Question:
Recent golf instruction articles I have read advise golfers to cock their wrists early in the backswing. Some even say that the wrists should be fully cocked by the time the hands are waist-high on the backswing. This is contrary to what I have been taught. Jack Nicklaus, for example, says that he doesn’t deliberately cock his wrists at all– he just lets the clubhead weight cock his wrists at the top of the backswing. Which is correct? Now that I’m older (and weaker), perhaps I need to cock my wrists earlier for more leverage??
Correct is what works. Leverage?!? You moving mountains or playing a game? Cocking your wrist has nothing to do with hitting the ball, uncocking does. Wrist cock only increases the travel of the clubhead on the back swing arc. When the right arm folds and shortens its radius in the backswing it pulls in the shaft allowing the left wrist to act like a hinge pin and cock. There is four places the wrist can cock, from the start, in the back swing, at the top, or in the downswing. In the backswing is the most common because of the folding action of the right arm. It makes no difference where the wrist cock just as long as they arrive near the impact zone in a cocked postion.
To echo Mr Laville, don’t worry about it. What you should do is stop reading instruction articles about the swing- they are the worst thing out, IMHO. They’re generalisations that people apply to swing faults they think they have, and make them get too mechanical about what they forget should be a pleasant experience. For every one that works, there’s a thousand that don’t. Problem is, with each one that you try and it doesn’t work, you’ve gone off the groove trying it out. Instead, go and either get yourself * a lesson or two- that way, the information is suitable for and tailored for you and your actual faults; and/or * a weighted club to swing several times a day to get a bit of strength and flexibility back. and in any scenario * work on your short game. Wedges and putts don’t require strength- but they can save you a lot of shots. Actually, the above advice is good for anyone. Age and skill not required. Ciao! Dive. David McAuliffe (speaking in strine) Acronym Computing Developments
Response:
Cocking your wrist has nothing to do with hitting the ball, uncocking does. Wrist cock only increases the travel of the clubhead on the back swing arc. [...] For me, cocking early = hitting from the top. Better to just imagine the clubhead slinging back and around, and then making a swing on that plane.
When you cock early it’s a result of the hands, not the right arm action. So you’re programing hands into the swing and that’s why you hit from the top, hands to take it back with, hands to take it down with. David Golf Homepage http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/3580/
Response:
The best way to get the proper feel regarding the wrists is to choke up to the bottom of the grip on a 7-iron, and take 180-degree short strokes a couple dozen times before a round. This gives you the proper release feeling. Concentrating on cocking the wrists can lead to other faults. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Recent golf instruction articles I have read advise golfers to cock their wrists early in the backswing. Some even say that the wrists should be fully cocked by the time the hands are waist-high on the backswing. This is contrary to what I have been taught. Jack Nicklaus, for example, says that he doesn’t deliberately cock his wrists at all– he just lets the clubhead weight cock his wrists at the top of the backswing. Which is correct? Now that I’m older (and weaker), perhaps I need to cock my wrists earlier for more leverage?? IMO, Jack N. is right. The less you worry about trying to cock (or uncock) the wrists at some particular point in the swing –the better and more powerful your swing will be. Harvey Penick says the same thing. Cocking your wrist has nothing to do with hitting the ball, uncocking does. Wrist cock only increases the travel of the clubhead on the back swing arc. When the right arm folds and shortens its radius in the backswing it pulls in the shaft allowing the left wrist to act like a hinge pin and cock. There is four places the wrist can cock, from the start, in the back swing, at the top, or in the downswing. In the backswing is the most common because of the folding action of the right arm. It makes no difference where the wrist cock just as long as they arrive near the impact zone in a cocked postion. David Golf Homepage http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/3580/ Club head speed, and the resultant power generated at impact, rely completely on the efficient use of all the levers involved in a good golf swing. I’ve seen several people who make a very nice turn away from the ball, but fail to utilize the stored up energy because they remove one of the levers from their swing. Their wrists are frozen, and consequently can’t properly add to the release at the bottom of the down swing. Why are they frozen??? Simple! They are gripping the club with too much pressure. Excessive grip pressure, whether applied to begin with or at the top of the back swing, will tighten the hand and arm muscles –and will keep the wrists from moving like they should in the impact area. So… forget about when to cock or uncock your wrists. Concentrate on making a good move (turn) away from the ball –keeping the grip pressure as light and as steady as possible. If you give it a chance, the wrist cock will happen as it should, you will gain the benefit of a multi-lever swing; and will hit the ball longer and more consistently. For reference, please see the article "Grip Pressure", by Carol Mann; which appeared in the June 1996 issue of Senior Golfer. It completely substantiates what I have said above.
