Proper wrist cock spawns more speed, distance, control (2)

By Kim Jeong-kyoo

A full wrist hinge is a key ingredient of power and distance. A full, proper wrist hinge helps you set your club in the correct position at the top of your backswing. Swinging your club back correctly, you will swing down properly and hit your ball solidly. To increase your distance, you need to increase your wrist hinge to the full on the backswing. Similarly, to improve your accuracy, you had better hinge your wrists less. Here are six easy ways to hinge your wrists correctly and swing your club properly.

Create two L shapes

Just think of creating two “L” shapes during your swing. That way you can hinge your wrists properly and improve your ball-striking ability.

Swing your club back as you turn your body away from the target. Your goal is to create a 90-degree angle between your left arm and the club shaft about chest high. Make sure your left arm and club shaft form an L when your left arm gets horizontal to the ground. That shows you have hinged your wrists fully and properly.

To hit your ball solidly, just create another L about chest-high, when your right arm stays horizontal to the ground. That shows you have unhinged and hinged your wrists again correctly. That also means you have whacked your ball powerfully.

Succinctly, focus on forming two Ls, and you will hinge your wrists right, hitting your ball longer and straighter.

Start unhinging wrists downward about waist-high

To hit your ball decently, you need to let your clubhead speed up through impact. To this end, you need to start swinging your club fast about waist-high on the downswing. Trying to speed up your clubhead at the moment you hit your ball, you are too late. You cannot achieve your goal.

You need to start unhinging your wrists when you reach your delivery position on the downswing. You have arrived at your delivery position when your hands are about waist high on the downswing, your club shaft resting horizontal. That way you can gradually speed up your club so its speed peaks when your club meets the ball.

Incidentally, you had better get your club shaft resting parallel to your heel line about waist high during the follow through. That shows you have swung your club on an in-to-in path and hit straight shots or draws. More importantly, that shows you have unhinged and re-hinged your wrists properly.

Give out the cards to friends

You need to create a 90-degree angle on the backswing by cocking your wrists fully. To hit your ball far to your satisfaction, you need to unhinge and hinge them again on the downswing. Picture you are giving out the cards to your friends. To propel the cards with your left hand, you will hinge, unhinge and re-hinge your left wrist. Granted, you need to halt your left arm to hinge your wrist efficiently before you throw the card. In the golf swing, you throw your club instead of the card. This helps you speed up your club to the full, enabling you to hit your ball longer with less effort.

Throw club from the top

The popular theory dictates you need to avoid throwing the club from the top. But you do not need to exert yourself to preserve your wrist hinge longer on the downswing. It is OK to throw your club from the top. That way you can fully unhinge your wrists and speed up your club to the maximum through impact.

As long as you do not throw your club outside the target line, you will create more power and distance. Throw your club or unhinge your wrists from the top, keeping your club inside the target line.

Picture you’re shouldering your club

A great way to hinge your wrists correctly is to imagine swinging a sledgehammer over your right shoulder. Taking the hammer back, you will naturally allow your shoulders to rotate back first. That helps you hinge your wrists correctly. Taking the hammer back with your hands first, you will feel the strain on your hands and forearms increase.

When you shoulder a heavy object like a hammer, you will instinctively turn your right shoulder first. You need to do the same when you swing your club back. That helps you keep your hands correctly in front of your chest and hinge your wrists properly.

So, imagine your club is a hammer and you shoulder it over your right shoulder. You will hinge your wrists correctly and move your body properly to swing your club back on the plane.

Once you have completed your backswing, just think of shouldering your club over your left shoulder. You will correctly hinge your wrists again after whacking your ball.

Succinctly, think of shouldering your club on your right shoulder going back and on your left shoulder coming down. You will automatically hinge your wrists correctly, hitting your ball solidly.

Think of the merry-go-round

Thinking of a simple image will help you hinge your wrists correctly. To hit your driver, picture your swing matching the flat shape of the merry-go-round. That will allow you to swing your club more around you. Your driver is longer and flatter, and you launch your ball off the tee. You’d better swing your driver on a flat plane. Doing this properly, you will have a flat left wrist at the top. That shows you have hinged your wrists correctly. That also means you have put yourself in a position to square your clubface when the club catches your ball.

Critically, to hit your ball as far as possible, take care to finish your backswing by hinging your wrists fully.