Wrist Action in Golf for Women Golfers: The Key to Power and Consistency
Women golfers have different strengths in their golf swing than men. However, when women learn the game, they often focus on turning and rotating (which isn’t bad), but their wrists are sometimes left out of it.
Wrist action for women is important, leading to more power and consistency in your game.
The wrists come into play from tee to green, and I’ll show you exactly what you need to work on to improve and see more power and consistency in your game.
Key Takeaways
If you don’t have time to read the entire article, here are a few of the most important takeaways.
- Women golfers need to understand extension (cupping) and flexion (bowing) in the golf swing; too many women have an excess of extension which leads to a loss of power.
- Wrist action in golf controls the clubface direction and impact, which in turn controls the direction of your golf shot.
- Increasing the amount of flexion in the lead wrist at the top of the backswing can lead to a faster rotation through impact and more power.
- Physical strength in the wrists can be a problem for some women players; there are exercises to help with that.
- Wrist action in putting is all about consistency; having the same or similar amount of wrist movement over and over again is the most important feature.
Contents
1. What do you want to improve in your full swing?
What do the Wrists do in the Golf Swing?
Before you start on your journey to improving your wrists in your golf swing, let’s make sure you know the role the wrists play. I bet you have heard the wrists should just “stay out of it” or “don’t break your wrists.” This information isn’t exactly correct.
Clubface Control
The most critical role of the wrists in golf is the control of the clubface. When wrists are positioned properly through impact, the clubface will be square.
We know speed is important in golf, but the most important aspect of gaining distance and hitting longer shots is to strike the golf ball in the center of the clubface.
Wrist action, especially a flexed lead wrist, can make all the difference.
Several Different Movements
Wrist action is typically talked about as bowing or cupping, which is the same as flexion and extension. However, the wrists also move in other ways throughout the swing.
These include supination and pronation and ulnar and radial deviation. The up and down movement of the wrists, as well as the rotation, make this concept a bit complicated. HackMotion helps to simplify wrist action in the golf swing.
Ball Compression
When shopping for golf balls you have probably been told to look for a lower compression ball. The lower compression design is supposed to help slower swing speed women get more distance out of their shots.
However, proper wrist action in golf can improve your ability to compress the ball. What does this mean? More options for golf balls, better feel, and more distance.
Distance and Accuracy
In addition to learning how to strike shots in the center of the face, proper wrist action in golf will increase distance and accuracy.
Most amateur women golfers adjust their wrists as they get to impact to try and square the face. If we can get your wrist to the proper position at the top of the swing, there is nothing that will slow you down through impact.
1. What do you want to improve in your full swing?
How to Improve Wrist Action in Golf for Women Golfers
Now, the critical part. How can we get you into the correct position throughout your swing to understand the correct wrist action and then repeat it? I’ll give you actionable steps and tips and explain how using HackMotion can make this much easier to comprehend.
Note: You can do all of these drills and movements without the HackMotion wrist sensor. However, if you want to measure results and progress, HackMotion’s data is invaluable.
Setup to the Top of the Swing – Control The Extension
Let’s focus mainly on the lead wrist (left for right-handed golfer). When you set up to hit a shot, the velcro on your golf glove faces the target. As you swing the club back, that is going to change.
If the velcro turns quickly and starts facing away from the target, that’s bowing or flexing. When the velcro instead lingers in its position of facing the target, that will lead to more extension.
Most amateur golfers increase the amount of extension they have from setup to the top of the swing.
This is a mistake.
The key is maintaining the extension or flexion in your lead wrist from setup to the top.
You can measure this with HackMotion, but you can also take some one-handed swings and look to see what your wrist has done. Is it cupped at the top? If it is, you are already in a position requiring some work to square the face.
This quick Hank Haney video explains this concept perfectly.
Top of the Backswing – as Flat as Possible
At the top of the backswing, the ideal position is to have the lead wrist as flat as possible. Of course, there are variations of this as we see golfers like Dustin Johnson being significantly bowed and players like Ben Hogan having more flex.
However, most female golfers should be looking to get the wrist as flat as possible.
For many players, myself included, the visual aspect of this is the most important part. You have to understand what the ideal position looks like and compare it to where you currently are positioned.
