How the wrists REALLY work (what 93% of amateurs don't know)

[@d.s.8272]

Wrist angles were the one thing that was really holding me back as a 10+ year self taught golfer. Watched some of your videos about wrist angles halfway through last year and it ended up taking 3 full stroke off my handicap over the remainder of the season, from an 12 to an 9. Thank you for what you do Mark. No nonsense lesson videos are what made me the golfer I am.

[@jeffmartinez262]

This is it! I've seen other videos about this motion, but this was the first (that I've seen) which recommends such a forceful action. Mark, what I love is that you simplified the entire golf swing into 2 primary forces that we need to recruit. One force is the loading and unloading into the ground, and the other force being the torque around the center of the grip, created by the hands working in opposite directions. I found this video a few days ago, at the depths of my frustration, 5 a.m. and unable to sleep because my newly purchased swing radar said I was only getting 78-85 mph. After I watched this video, I got out of bed, and gave it a try. I was definitely someone who was dragging the handle through impact, so forcibly releasing the club was a brand new concept for me. I always thought that the "release" was supposed to be a passive action, but this video clearly drives home the point that the "release" should be aggressive, forceful, and maybe even violent! Needless to say, this concept flipped the switch for me, instantly. My swings began to hit the 95+ range, with a few over 100. Some of my fastest swings felt like I was barely trying or working very hard. What a great feeling! And also, to my surprise, controlling the low spot with my irons became so much easier than when I was dragging and holding on. I can even rip my 4 iron now, without worry of hitting it fat or off-center. Just: load, jump, fling! Wow, it's so easy, it feels like cheating. This video should be mandatory viewing on day-1 for all new golfers! Thanks, Mark!

[@thisisreallife5086]

I just found this video a few days ago and I have to agree with you 100%. These drills let the golfer feel the real release. I've taken it to the range and proven to myself it works, and on the course when I started to revert to a flippy-passive swing, I simply did this drill a few times and I instantly "remembered" how to release correctly. Absolutely saved my game. What it does for me is to remind me how the left and right hands have to work together to release in the same direction - it helps me to find the correct angles. They say golf is all about the angles. It's true. When both wrists are working at the same angle at release, and not fighting against each other, the power increases significantly. Thank you so much Mark!

[@namlocnz]

Hips and wrists are what I've been trying to work on, the timing of your last few videos has been perfect! Legend.

[@jimmystewart58]

I’ve been looking for a good showing of how the wrist and hands truly work Good stuff thanks

[@zephyr702]

Mark one of my favorite videos to watch is the slow motion tiger woods swing where it is a view from the side and behind him in synch. Would you be willing to do one of yourself explaining what you are feeling during the slow motion swing? Really appreciate everything you do.

[@TeddyCavachon]

