The hands and wrists play an important role in the golf swing, delivering the club to the ball at the correct angle and with adequate speed. Consequently, the timing of the wrist hinge in the backswing and ultimate release of the hands into impact must be sound to consistently hit good golf shots.
Evolution of the Wrist Hinge
PGA director of instruction Rick Martino writes that golf equipment used to require a wrist hinge late in the back swing to avoid unwanted torque in the hickory shafts of yesteryear. The introduction of steel shafts, however, allowed golfers to begin hinging wrists upward from the beginning of the takeaway to have a more gradual setting of the wrists. This, in turn, simplifies the timing of when to start turning the wrists back during the takeaway.
Completing the Hinge
Martino points out that many top players actually continue hinging their wrists even after starting the downswing. The added "lag" of the club head behind the hands helps to create greater power coming down into impact with the greater potential energy stored in the hands and wrists. Additionally, the movement in "downward hinging" helps to ensure that the club is routed on the proper swing path during the downswing.
The Downswing
LPGA professional Karen Palacios-Jansen writes that good golfers retain their wrist cock through the hitting area so that both hands are slightly in front of the golf ball at the moment of impact. High-handicappers, she points out, tend to allow the wrists and hands to fully release before impact. The result is a tremendous loss of power and lack of control over the shot's direction.
Drill Work
Palacios-Jansen recommends a drill to help correct problems with the release of the wrists in the downswing. Without a club, hold your left thumb with your right hand as if you were gripping a club. Make your back swing move so that your hands are shoulder-high. Your thumbs should be pointing at a slight angle toward the sky. Swing slowly down through the point of impact, feeling your forearms rotate. Stop your hands at should height on the follow through side. Your left hand should now be underneath your right hand with thumbs pointing at a slight angle to the sky. This represents a full release of the hands and wrists at the proper point.
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