Tip From the Archives

Rolling Wrists

Problem

You do not feel a natural hinge in your wrists as you take the club back and notice that the ball either pulls or slices.

Cure

Check to see if you are rolling your wrists back instead of hinging them. If you do, it will cause you to take the club back too far inside of the target line.

Therapy

Practice correcting your takeaway by swinging over your golf bag, so if you bring it back too far inside of the target line, you will hit the bag. Set up with your bag standing a foot away from your trailing hip, with the top of the bag pointing in the same direction as your buttocks is pointing. Work on taking the club back so you have enough wrist cock to move it up and around without hitting the bag. If during your backswing you simply move the club back, into the bag and then up, you know you are rolling your wrists instead of hinging them.

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8 votes

 
Matt | 2 years ago, mid-July

I apologize if this is obvious, but what is the difference (in terms of movement) between rolling your wrists and hinging them?

Soto | 2 years ago, mid-July

The release is the rolling over of the wrists and forearms during the forward swing. However, I think when people talk about rolling wrists as a problem, they mean they are doing a release in reverse during their backswing - twisting or rolling the arms back, instead of hinging. Whenever I spend too much time thinking about my release, I tend to roll my arms or wrists back. Then it is impossible for me to square the clubhead before I hit the ball.

Richard | 2 years ago, at the end of October

I am still confused. My ball goes to the right but not until is out in the fairway at least 200 yards. I know that if I keep my right elbow slow to my chest and at impact I roll my wrists over, i can prevent this, but it always doesn't work. Can you comment

curtis | last year, mid-July

First of all it's not the wrist that roll it's your forearms that roll. The wrist can only pitch or cock up and down and hinge(like a door) or bend in and out. Put your hand out like you are shaking hands. Bend the wrist to the right then to the left. Now point your fingers up and then down. When you move the fingers up that is what happens when we cock the wrist on the back swing. There should be a slight hinge or cup (up) of the wrist at the backswing as well. If you put a golf glove on and watch the logo on the back of it, you can tell how much you are rolling you foreams during the swing. Wearing a watch ? notice the position of the face at the backswing. Your grip set up changes the position of the logo, if you don't roll your arms. To get a consistant wrist cock with out rolling your arms think thumbs up as you get to the nine o'clock position in the back swing. Rolling your arms is a problem you must bring the arm straight back with no roll. Now here is the kicker you have to get the arm swing wiith no roll down, then lower the club down to the 9 o'clock position and make sure the blade of the club is in a vertical position. A grip with the left hand rotated right of netural (strong grip) and the right hand in a netural or strong position, will cause the club to be pointing to the right in the 9 o'clock position at the backswing. At impact this will cause the club face to close more. Take a weak grip both hands to the left of center and the club will point to the left. Move the club into a proper impact position and the club face will be open. A proper IMPACT position is when the hands are in front of the head of the club and the right wrist has a cupped position.



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