The key wrist action in the downswing which accelerates the club head is the change from thumbs-up radial deviation to thumbs-down unlar deviation. I first became aware of this when I decided to try learning to swing like Ben Hogan using his Five Lessons and by screen capturing videos of him and watching them frame-by-frame after 20 or so years of trying in vain to emulate the swing of Jack Nicklaus learned from his book Golf My Way back in the mid 1980s. In 1980s and 1900s the mantra was “sustain the lag” through impact and the idea that maximum acceleration of the club head only occurred after impact. The X factor was also in vogue in which the goal was to minimize rotation of the hips in the backswing instead maximizing how far the shoulders could coil the torso muscles around the hips in the backswing. Hogan’s swing style was based around moving hips/shoulders and hands together in the takeaway against the resistance of a squared back foot, which creates a huge amount of torque in the back leg and buttocks if done to the point the back leg straightens. Something else Hogan was known for was the “waggle” of the club up and down in his pre-shot routine. Initially I thought this just a drill to relive tension in the grip, but one day doing it a ball got it the way and it flew 20 or so yards dead straight with just the wrist action. Studying Hogan’s videos frame-by-frame I realized that he was allowing the club head to “waggle” down around the hands in the downswing instead of trying to “sustain the lag”. In the downswing at the point his hands passed over his back leg they slowed to nearly a stop but the club shaft became a blur indicating it was accelerating around the hands. His trail wrist could be seen changing from maxed out radial deviation and extension into ulnar deviation and neutral extension /flexion (i.e., allowing the swing force acting on the club head mass to pull the trail wrist straight with the trail forearm). Hogan had the habit of cupping (extending) his lead wrist at the top of the backswing which apparently was something he need to do to bring the club shaft parallel and club mass over the center of balance at the top after his 1948 car crash. Then in the downswing he changed the lead wrist from extension to maxed out flexion which also created palm-up supination. But what was also happening in the lead wrist was change from radial deviation (thumb up lag) to thumb-down ulnar deviation. To the naked eye or watching video at actual speed it appears to be the same as a conventional lagging swing, but by watching and emulating the wrist action frame by frame then in real time I realized Hogan in the last foot or so of the downswing before impact snapped the club down into the ball with the same waggle action seen in his pre shot routine. I realized the biomechanics were similar to how a hammer, axe, and bull whip and even a baseball in a pitcher’s hand increases acceleration and striking force. There was an immediate improvement in my ability to compress the golf ball onto the face of the club in full swings which resulted in more distance, green stoping spin off the face of my wedges and irons and even a difference in the feel and sound of impact. I started whipping the club head down around the hands so rapidly the club shaft would bend forward and cause the club head to snap off at the hosel which led to an understanding of the sensation of “hitting / breaking through the wall” I had read about but never really felt. I realized that times when the shaft bowed forwards and snapped the head off the club it was because my back foot was still grounded. Again watching Hogan’s swing frame by frame I studied how he moved his back foot and realized the correlation between the back foot being grounded, that restricting hip turn to about 45° open just as the hands were passing over the back leg and the club starts whipping down around the hands. Keeping the back heel down until the hips can’t turn any more (hitting the wall) is like driving a car 80 mph and tapping the brakes and that is what was triggering the club head mass to whip down around the hands in Hogan’s swing. Just as that occurred he started a very controlled lifting of the back foot, peeling it off the turf heel-to-toe as if attached with velcro and not turning it onto the toe until well past impact. That coordinated lifting of the foot frees the hips/shoulders and hands to catch up with the speed of the arms and club head preventing the club head from bending forward to the point of failure (which may happen with “waggle action” if the back foot isn’t released.

[@804titan]

probably the best info and block of instruction I've ever received

[@granty1954]

Mind blowing. Saw this at 6.35 am waiting in the car park. 7.15 am first Tee shot, normally 210/220 yards... Boom! 250 yards. Every club felt so much more powerful.. INSANE! Thanks Mark C.... 🎉

[@oneshotrally]

State of that Club Mark! If I rocked up for a lesson with clubs like that the club pro would spend 20 minutes drilling me on the importance of clean grooves and face 🙂 Great vid as always, thanks.

[@Osterhjm]

Hi Mark, can you explain and show the difference between the jump and early extension? Thx 😊

[@MrRockrobstr]

Wow! That’s really good, Mark!

[@MarkCrossfield]

Hope it helps

[@epicragegaming2016]

last time i helicoptered my club it got stuck in a tree and i bought a new set of irons lol. can't wait to practice this. thanks for all the videos over the years.

[@9zhivago]

This was a really fantastic video.

[@williammcintyre9380]

Outstanding session. Thank you

[@bosco0991]

Great video. Im a lefty that swings righty. I think this going to help my lack of release. Any other tips for the lead hand dominant golfers?

[@johnhailstone9927]

once again brilliant. I've been working on this myself. Pulling and pushing the grip. It works that's for sure.

[@John-nl2kt]

Best swing and most natural on KZbin ✌️

[@lewiswilliams931]

Great video. Giles Gill has a great video on how the wrists work

[@antonwillis896]

I’m not sure what I’m doing but I tried this as soon as I start that down swing and it works so much better for me than trying to focus on having my body in front of the club

[@SolomonLi]

“Helicoptering the club”… I admit I never had, but I get the feel. LOL. The physics on the club movement is solid though. When you’re swinging a baseball bat the fastest part of the bat is always at the end, but the feeling of the hands is just as you described. As always, good stuff Mark!

