Wrists are an enormous source of power for a golf swing. While the swinging club has gravity as well as centrifugal force behind it, when you snap your wrists you will be adding an extra element of power, a lever as it is generally referred to. In fact, the wrist is one of the biggest sources of power in the golf swing.
Unfortunately, many golfers make the mistake of unhinging their wrists too early and therefore they do not unleash the full power potential of their wrists in their swing. But rest assured it is a mistake that is easily overcome. By knowing when to cock your wrists and when to let them go, you will notice your ball soars higher and farther than
ever before.
As you take the club back on the backswing, your wrists will naturally start to hinge. At the very top of the backswing, your wrists are fully hinged. The error many golfers make is that they unhinge the wrists on the downswing too early. The wrists will generate the most power if they act like a lever and sling the club through at impact and not before.
But how do you know if you ’re doing it right? When your back arm swings through the ball it should feel like you’re skipping a rock on a lake. Some pros also call it a spanking motion. If you’re a baseball player it would feel like a side-armed pitch.
Practice your backswing at home in front of a mirror and pay special attention to your wrists. Below are the elements of your swing and where your wrists should be at each step along the way.
• At starting position your wrists should be straight.
• At hip height, as you swing the club back, the left wrist is only slightly hinged.
• By the time the club reaches your cheek your wrists will cock so that the club is at a 90 degree angle from the left arm, which is straight. They will stay hinged as the body continues to turn.
• As you shift your weight to your front foot and your body uncoils, thus bringing your arms down, your wrists will stay hinged; even when they return to hip height.
• As your club nears the ball, you will feel a natural pull to unhinge the wrists and fling the club directly onto the ball. This produces an enormous burst of power right before impact that will send your ball flying.
Remember, if you unhinge your wrists too early in your downswing you will not be able to capitalize on all that stored energy. By letting them snap straight before impact you will get the most bang out of your swing, and your balls will go much further as a result.