Proper Wrist Hinge in the Golf Swing Explained & Drills to Improve

How much should the wrists hinge in golf? Do they hinge with your irons but not your driver? What do you do if the wrist hinge doesn’t feel right?

These are all common questions golfers have for a good reason. Wrist hinge in golf is crucial for achieving power and consistency in your shots.

If you’re struggling with wrist hinge and believe it could be the key to unlocking more power and repeatability in your results (which it often is), we have all the information you need.

Discover when and how to hinge your wrists in golf, and learn the importance of proper wrist positioning to ensure a square clubface.

Wrist Hinge in the Golf Swing (Key Takeaways)

If you don’t have time right now to dive into the details of the wrist hinge in golf, at least take these important points with you.

Here are the key things to remember about the proper wrist hinge in golf:

• Most golfers get wrist hinge wrong; it’s not just “cocking the wrists,” but getting the right amount and direction of movement to keep the clubface square.
• At setup, it’s normal for the lead wrist to be slightly cupped and the hands a little lower but these angles need to change during the backswing.
• At the top of the swing, your lead wrist should be flatter (not cupped) and your wrists should have a controlled upward hinge, just enough, not too much.
• A good checkpoint is when the shaft is parallel to the ground, the club should point toward your target, and your wrists should feel set but not overdone.
• Using HackMotion, you can get real-time feedback (sound or vibration) to help you stay in the correct wrist position throughout your swing.
• The Preset Wrist Hinge Drill is one of the easiest ways to learn this move, and it’s available in the HackMotion app.

What is the Proper Wrist Hinge in Golf?

The proper wrist hinge in golf will vary depending on the player, type of golf swing, and even the shot you are trying to play.

However, when it comes to wrist angles and hinge at impact, there are certain patterns that we continually see professionals repeat. After analyzing more than 1,000,000 swings, it becomes easier to see what works and what does not.

These angles in the golf swing have been studied and analyzed by professional golfers. The goal of a proper wrist hinge is to ensure that no matter how you take the club back, you can get your club into a square position at impact.

Why is Wrist Hinge Important in Golf Swing?

The wrists control the clubface.

Yes, it is as simple as that. If you want to have a square clubface at impact, you must be able to manage the wrist hinge in your golf game.

The wrist hinge influences the positioning of the club at the top, which in turn affects the transition to the downswing, ultimately determining where your clubface is at impact. Pretty important!

If you are not aware of your wrist hinge and its impact on the golf swing, try this drill.

Take one swing where you feel like you don’t hinge your wrists until the top of the swing. Then, take a swing where you set your wrists almost immediately after taking the clubface away from the ball.

The difference in these two swings will likely feel huge, and one or the other may make it easier for you to get a square clubface at impact.

How Wrist Hinge Affects Your Backswing?

The amount of hinge in your wrists during the backswing will have a significant impact on the positioning of the club.

Here are the key factors in golf impacted by wrist hinge:

• Leverage: Proper wrist hinge increases leverage and power.
• Swing Plane: Wrist hinge in the backswing affects swing plane, trajectory, and direction.
• Clubface Position: Wrist controls clubface; proper hinge leads to a square clubface at impact.
• Swing Arc: Good wrist hinge extends the backswing, boosting speed and distance.
• Timing: A consistent wrist hinge improves rhythm, flow, and consistency in your swing.

How Much Wrist Hinge Do You Want?

At this point, I’ve probably got you curious about whether you hinge your wrists early or late or even if you hinge them enough.

In this video from Zach Allen, you can learn a great deal about the timing of wrist hinge and what that does to your golf swing. You may be surprised to see how ulnar and radial deviation play into this process.

Hinging Early

An early hinge means the wrists begin setting by the time the club is parallel to the ground. This often suits golfers with a more compact, rotational swing.

Pros:

• Can simplify the motion, less work needed to square the face.
• Works well for stronger players with good speed.

Cons:

• Reduces width and extension.
• May limit overall swing length and power.

