Part of the back swing move in golf involves setting the hands with a wrist cock to allow for a full release of the hands through the downswing. Many amateur golfers, however, wonder when to begin setting wrists. Set them too early and you can take the club off-plane. Learn to wait until until the left arm has reached a point parallel to the target line to cock your wrists.
Wrist Cock Drill
Step 1
Make a series of half takeaways, stopping your back swing at the point where your left arm is parallel to the ground, along the target line. Maintain the position of your hands at setup to this half takeaway point by not setting your hands or wrists.
Step 2
Look back at your club while you are stopped at the half takeaway position. Hinge the wrists upward until the shaft points toward the sky, creating a 90-degree angle with the left arm. Repeat this half back swing stop and delayed wrist cock until you can set to the proper angle without looking.
Step 3
Position yourself over a golf ball. Perform the half back swing stop/delayed wrist cock, adding a downswing through the ball once the hands are set. Repeat until you can consistently make solid contact with the ball.
Step 4
Make full swings with the wrist cock delayed as in the half back swing practice. Swing without golf balls until you are comfortable with the sequence at full speed. Introduce golf balls back to your practice and concentrate on hitting the ball cleanly rather than hitting it hard.
Tips and Warnings
- Be patient with finding solid contact using the new wrist cock timing. The body simply needs practice to coordinate the timing of wrist cock, release and contact with the ball.
Things You'll Need
- 7-iron
- Golf balls
References
- Perfect Golf Swing Review: Backswing; Jeffrey Mann; March 2010
- "Harvey Penick's Little Red Book"; Harvey Penick with Bud Shrake; 1992
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