[@rogerlindgren148]

Wow! Great thoughts to take to the range

[@isleofdeath]

Love the drill, and good for warm up also!

[@vansonguitars8981]

Cheers Mark, appreciated!

[@thesuperlive]

I've seen so many videos like this the last couple of days. It's like instructors have realised everyone is trying to hit with lag, a bowed left wrist, watch facing the target, compressing the ball, getting their weight forward and now everyone has forgot how to release a club properly. Probably like how you instinctively did it when you first started playing, then got lost in technique

[@Simeon-the-Magnificent]

Mark I remember watching one of your old videos saying the face doesn't roll over through impact it simply follows your pivot

[@MichaelBarlow-o5k]

This is an amazing video. Does this also apply to half shots and wedges?

[@mrkipling3841]

Excellent! Cheers, Mark.

[@MarkCrossfield]

You are welcome

[@matthewwalters9980]

Hey Mark - I absolutely love this video! I have one question, how do you avoid the jump translating into your actual swing, or do you promote that? Thank you

[@Brodie72x]

Pretty much what I'm working on rn. When I get it, it's awesome! Just need to try to not get tennis elbow from over doing it the wrong way when playing.

[@garyphillips2079]

Really enjoying your videos. Got my first so called fitted clubs a couple of years ago. The testing consisted of striking 3 7 irons from a piece of plastic. I have Ping G710 irons, which I’ve alway felt were too short for me and Ping G410 driver, woods and hybrids. I’ve since changed my golf Club membership and get regular lessons, which has reduced my handicap. I’m now considering a full custom fitting again. What’s your thoughts?

[@cintronbrandon]

Is the club face square to the ark/swing plane on this release? or are you trying to shake hands with the target? Thanks Mark!

[@johnjamison806]

Thank you for your exercises I do like watching your tips although it ends up thinking to much on the tee

[@Aaz9uk]

This is a game changer!

[@MarkCrossfield]

Hope it helps.

[@Aaz9uk]

@@MarkCrossfield Me too! It’s probably going to make me worse to begin with but it’s changed my understanding of swinging completely. I’ve never understood the ‘fling the club head’ part that you’ve mentioned before until this video. Time to get practicing!

[@francisshouse7533]

Ok this is crazy, practiced the drill then got out my swing speed thing, picked up 13 mph over my norm! I must have been the dragger you talked about

[@johnsnider9151]

So when do you feel like your starting to release the club? I've heard it's when the club shaft is parallel to the ground.

[@MrMannydac]

This feels like a light bulb moment for me. Rotation has never really made any kind of sense to me and I’ve never been able to properly release the club and finish the swing. You’ve talked about this before but it’s only made sense now

[@andy66l97]

Mark this is a great video, thx, what I really struggle with is the conflict of release whilst at the same time creating compression with my irons - any thoughts or suggestions? Back to golf 2 years ago after 19 years away, off 3 & age 55 so any help to either gain speed or avoid losing it extremely welcome!

[@MarkCrossfield]

You need to manage loft for “compression”

[@andy66l97]

@@MarkCrossfield thx Mark, I’ll see what I can do & any tips on that or refs to previous vids welcome. Just started listening to your podcasts by the way & really enjoying them - great work👍

[@MarkCrossfield]

@@andy66l97 Stop hitting the ground before the ball (golf swing tips) kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZ_CpoyHoJxkipY

[@dloc2907]

Such a good drill.

[@MarkCrossfield]

It really helps students.

[@paulgoulding2291]

Sometimes, " helicoptering " your club is very satisfying. Especially when it goes farther than the ball. 😇🤣

[@PRS8124]

Excellent

[@mgoneills]

Is it the same principle for driver ?

[@davidmccabe8402]

Do you have mid size grips on your clubs

[@pederjensen7288]

Feel this way with moving my lead foot back to get power, that I am hanging behind the ball and not getting through it, so I am early extending

[@jaciobe]

Thanks

[@brynmorthom8363]

Hi Mark! Great content and so technically focus as ever. Really appreciate these video. Thank you. One thing I really struggle with is the concepts of handle lean vs club release. These two ideas seem to be at odd with each other. I assume I’m missing something?

