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Left wrist breaking down at impact

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ShortButCrooked

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Apr 29, 2009
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Location
San Jose, CA
Handicap
3.8
Hi amollerud,

I have been playing for many years and am a decent player. I just saw my swing on video for the first time. Mostly, I am satisfied. My setup looks good, my backswing is a little inside and flat, but my hand position at top looks ok. But egads, at impact, I look like a 36. My left wrist is cupped and my right wrist is straight. I know it's supposed to be other way around. This leads to a chicken wing finish and probably explains my inconsistency, particularly with long irons.

I have a feeling it will take a long time to undo this habit that I've had for 20+ years, but I am determined to fix it. Any recommendations? Drills, practice thoughts, swing thoughts?

Thanks a ton!
 
The first thing we need to do is working on staying down and through the shot. If the left wrist is breaking down (cupping) at impact you are coming out of the shot too early. There are two areas of the swing I would like to address with this. First we need to make sure that you are getting to your left side. If you aren't making the proper weight transfer you are not allowing yourself the chance to finish a swing. THP TV volume 4 talks about some practice drills and the 1 in there about setting your front foot behind the back foot with your feet together is a great drill to feel the weight transfer and feel the full finish. Try that out. Now the second part is learning to drive the clubhead through the golf ball. I know I have put this drill in other threads, but this is a GREAT drill for you. Picture a baseball diamond with your ball being home plate. Your ideal shot will go back over the pitchers head and fall towards left field. To do this you need to swing the club head down the first base line. As you are coming into the impact zone I want you to feel like the club head is traveling out away from your body and out towards first base. This will get your hands back into the position you want at impact. You won't be able to cup your left wrist and get the feel of getting to first base. A combination of these 2 things should help a ton. As an added benifit you will be striking the ball more solidly and might pick up a few yards in the process. Good luck and let me know how it works out for you.
 
Thanks a ton amellorud!

I will definitely try it and work on it. I've heard the tip about swing out toward first base before but I didn't know that one by-product of this is it causes your left wrist to stay straight through impact.
 
Making progress

Making progress

Just a quick update. I've been focusing on this as I practice and even when playing a round. I've got into the habit of making a small, waggle-like move above the ball as my practice swing and really exaggerate the swing towards first base. That combined with a focus on releasing the club and letting the right hand turn over, has me hitting it great on the range. High draws that are slightly longer than before, as you indicated might happen.

It's much more difficult on the course, but that's expected. I can hit some big blocks to the right, some duck hooks, etc.

But I did just play the best round I've played in over 2 years on Sat. I will continue to work on this, but it's looking very positive.

Thanks again!
 
That is GREAT to hear. Taking it to the course will take some time but you will get there. Keep at it and if there is anything more that I can help you with please let me know,
 
Thank you Andy!

Thank you Andy!

Wow. I realize I'm going to sound like one of those religious zealots who has been 'saved by the lord', but here goes. It's now one month since my initial post and Andy's advice. I played 7 rounds in May (thanks to the long month, holiday and two-round weekends), which is way more than I usually play. But I am very excited about my swing and my game, so am playing as much as possible right now. My index went from 7.4 to 5.8 in one month!!!! 6 of those 7 scores in May count as my best 10 of last 20. I mentioned in the post above that I had just played my best round in two years? Well, I just repeated it last Sun, throwing 5 birdies at my home course. I haven't had 5 birdies in a round for 4-5 years.

I can't say it was 100% due to Andy's advice. I'm not even sure I have fixed my problem. It still feels like my left wrist is breaking down at impact. I haven't seen my new swing on video yet so I can't be sure what it looks like. I have used the 'swing to first base' as my key swing thought. Maybe the fact that I'm focusing solely on this one swing thought is freeing up my swing. I suspect it's a combination of things. But something clicked for me. I'm driving it better, my iron play has improved, and most importantly, my confidence is back.

Another thing I realize is that I am tempting the golf gods to strike me down by posting this. It's happened to me before. Just as I think I figure something out, my game goes into a funk. It could easily happen here.

But I'll risk it to say thank you, Andy. You have made golf so much more fun for me. I look forward to every round now with the same passion as I had when I was younger and improving my game. I can't thank you enough. Cheers to you and cheers to THP!
 
I am not sure if thank you covers it. SBC this game is all about making the small steps and being confident. I am honored that you think that I have helped in some way. Keep at it and if there is anything more I can help you with don't hesitate to pm me. Keep up the good work and I can't wait to hear how low the handicap goes!!!!!
 
Can I follow up here? I'm working on the same thing, from the other side of the ball (i.e., my forward wrist is my right wrist). So I'm reading this baseball thing and just not getting it. If my ball is home plate, then I should be looking at the third base line? But that's to my left, from where my club is coming, correct? So is this some sort of outside-in swing path?

Alternatively, given that I haven't held a baseball bat since middle school, is there some other way to explain this?

Thanks.
 
