Mastering Wrist Position at Impact: The Key to Consistency in Golf
The secret to a powerful, consistent swing lies in one key moment—impact. And the secret to mastering impact? Your wrist position.
The correct wrist position at impact is sometimes hard to feel and accomplish, yet with the right information and training, it can be done.
After analyzing more than 1,000,000 swings with the HackMotion wrist sensor, we can show you exactly what your wrist position at impact should be.
In this article, we’ll explore wrist position at impact, common mistakes, and actionable drills to help you hit straighter, longer, and more consistent shots.
Wrist Position at Impact (Key Takeaways)
There’s no perfect wrist position at impact. Instead, we look at patterns and data from the professionals and realize the following:
- Bowed lead wrist at impact = more distance and accuracy.
- Cupped lead wrist at impact = weak shots and inconsistency.
- Golfers looking for more control in their shot’s direction and trajectory should focus on this lead wrist position.
- While the lead wrist moves to a flexed position at impact, the trail wrist should be extended.
- The best training for wrist position at impact includes slow-motion training, drills, and an awareness of the degree of flexion/extension at impact.
- HackMotion helps golfers track lead wrist flexion and trail wrist extension in real-time, ensuring optimal impact position.
If you prefer to watch a video to learn about wrist position at impact, you’ll find everything you need to know here:
Contents
What is the Wrist Position at Impact?
Wrist position at impact refers to how the lead wrist bends (flexion) or straightens (extension) during the strike.
Golfers with more bow or flex in their lead wrist at impact can compress the ball, get more distance, and have a straighter and more penetrating ball flight.
A golfer who flips their wrist at impact or leaves too much extension in the lead wrist might see weak, high ball flights.
HackMotion identifies the exact amount of flexion or extension, helping to refine the impact position.
Common Mistakes Seen in Wrist Position at Impact
Recreational golfers make a few mistakes that cause inconsistency, loss of power, and less accuracy at impact.
| Mistake | Effect | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Cupping at impact | Weak, inconsistent shots | 9 to 3 Drill |
| Too much extension at top | Difficulty squaring clubface | Static Top Drill |
| Late release | Slices/hooks | Release Drill |
Cupping or Flipping at Impact
The most common issue is an increase in extension through impact, also known as cupping or flipping the lead wrist.
This is often done because this flipping motion is a last-ditch effort to square the clubface at impact. Instead, an extended wrist through impact brings inconsistency into the golf game.
To fix cupping or flipping at impact, use the 9 to 3 drill.
How to Perform the 9-to-3 Drill
- Take a backswing to 9 o’clock.
- Allow a slight wrist hinge, but keep your lead wrist flat, ensuring the clubface is controlled.
- Initiate the downswing with body rotation, keeping your hands ahead of the clubhead.
- Continue swinging until the club reaches waist-high again (the 3 o’clock position) on the other side of your body. Make sure the clubface remains square as you complete the motion.
- Practice this 10 times and then start hitting balls, trying to create muscle memory, and repeat the motion.
Too Much Extension at the Top
At the top of the backswing, if you have too much extension in the lead wrist, it can be difficult to get rid of that extension before impact.
You’ll end up with shots that travel to the right of the target, which are weaker and higher.
After studying the swings of professionals, we’ve learned that the more extension there is at the top, the harder it is to get to a square or bowed position at impact.
It’s just too much work to do with not enough time.
Getting the lead wrist flat at the top will help, and the Static Top Drill is the perfect way.
Static Top Drill in HackMotion
By working on the Static Top Drill, you can create muscle memory and achieve a flat lead wrist at the top of the backswing.
Static Top Drill – Step by Step
- Pause at the top of your backswing, ensuring your lead wrist is slightly bowed, and your trail wrist is extended.
- Use HackMotion to check wrist angles, ensuring the clubface is square.
- Slowly initiate the downswing with body rotation, maintaining wrist positions.
- Stop at the impact position, verifying the lead wrist stays flexed and the trail wrist extended.
- Practice 10 times, then gradually incorporate hitting balls to build muscle memory.
Late Release
In addition to flexion and extension at impact, we must examine the wrists’ rotation and release.
Rotation of the forearms helps to increase power and create more consistency at impact.
The better you can get at this, the longer your clubface stays square, making it easier to hit great shots.
Using the Release Drill helps you create muscle memory in your lead wrist position.
Perfect Your Release with HackMotion
Fine-tune your release for consistent contact. Start with a short swing to master control before adding power.
Release Drill – Step by Step
- Begin by standing still at your address position. Ensure your posture, grip, and alignment are correct.
- Slowly take the club back until it is parallel to the ground.
- Without altering your body position, move your wrists into a flexed position, ensuring they reach the “green zone” (more flexed than they were at the address).
- From this flexed position, take a small backswing to create a bit of momentum. This backswing doesn’t need to be large—just enough to allow for a smooth transition through impact.
- Swing through and hit the ball, maintaining your wrist flexion as you move through impact. The goal is to have the wrists more flexed at impact than at address.
- Perform at least 10 repetitions, ensuring at least 50% of your swings achieve proper wrist flexion at impact. Focus on consistency and control.)
Driver vs. Iron Impact Position
The wrist position at impact for a driver swing and an iron swing is slightly different.
With an iron having a bit more shaft lean and a flexed position in the lead wrist will improve the downward strike and help you compress the golf ball.
For a driver swing, the hands should still be in line with the ball (not exaggerated) to help avoid flipping the wrist and ensure a square clubface at impact. The driver requires a slightly upward angle of attack.
| Aspect | Iron | Driver |
|---|---|---|
| Setup | Lead wrist starts slightly extended or flat. | Similar setup with the lead wrist slightly extended or flat. |
| Swing Path | More downward angle of attack. | Slightly upward angle of attack. |
| Body Motion | Moderate hip sway and shoulder tilt are needed for consistent impact. | Greater hip sway and amplified shoulder tilt are required for an upward strike. |
| Clubface Control | Shaft lean helps maintain a square clubface for solid contact. | Mild shaft lean required to avoid flipping the wrist and ensure square clubface. |
| Overall Consistency | Requires stable body motion to keep wrist angles intact. | Body movement must be amplified due to longer and faster swings. |
Conclusion
A properly flexed or bowed wrist position at impact in golf can lead to longer golf shots, more control of the clubface, and increased loft.
To get your wrist position at impact correct, start with some slower swings and learn to maintain that wrist bend to make solid contact.
Use HackMotion drills in the app to practice wrist impact position in real-time.
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