The perfect golf swing is not just in the shoulders or the arms. The way your wrists release during your golf swing can have a major impact on the ball. So, how do the wrists release in the golf swing?
If you don’t release the swing at the wrists just right, you may end up with a slice. This is what most beginners, and quite a few pros, often do. Of all the culprits that might be ruining your game, you may not think to blame those harmless old wrists. Let’s take a look at the way you release that swing…
Perfect Timing Means Perfect Results
Here’s the perfect release:
Make a good backswing turn. As you start your swing, shift your weight to your left foot, the forward foot of your swing. As you swing, you unwind, starting with your legs and torso, then moving on to your shoulders and arms.
But wait a minute! Keep those wrists locked up. Until the very last part of the downswing, keep those wrists locked. Then, let them go and watch that ball fly.
Wait!!! Not Yet!
Most golfers release their wrists too soon in the swing. You just can’t wait to send that ball flying, so you start to swing your shoulders and arms down too early, instead of letting it start naturally with the torso. You end up swinging the club down and then you have to release the wrists in the middle of that downswing.
You’ve really got to wait until the final nanosecond of the downswing to let the wrists go. The timing is something that you have to work on. You shouldn’t have to force it; if you let yourself unwind just right, your wrists will know when to release.
Usually, when you release your wrists too early, you end up hooking the ball. If you get lots of hooking, you should take a closer look at your wrist release.
What Happened?
Some golfers don’t release the wrists at all. This is most often due to nerves, or trying to force the ball right into the target area. You might be uncertain of your shot, and this will make your shot stiff and frozen. It sounds bad, but even very good golfers do this.
If you don’t release the wrist at all, or not enough, you’ll end up hitting the ball much shorter than you intended to. You probably will be closer to your intended target, but you’ll lose yards and yards on it.
Get It Right!
Here’s a good tip for you when you’re practicing: Relax. Let all that tension go. Being nervous about your shot is the number one cause of improper wrist release. Twist your body, put your weight on your forward foot, and do it. It should be a natural motion, and you just can’t be natural with it if you’re whole body is tense.
Here’s another way to think about it: You are using the rotational force of your body. Black belts in karate rotate their torsos in the same way to add power to their punch.
Getting the right wrist release is a Zen thing; it happens when you don’t think about it. Sound esoteric? Sorry about that! Put another way, you shouldn’t have to consciously release your wrists. If you twist your body just right and let the natural rotation do its thing, your wrists will know when to go.
A good grip, a good set up, a natural swing and you don’t have to do anything at all. Just let those wrists go!