ClairefromClare said:
Can I follow up here? I'm working on the same thing, from the other side of the ball (i.e., my forward wrist is my right wrist). So I'm reading this baseball thing and just not getting it. If my ball is home plate, then I should be looking at the third base line? But that's to my left, from where my club is coming, correct? So is this some sort of outside-in swing path?

Alternatively, given that I haven't held a baseball bat since middle school, is there some other way to explain this?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

A lefty woman golfer? Do they actually make clubs for you??? Sorry, I couldn't resist.

What Andy is suggesting is swinging inside-out. So for you, the ball is at home plate, you are trying to hit the ball to dead center field (over second base), so your body is lined up to center field. But your clubhead should be moving more towards third base as you hit the ball. Inside-out swing path, not outside-in. Does that make sense?
 
ShortButCrooked said:
A lefty woman golfer? Do they actually make clubs for you??? Sorry, I couldn't resist.
Click to expand...

Trust me, it's not much of a joke!

ShortButCrooked said:
What Andy is suggesting is swinging inside-out. So for you, the ball is at home plate, you are trying to hit the ball to dead center field (over second base), so your body is lined up to center field. But your clubhead should be moving more towards third base as you hit the ball. Inside-out swing path, not outside-in. Does that make sense?
Click to expand...

You know, it suddenly makes a lot more sense if I realize I'm the batter, not the catcher. :dohanim:

Never mind; I may find a comb to wear under my watchband, on the outside of my forward wrist.
 
Claire if the baseball drill doesn't make that much sense to you there is another way for you to find out if you are striking the ball on an in to out swing plane which will eliminate the cupping of the rest at impact. Next time you are on the range I want you to bring a hilighter marker with you. I want you to put a straight line on the golf ball like you would mark a ball covering the alignement aid. Now set the ball on a tee with the line going straight up and down. Picture if you will a clock and you have the stripe at 6:00 I want you to turn the ball so the ball (the stripe you put on) is in the 5:00 position (for left handed players). Now I want you to hit it. If you are hitting from the inside you should see the marker line show up on the face of your driver. If there is no mark you have come from the outside. The goal here is to hit the inside of the ball. I hope that makes sense. Let me know if there is more I can do to help in this matter.
 
amollerud said:
Claire if the baseball drill doesn't make that much sense to you there is another way for you to find out if you are striking the ball on an in to out swing plane which will eliminate the cupping of the rest at impact. Next time you are on the range I want you to bring a hilighter marker with you. I want you to put a straight line on the golf ball like you would mark a ball covering the alignement aid. Now set the ball on a tee with the line going straight up and down. Picture if you will a clock and you have the stripe at 6:00 I want you to turn the ball so the ball (the stripe you put on) is in the 5:00 position (for left handed players). Now I want you to hit it. If you are hitting from the inside you should see the marker line show up on the face of your driver. If there is no mark you have come from the outside. The goal here is to hit the inside of the ball. I hope that makes sense. Let me know if there is more I can do to help in this matter.
Click to expand...

That's much more understandable; thanks. 5:00? Not 7:00?
 
Claire 5:00 for lefties and 7:00 for right handed players. This will give you instant feedback as to weather or not you are hitting the inside of the golf ball. Once you grove that move the wrist will take care of itself. Much more power and control with this move.
 
amollerud said:
Claire 5:00 for lefties and 7:00 for right handed players. This will give you instant feedback as to weather or not you are hitting the inside of the golf ball. Once you grove that move the wrist will take care of itself. Much more power and control with this move.
Click to expand...

Okay chief. Now if I can only find a dry day to hit the range... .
 
amollerud said:
Claire 5:00 for lefties and 7:00 for right handed players. This will give you instant feedback as to weather or not you are hitting the inside of the golf ball. Once you grove that move the wrist will take care of itself. Much more power and control with this move.
Click to expand...
interesting drill. if done correctly, and if i understand what you are saying, you have to come into the "slot", create lag, and have a supinated left wrist at impact (for a right-handed golfer)? it sounds like a very powerful move.

i have no problem doing this on chips and pitches, it's the full swing where i see the breakdown.
 
DefCon you are reading it correct and I was happy to hear you say you can do this chipping and pitching. Those are the 2 drill that I use with my students to feel the proper hand position at impact.
 
amollerud said:
DefCon you are reading it correct and I was happy to hear you say you can do this chipping and pitching. Those are the 2 drill that I use with my students to feel the proper hand position at impact.
Click to expand...
I worked on this for 2.5 hours yesterday and was finding I was hitting the half and three-quarter shots farther and with a better ball flight than on full swings. On the half and three-quarters I just allow my arms, club, and hands go for the ride (no conscious thought other than pivoting and getting my weight over to the left side). On full swings I guess I am doing some kind of manipulation which causes a breakdown. If I consciously think about keeping my right wrist "cupped" on impact I find I don't shift my weight. Well, I'll be at the course for about six hours today, maybe I'll be able to figure it out. :)
 
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