Hinging Late

A later hinge means the wrists stay passive longer and only begin setting near the top. Many pros, including Tiger Woods, favor this pattern for added extension and fluidity.

Pros:

• Promotes a wider arc and smoother transition.
• Helps generate speed through proper sequencing.

Cons:

• Requires excellent timing.
• Clubface must be squared early in the downswing.

The best way to figure out which works for you is to test both styles and use HackMotion to measure how they affect your face angle and wrist positions at key checkpoints.

How to Hinge Wrists in Golf Swing?

Most golfers can figure out how to hinge the wrists; the real challenge is getting the right amount of hinge at the right time.

Once you find that balance for your swing, everything else tends to fall into place:

• Weight shift becomes smoother.
• You can generate more clubhead speed.
• Body rotation stays more connected.
• And most importantly, the clubface is easier to control.

It’s not just when you hinge, but how your wrists are positioned after the hinge. Some golfers end up too extended (cupped) or too flexed, which affects both power and direction.

A good way to monitor this is by using HackMotion. It helps track how your wrists move during the swing and shows whether you’re staying in a consistent, repeatable position.

With HackMotion, you can:

• See how much hinge you create and when it happens.
• Get immediate feedback if your wrist angles go too far or fall out of range.
• Compare your swing to data patterns collected from a wide range of players.

It’s also helpful to experiment with both early and delayed hinge patterns to see which gives you better control and consistency. The key is having a way to measure and adjust, especially when you’re working on something as subtle and important as wrist mechanics.

Best Ways (and Drills) to Practice Your Own Proper Wrist Hinge

The problem with the wrist hinge is that you need to train it so it’s just the right amount and at the right time. One of the best ways to achieve this is with wrist hinge drills. Here are three of our favorites.

Preset Wrist Hinge Drill

This is one of the most effective ways to train proper wrist hinge. By presetting the correct wrist structure early, you take the guesswork out of how to hinge during the backswing.

Use HackMotion to receive real-time feedback and establish repeatable movement.

Over-Hinge Fault Drill

Sometimes the fastest way to learn the right move is to feel what’s wrong. This contrast drill shows you how too much wrist hinge (especially extension) can destroy your clubface control.

Extend the Takeaway Drill

This drill helps if you are hinging too early or too quickly. By focusing on width and extension in the takeaway, you encourage a later wrist hinge that naturally blends with body rotation.

FAQs

I know that wrist hinge can feel a bit confusing at times, but the best part about it is that you can hinge at a time that works well for your swing.

What happens if my wrists hinge too much?

If your wrists hinge too much, you may get to a position with a plane that is too upright and have to slow down or even flip the club at impact to square the clubface.

What is the importance of wrist hinge in golf swing?

Hinging can help create power in the swing.

Depending on when you hinge, players can create extra lag in their swing or use their wrist hinge to simplify the swing and take more of a compact turn or rotation.

What happens if you don’t hinge your wrists in golf swing?

If your wrists never hinge in your golf swing, you will lose a lot of power.

In addition, the angle of descent into the golf ball will likely not be ideal and could cause issues with ball flight.

Do you hinge wrists with driver?

Wrists hinge with your driver, but it is best to avoid the hinge at the beginning of the golf swing.

Instead, wait until your golf club is extended and your takeaway has brought the club near the top of your backswing. This movement will increase the swing arc.

When should you unhinge wrists in golf swing?

Wrists should unhinge during the downswing. The exact timing of this unhinging will be impacted by the amount of rotation you have in your golf swing. The best players unhinge early and then rotate their bodies to gain speed.

Is it OK to set wrists early in golf swing?

It is completely acceptable to set wrists early in the golf swing, especially with irons and wedges. Be sure that when the club is set, it is on the proper plane.

Closing Thoughts

At this point, you are probably itching to get out to the range to experiment with wrist hinge.

I highly recommend bringing your coach, the HackMotion, to ensure you are within range of proper wrist positioning throughout your entire swing. This is the best way to reach your goals in the shortest amount of time.