Response:
Recent golf instruction articles I have read advise golfers to cock their wrists early in the backswing. Some even say that the wrists should be fully cocked by the time the hands are waist-high on the backswing. This is contrary to what I have been taught. Jack Nicklaus, for example, says that he doesn’t deliberately cock his wrists at all– he just lets the clubhead weight cock his wrists at the top of the backswing. Which is correct? Now that I’m older (and weaker), perhaps I need to cock my wrists earlier for more leverage??
IMO, Jack N. is right. The less you worry about trying to cock (or uncock) the wrists at some particular point in the swing –the better and more powerful your swing will be. Harvey Penick says the same thing. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Cocking your wrist has nothing to do with hitting the ball, uncocking does. Wrist cock only increases the travel of the clubhead on the back swing arc. When the right arm folds and shortens its radius in the backswing it pulls in the shaft allowing the left wrist to act like a hinge pin and cock. There is four places the wrist can cock, from the start, in the back swing, at the top, or in the downswing. In the backswing is the most common because of the folding action of the right arm. It makes no difference where the wrist cock just as long as they arrive near the impact zone in a cocked postion. David Golf Homepage http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/3580/
Club head speed, and the resultant power generated at impact, rely completely on the efficient use of all the levers involved in a good golf swing. I’ve seen several people who make a very nice turn away from the ball, but fail to utilize the stored up energy because they remove one of the levers from their swing. Their wrists are frozen, and consequently can’t properly add to the release at the bottom of the down swing. Why are they frozen??? Simple! They are gripping the club with too much pressure. Excessive grip pressure, whether applied to begin with or at the top of the back swing, will tighten the hand and arm muscles –and will keep the wrists from moving like they should in the impact area. So… forget about when to cock or uncock your wrists. Concentrate on making a good move (turn) away from the ball –keeping the grip pressure as light and as steady as possible. If you give it a chance, the wrist cock will happen as it should, you will gain the benefit of a multi-lever swing; and will hit the ball longer and more consistently. For reference, please see the article "Grip Pressure", by Carol Mann; which appeared in the June 1996 issue of Senior Golfer. It completely substantiates what I have said above.
Response:
Recent golf instruction articles I have read advise golfers to cock their wrists early in the backswing. Some even say that the wrists should be fully cocked by the time the hands are waist-high on the backswing. This is contrary to what I have been taught. Jack Nicklaus, for example, says that he doesn’t deliberately cock his wrists at all– he just lets the clubhead weight cock his wrists at the top of the backswing. Which is correct? Now that I’m older (and weaker), perhaps I need to cock my wrists earlier for more leverage??
Cocking your wrist has nothing to do with hitting the ball, uncocking does. Wrist cock only increases the travel of the clubhead on the back swing arc. When the right arm folds and shortens its radius in the backswing it pulls in the shaft allowing the left wrist to act like a hinge pin and cock. There is four places the wrist can cock, from the start, in the back swing, at the top, or in the downswing. In the backswing is the most common because of the folding action of the right arm. It makes no difference where the wrist cock just as long as they arrive near the impact zone in a cocked postion. David Golf Homepage http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/3580/
Response:
Cocking your wrist has nothing to do with hitting the ball, uncocking does. Wrist cock only increases the travel of the clubhead on the back swing arc. [...]
For me, cocking early = hitting from the top. Better to just imagine the clubhead slinging back and around, and then making a swing on that plane. -joseph
Response:
Recent golf instruction articles I have read advise golfers to cock their wrists early in the backswing. Some even say that the wrists should be fully cocked by the time the hands are waist-high on the backswing. This is contrary to what I have been taught. Jack Nicklaus, for example, says that he doesn’t deliberately cock his wrists at all– he just lets the clubhead weight cock his wrists at the top of the backswing. Which is correct? Now that I’m older (and weaker), perhaps I need to cock my wrists earlier for more leverage?? Regards, Petemoss