[@tigertim9232]

Perhaps the "simple" explanation that the lowest point in the swing with an iron is after the ball, whereas with a driver it is before the ball. With the iron when a still picture is taken you see handle lean as a result Something along those lines. Perhaps why you hear so many feel descriptions by players. Get a whoosh etc. Another one is trying to strike the ground the way you would strike a match. That feel results in good actions coming out without thinking about trying to handle lean/release. Tough one i agree. Would love to see a vid with Marks perspective on that too.

[@lizardears4861]

I’m going to try that jump into impact, What could possibly go wrong …! It may be the medicine I need. 👍

[@paulengebretson6597]

Trying this today! Brilliant, and it helps explain why hockey players hit it so damn far.

[@robbiethorpe2914]

When I try this I find it flips and slices? Any ideas Mark?

[@johnnybravo9087]

Seems to be an act of throwing loft onto the club. How does one achieve both shaft lean and fully releasing the club? Good idea for a video?

[@elijahshelar7496]

Wait.... we're not SUPPOSED to helicopter our clubs out of anger after a bad shot? Wish someone wouldve told me that last week!! 🤣 kidding. This whole series is brilliant and priceless for anyone wanting to improve their game in any aspect.

[@nunyo7259]

Where did you get that 93% number from?

[@Skye_the_toller]

may be add this move in my pre-routine... but... not with a candy shaft ! :)

[@MarkCrossfield]

Haha 😂

[@stevescaggs5982]

Don't you dare helicopter that club Mark! 😁

[@tomsettles6873]

Mark - when in the downswing do you fire the right wrist ? If we start too early we'll hook the crap out of the ball.

[@darrenbraund6578]

This video feels faster than my swing speed 🤣👍

[@8burlow]

Worked really well with my driver but not so much with my irons. Didn’t get that penetrating flight I was looking for. Maybe I’m too steep!

[@MarkCrossfield]

Look at your face angle/loft delivery for lower flights. Handle lean is not all.

[@inusprinsloo1257]

I'm already scooping/flipping too much. Wouldn't this aggrevate it further instead of fixing it?

[@MarkCrossfield]

No. That’s is about loft control 👍👍

[@mikeneuburger3989]

As someone who has maybe been one of these folks, I think some of the holding off is a misunderstanding in trying to adopt the Hogan swing

[@samuraichicken9248]

This is a great video. Your demonstration in the last 30 seconds is me in a nutshell. I always think to "cover the ball" and I sort of pull all the way through the swing, probably because I've been told not to "cast" the club so I'm worried about the club head getting in front of my hands. It seems the truth is that there DOES need to be a degree of whip through the swing, but not too much. Somewhere in the middle of the two extremes is correct.

[@briank5304]

Good lord, is everyone tired of Mark and Alex Elliot saying 93% this 95% that as if they statistically analyzed golfers. Stop please. Love the content Mark

[@academysalon8013]

Defo helicoptered it when I was small

[@MarkCrossfield]

Haha

[@josephwirtz8352]

The second drill is similar to a hockey shot.

[@kevinconnolly754]

definitely gonna try this. I'm well known for helicoptered clubs around the course 😂😂😂

[@MarkCrossfield]

Haha

[@nicolaimortensen1]

Good stuff. But how do you do this, while still hitting down on the ball, hands in front of the ball at impact and not scoop? I think your take here might promote scooping?

[@MarkCrossfield]

Loft management promotes scooping. 👍

[@kalleappel]

How do I not hook it with this release? 🤷‍♂️

[@MarkCrossfield]

Not sure I am making this connection. 👍

[@kalleappel]

@@MarkCrossfield whenever I turn the face over like that to try and gain speed I get too much left curve (inside swing path) so I must be getting it wrong somehow..

[@davesanderson4023]

@@kalleappel do you have a strong grip? If so a weaker grip should change your hook to a draw

[@kalleappel]

@@davesanderson4023 Yes, a fairly strong grip! I will try weakening and see what results I get. Thanks for the reminder! 👍🏻

[@billyfromla1117]

5:30

[@knutgottfried3388]

I am confused. Isn't this scooping, what should bei avoided?

