am hitting a pitch off a green using the bounce, not the leading edge.  Notice how close my hands are to me on the followthrough.  Much different motion than with the full swing, especially with the legs.