This video from Tom Saguto will show you this exact position at the top.
Transition – Make Your Move Right Away
Another exciting thing we have learned by studying the swings of more than 1,000,000 golfers using HackMotion is what happens during the transition. The transition from backswing to downswing is a crucial aspect of the game.
The best players in the world work very hard to square the clubface and flex their lead wrist almost immediately after transitioning from backswing to downswing.
The sooner you can get your lead wrist into a flexed position on the downswing, the easier it is to speed up your body and get those extra 15 yards.
This video from Alistair Davies will show you exactly how to do it.
Impact – Lead Wrist Flexion is a Must
At impact, the lead wrist must be in a flexed position.
The quicker you can feel this position from the top, the easier it is to accelerate through the ball and still hit a straight shot.
Most women golfers have the concept that a flip at impact will help them get under the ball and launch it into the air. This just isn’t the case. A flexed lead wrist gets your golf shot up in the air, compresses the ball, and decreases dispersion rates.
Ways to Build Up Wrist Strength
Women golfers sometimes underutilize wrists in the golf swing because of a lack of strength. Here are a few exercises to try to build up wrist strength.
| Exercise Name | Description | How to Perform |
|---|---|---|
| Wrist Curls with Golf Club | This exercise focuses on flexor muscles of the wrist, enhancing grip strength and clubface control. | Hold a golf club vertically in one hand. Curl the wrist upwards, bringing the club as close to the forearm as possible. Repeat 10-15 times, then switch hands. |
| Reverse Wrist Curls with Golf Club | Targets the extensor muscles in the wrist, essential for balance in wrist strength. | Hold a golf club with your standard grip. Extend the wrist upwards, lifting the club as high as comfortable. Do 10-15 repetitions for each hand. |
| Golf Club Rotations | Improve wrist flexibility and rotational strength. | Hold a golf club horizontally in front of you with both hands. Rotate the club clockwise and then counterclockwise, making full wrist circles. Perform for 30 seconds. |
Case Study: My Experience with HackMotion
I started working with the HackMotion about a year ago. I spend time with it each week to keep track of my wrist angles and see what improvements I could make.
I’m a golf professional and have been playing for 30 years. To be honest, I thought my wrist positioning in my golf swing was quite good.
Although I can’t say it was terrible, there was room for improvement. By using HackMotion, I’ve learned how to get a much flatter wrist position at the top of my swing.
For years, I had to manipulate the face a little through impact. Unlike a lot of golfers who struggle with a fade, my issue was a large draw. Sometimes, I just didn’t want that draw, and it all came from me having to work to square the face of the club.
I can now draw or fade the ball whenever I want, but my straight shot is as straight as it’s ever been. I’ve picked up some distance, especially with the driver, and overall, my sharpness in my short game has also improved.
HackMotion is absolutely built to help the female golfer, and the wrists are a tremendous opportunity to gain power and consistency. However, most women golfers need to utilize this opportunity more.
1. What do you want to improve in your full swing?
FAQs
Here are some commonly asked questions about wrist action in golf for women.
Does HackMotion work for women golfers?
HackMotion is a golf swing analyzer focusing on wrist control that works for any golfer who wants to hit longer and straighter shots. Women golfers often struggle with wrist action because of a lack of strength and awareness, and HackMotion can fix both.
How should your wrist be when hitting a golf ball?
When hitting a golf ball, your lead wrist should be flexed in a position that squares the clubface and allows for a straight, penetrating ball flight.
Is there wrist action in the golf swing?
Wrist action in golf includes extension and flexion, supination and pronation, and ulnar and radial deviation. Essentially, wrists can move up and down, side to side, and they can also rotate.
What is the correct wrist position in golf for women?
Women who can lessen or eliminate extension at the top of their backswing will hit fewer slices, strike the golf ball with consistency, and develop more clubhead speed through the golf ball.
Final Thoughts
If you are tired of fighting a slice, feel like you are losing power, or know that your swing could be more accurate, wrist action is something that you need to invest a little more time in. HackMotion makes it easy to run out to the driving range (without the help of a professional) and learn how to lower your scores.
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