[@MarkCrossfield]

Lack of loft control creates scooping. 👍

[@thecount1001]

so as amateurs we are all trying to keep the hands in front of the clubface and make sure the clubface is both square to the ball, and at the correct loft. and then you're showing how to snap through and smash the ball. while i like it all in theory, how the hell do you put it together? i'm a beginner and my instructor is adamant about the importance of striking the ball with a delofted clubface and at this stage, it looks very stiff at this stage, as you demonstrate at the beginning.

[@MarkCrossfield]

Your loft management will control loft

[@MarkCrossfield]

So what you do before this I mean. 👍

[@jonvansant6334]

Couldn't this promote either trail hand taking over and closing the face or lead wrist breaking down into a cup position?

[@odonnellP]

💡💡💡

[@MarkCrossfield]

👍👍

[@jameskavanagh816]

😮

[@gatorwhiskers9011]

pretty sure I've seen sergio garcia doing a fair amount of helicopter impressions

[@MarkCrossfield]

Haha 😂

[@stangetz534]

pause it at 4:19 thats me. i have to work so hard not to do that.

[@mylesjohnson9539]

Just doesn't work for me...can definitely generate more speed when I get it right, but seems to bring timing too much into the equation. When I try this, I usually end up pulling it left or dribbling it a few yards in front of me because i closed the face too quickly.

[@thomasgolft]

It all makes total sense to me but I have never met a teaching pro (in Austria) who would even touch this subject. Most pros I know have their standardised way of teaching which feels very useless to me. Do you feel like moving?

[@variable42]

So you’re promoting the traditional / rolling release instead of the modern / square release? IMO, yes, the traditional release will allow you to squeeze out a little more distance. But I feel that the modern release leads to much better directional consistency. Also forces you to turn your body as opposed to just resorting to an arm-driven swing. Have I lost the plot?

[@fandangomobile]

Variable, no don’t think u have lost the plot. My 10 cents worth I developed a power core turn thru the ball swing with relatively quiet wrists but have started to blend in the wrist flip/power clear left side feelings .Yes maybe there is bit more timing/practice involved but I feel u get a lot more club head speed and the irons contact is nicer more satisfying. Do u score as well/better only time will tell!!

[@Toogs713]

rolling the face over and releasing the club head are not one and the same

[@nicklewis4934]

Wouldn’t that promote flipping?

[@MarkCrossfield]

No, loft promotes that. 👍

[@paulm8395]

What's this? ...a hockey swing !!!

[@MarkCrossfield]

Not sure what you are asking?

[@chrisjackson1266]

There's another KZbinr who recommends club throwing as a way to realize a proper release and timing. LOL.

[@mtdstc]

So you want people to be flippy through impact?

[@MarkCrossfield]

Haha, this is a common misconception. I will do more as many seem quite lost. Remember, the grip going up sends the club down. The loft delivery will dictate face angle/face to handle relationship. 👍

[@TristanNZ]

I call it the on drive. Ex cricket players are terrible for it

[@kourt2469]

Lol "93% of amateurs dont know". That's a very specific #. You do a poll mark? 😂😂

[@andrewgarner9194]

😂do not throw your clubs ...why do I think Rory has a great club throw in the locker

[@bigman2xl905]

Helicopter it. You haven't golfed if you haven't done it. lol

[@foreshow1]

Beavis your clubs are filthy!!

[@MarkCrossfield]

They so are 🙈

[@enoughisenough1932]

93% are you absolutely sure…😂😂😂

[@jeffmariajenson9751]

96% of all Golf Influencers are now using high percentages in their titles as click bait.

[@jopflah416]

Took a scientific survey did you?

[@PetSKi67]

Really? Where was the wrist working information?

[@MarkCrossfield]

In the part about your feet?

[@CKGolfer]

You need to clean your clubs.

[@alipajooman]

Kaboomsies!

[@ericbodley2019]

I'm trying , I'm trying, but it escapes me. DOHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!