Question about wrist angle during the downswing with longer clubs.

[Sandwedge74]

hi all - hoping someone can shed some light on this for me.

I have always thought holding your wrist angle stores power through helping to create lag. While I have heard Jack Nicklaus say many times that you can't un- cock your wrists too early with a driver - I tended to believe the other thought that holding wrist angle creates power through lag.

Ok - so yesterday I was working at the range before playing and I accidentally discovered that releasing my hinge a little bit as I am unwinding created a much more powerful boring strike and draw. I usually carry the ball the about 245 to 250 and I went and played after this range work yesterday and was hitting drives that seemed to carry about 265  and a couple rolled out to 285 or so on a couple of holes.

then on a par 5 that has a creek at 240 - I did my usual lay up with my 19 degree hybrid that up till now when well struck seemed to max out to about 215 -220. Well - yup I hit it to just the edge of the creek. I then had 240 or so left into the green and I hit it again two about 5 yards of the green.

so.... whats up? can anyone of you better players verify that you DON'T want to religiously hold your wrist cock through the hole swing and that letting your wrists uncock a little on the down swing is a good thing for power?

P.S. I am NOT CASTING - I know what that is and I am NOT doing that.

Thanks in advance for your replies

Drew

[Tom Shanks]

They say about 60% of swing speed comes from releasing the lag angle.  So while you may have felt like you were holding it, you were releasing it to some degree.  Maybe you were not releasing enough?

I've started lessons for the first time in the last 2 months and I had the same sort of issues driving and with fairway woods.  I'd usually drive 235 on the fly, which made no sense given my strength and shape.  Lower body was one issue, but the other was not letting my wrists release fully.  I know it's the internet and everyone drives 300 on here, but even with a few quick tips I was adding a ton of yards.  Last session we were focusing on lag and release and I was consistently driving 260.......from a static position starting at the top of the backswing!

Off the tee I say let those wrists go!  Off the deck is another thing.

[onephenom]

For some people, it's easier to slowly uncock the wrists through the whole downswing...for some players its easier to hold the angle until the hands get in front of the body. I feel like the second way is more powerful, but the first way can make it easier to have proper contact through impact.

What's extremely important though is having full extension of the elbow and wrists just after impact

[Sandwedge74]

Originally Posted by onephenom

For some people, it's easier to slowly uncock the wrists through the whole downswing...for some players its easier to hold the angle until the hands get in front of the body. I feel like the second way is more powerful, but the first way can make it easier to have proper contact through impact.

What's extremely important though is having full extension of the elbow and wrists just after impact

yea that makes a ton of sense to me. I played yesterday and hit some mega drives where I really felt my arms and and hands were really in front of my body thru and after impact...is that what you mean? It seems to be more about having my hands really in front of my body at all times that really promotes a sweeter contact that's powerful... this is what you mean right?? I mean, at least, it seems to lead to that extended thru impact feeling.

[fRzzy]

You creat highest level of lag by letting your wrist do nothing, do not try to manipulate them in any way.

Let's try this, hold a club at the top of backswing position, and try to cock your wrist by... well, cocking your wrist, note the angle created by your left arm and the club. Now loosen the wrist while keeping your left arm straight, I'm sure the angle will be smaller, that is more lag created.

[Ernest Jones]

You creat highest level of lag by letting your wrist do nothing, do not try to manipulate them in any way. Let's try this, hold a club at the top of backswing position, and try to cock your wrist by... well, cocking your wrist, note the angle created by your left arm and the club. Now loosen the wrist while keeping your left arm straight, I'm sure the angle will be smaller, that is more lag created.

??? How can you create and observe lag in a static position????

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by Sandwedge74

so.... whats up? can anyone of you better players verify that you DON'T want to religiously hold your wrist cock through the hole swing and that letting your wrists uncock a little on the down swing is a good thing for power?

P.S. I am NOT CASTING - I know what that is and I am NOT doing that.

Thanks in advance for your replies

Drew

Erik and Dave did this thread a couple years ago, this should be helpful

http://thesandtrap.com/t/44717/is-there-a-5th-power-accumulator

and for fun Mario and I did this video.  "Flying wedge" is basically referring to the angle of the right wrist.  If you're holding anything you're slowing things down.  Creating or sustaining "lag", leverage, has to do with other things, like weight location and how the arms are working in relation to the pivot.

[fRzzy]

Originally Posted by Ernest Jones

???

How can you create and observe lag in a static position????

It's just to show you that you will create maximum lag by not doing anything with your wrist.