Most golfer have an extended left wrist at the top of the swing. Notice that when the left wrist is cupped or extended how open the club face appears.
The extreme other wrist position at the top of the swing example is Dustin Johnson with a very flexed left wrist. You will notice that the club face with a flexed wrist appears shut or closed.
Most golfers slice the ball, break their left arm severely and extend or cup their left wrist. This leaves the club in an open position making it necessary to rotate the club back to square at impact. When the club face is very open this also causes the body to slow down before impact so the arms can make the necessary adjustment.
A cupped left wrist also is a major power leak. You may find that there are good players with a cupped wrist at the top of the swing. These players first move from the top is to flex the left wrist moving it back to a neutral position so the club is closer to square.
You can see with Mr. Nicklaus that the left wrist is very flat at the top, seen here at Augusta National. I would say that flat to slightly bowed is the preferable position.
For most of us when we feel light the wrist is extra flexed it is not even close. How if feels is not real so you will need a phone or camera to video you from the target to believe how much you need to exaggerate the feel of a flexed wrist to get it close to neutral.
A extended wrist helps hit the ball shorter, will enhance curve to the right and also makes it neccesary to slow the body down during impact.
A flat or flexed left wrist encourages a faster body rotation, longer and straighter shots.
The wrist are a great source of power that are not used by most golfers, don’t be one of those golfers…….
Jim Hartnett
PGA
