The Role of Wrists in Generating Power and Speed in the Golf Swing

Britt Olizarowicz

Jul 12, 2024 . 7 mins read

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We often discuss how the wrists control the clubface. If you hit a straight shot, a fade, or a draw, it’s because of the angle of your clubface.

However, the wrists also play other roles in the golf swing, namely power and speed.

Yes, if your wrist action is correct, you will gain more power and speed.

We will walk through the role of the wrists in creating some power and how you can work on this in your own game.

Key Takeaways

If you don’t have time to read our entire article on the role of wrists in generating power and speed in the golf swing, here are the most important points to take with you:

• Hinging, proper releasing, and precise wrist angles of the lead wrist can all help you add power to your golf swing.
• In addition to position, golfers need to pay attention to the timing of their wrist action to see success.
• One key way to add more power and generate speed is to properly hinge and unhinge your wrists; you must delay the hinge just a bit and time the release of that hinge perfectly on the downswing.
• Wearing your HackMotion will help you with both the position and timing of your wrists throughout your golf swing; the ability to add 10 or more yards is very realistic when your wrists start working properly.

How do Wrists Generate Power and Speed in the Golf Swing?

There are four ways in which you can use your wrists to gain more speed.

These include leveraging wrist hinge, maintaining wrist lag in the downswing, proper wrist release, and utilizing proper flexion and extension to gain power and consistency.

Leveraging Wrist Hinge

The wrist hinge helps to create a powerful lever system with your arms and the golf club. All great players have a wrist hinge in their swing, but it typically happens after the takeaways, not right at the start of the swing.

During the backswing when you hinge your wrists correctly you can store energy in those wrists.

That stored energy is then released when the wrists unhinge on the downswing. The unhinging is where you get speed and distance.

Maintaining Lag

During the downswing, the lag in your wrists is the angle between the club shaft and the forearm.

Lag in the golf swing is incredibly important as it helps ensure a powerful strike without you having to do more work. One of our favorite ways to practice this additional lag in the downswing is the Pump Drill.

You’ll initiate the downswing with your hips and torso, keeping the wrists cocked until your hands are closer to the ball.

Proper Release of the Wrists

Now that you have some potential energy stored in your wrists from the proper wrist hinge and maintaining that lag you can start to learn to release the club for more power and speed.

The proper release of the wrists means unhinging your wrists so that you are able to square the clubface.

This release also increases speed in the clubhead, which gives you extra yards.

The key to proper wrist release is to think about your forearms. Focus on a natural unhinging of the wrists while your forearms rotate.

The key here is to avoid rolling the writs and keep it more of a rotation of the forearms.

Flexion and Extension of the Lead Wrist

Flexion and extension in the lead wrist can be difficult to feel in your swing. With HackMotion, you can measure these numbers and track your progress and improvement.

The basic sequence of the flexion and extension of the lead wrist is as follows:

• During the takeaway, you may add a little extension as your wrists hinge.
• At the top of the backswing, the lead wrist should be flat or slightly flexed, promoting a square clubface.
• In the downswing, maintain that flat or slightly flexed lead wrist through impact.

Hitting a golf ball with a square clubface can increase total distance.

However, the main benefit of striking with a square or slightly flexed lead wrist is the ability to fire your lower body through the ball, knowing your clubface is square.

This is why golfers like Dustin Johnson and Collin Morikawa generate so much clubhead speed and distance. These wrist changes and positions can be subtle, so it’s best to wear the HackMotion as you practice and analyze your numbers.

The HackMotion is like having a coach with you at all times while you practice and improve your game.

Common Mistakes Golfers Make with Wrist Action that Cost Them Power

Now that you understand what it takes to generate power from your wrist action in golf, golfers make a few mistakes.

• Early Release – releasing the club too early makes you lose your lag and clubhead speed before you even get to the golf ball.
• Excessive Wrist Hinge on Takeaway – When you hinge the wrists too soon, it adds extension and creates a steeper plane than needed, so expect much less consistency with excessive wrist hinges.
• Flipping Wrists at Impact – flipping the wrists is a last ditch effort to square the clubface at impact; the problem with wrist flipping is it’s not powerful, and it is difficult to repeat.
• Too Much Extension in the Lead Wrist – having the lead wrist too extended at the top of the backswing typically leads to a clubface that is wide open at impact; get the lead wrist to move to more of a flexed position.

Drills and Tips to Improve Wrist Action for More Power

If you are working with the HackMotion, chances are you know exactly where your wrist issues lie.

However, here are a few additional drills that can help you get things squared away and ensure you have confidence in your game.

Hinge and Rehinge Drill

As important as it is to hinge your wrists in golf, the power comes from the unhinging of the wrists.

In this drill from Paul Wilson Golf, you’ll learn how to hinge on the way back and unhinge on the way down. It’s a feeling all great players should have in their swing.

The Motorcycle Drill

One of golf’s most powerful moves is flexing your wrist as the first move down from the top of the swing.

It’s common to have a little extension in the lead wrist at the top, but this motorcycle drill will show you exactly how to get to a flat or slightly flexed lead wrist.

Hit Hard Stop Quick Drill

The hit hard stop quick drill enhances wrist flexion and shaft lean at impact. This is one of the simplest drills in golf to pick up.

You’ll just swing as hard as you can at the ball and try to stop the club just after impact. This will maintain wrist flexion and promote greater shaft lean for increased power.

Resistance Bands Drill

Resistance bands can ensure proper lag and a delayed release of the wrists. Attach a resistance band to a secure object behind you and then loop it around the club’s grip.

As you swing, the resistance will encourage you to keep your wrists hinged longer and get more lag.

Conclusion

Now, you should have all the information and drills you need to add more power and speed to your golf swing.

After analyzing more than 1,000,000 golf swings with HackMotion, we know that the wrists not only control the clubface but also add a lot of power to your golf game.

If you are struggling with that missing link and loss of power, look no further than your wrist action.