The Bent Right Wrist (4-A-2)

[Yoda]

A question i ask myself (why i dont know, cause i dont know) why does TGM want a frozen HELD bent rear wrist.

So do we PRACTICE holding the wrist bent to drill our bodies to allow the rear arm to straighen without MAKING the rear wrist go straight and fight againt the natural tendency the club has on our loose wrists to keep the wrist alignments correct?

[Bold by Yoda.]

The Right Wrist should be Frozen in its Impact Alignment no later than the Top of the Stroke. The reason is that when you distub the Bent Right Wrist, you disturb the alignment of the Clubface.

And that is why you must practice this mission-critical alignment:

1. Establish the desired amount of Bend at Fix;

2. Make sure you have that amount of Bend at the Top;

3. Maintain that amount of Bend at least to the end of the Follow Through (the Both Arms Straight position).

To Translate this Mechanic into its 'describable sensation,' use the 'one-two punch' of 3-B. As always, look, LOOK, LOOK to make sure you get it right.

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by Yoda

Ball Location will affect the amount of Right Wrist Bend at Fix. The further Forward the Ball is located in the Stance, the more Right Wrist Bend (4-A-2) and the further Back, the less. It is that Bend that determines the precise Right Forearm alignment with the Left Arm Flying Wedge. And it is this alignment, in conjunction with the selected Plane Angle, that determines how much the Right Elbow will appear to "Fly" at the Top (8-6).

So if you determine a given bend in the Right Hand at Fix, you are supposed to have that same angle at the Top? If so, that would seem to be a good argument for acutally starting up from Fix.

Yes, the Right Wrist should be 'Frozen' with its Impact Fix degree of Bend no later than the Top. Starting from Fix has its advantages, especially for Hitters and their 'Carry Back' Motion in Start Up. Swingers also may start from Fix, but their 'Swinging' Motion in Start Up favors the Classic Mid-Body position of the Hands and the 'Balanced between the Weight Shifts' of Adjusted Address.

[Yoda]

What causes the right wrist to move to flat?

I'm fighting a move to flatten the right wrist.

Improper #3 Pressure Point Pressure causes the Right Wrist to Flatten. Remember, Power flows from its source (the Accumulators) and is applied against the Pressure Points that directly and indirectly drive the Club through Impact. Almost always, the Clubhead Lag (and Acceleration Control) is assigned to the #3 Pressure Point (6-C-2-0). This becomes the Indirect Drive of the Lever Assemblies. All other employed Pressure Points are the Direct Drive.

For Hitters, Power Accumulator #1 (6-b-1-0) drives both the #1 and #3 Pressure Points (6-C-2-C). Therefore, to maintain the Bent Right Wrist, focus through Impact on the Bent Right Arm's Direct Drive against the #1 Pressure Point (6-C-1) -- the heel of the Right Hand against the Left Hand thumb. Keep the Right Forefinger 'easy' on the Club and allow the Clubhead Lag and its Indirect Drive to be accepted by the #3 Pressure Point. When you have learned to properly maintain these Direct and Indirect Drive Pressures, you will have learned to maintain the inert and Bent Right Wrist. And if you don't Feel the heel of your Right Hand Driving against your Left Thumb and your Unstressed and Bent Right Wrist trailing along behind, well...you ain't got it yet.

And how will you know when you've got it? It will sound like a 'war' in your practice area. You'll notice people staring. Maybe even gathering around. Asking you for a tip or two after you've wrapped up. Things like that. Meanwhile, while you're learning, it wouldn't hurt to watch Lee Trevino's Downstroke motion on video tape a few hundred times.

For Swingers, the Indirect Drive of the Clubhead Lag is once again assigned to Pressure Point #3. The Direct Drive is supplied by the Downstroke Right Shoulder Turn (Accumulator #4) and by the Wrist Cock (Accumulator #2). Focus on the Start Down Lag Loading (Drag the Butt End of the Club Down Plane per 10-19-C) and the Sequenced Release (Uncock and Roll per 4-D-0) through Impact. Allow the Indirect Drive of the #3 Pressure Point to accept the Lag Loading and the Direct Drive of Centrifugal Force to Power the Clubhead .

I cannot urge strongly enough the benefit of video work in this area. Much of what is done with the video is cosmetic and ineffective. But used properly, it can lead you to Golf's Promised Land. If you can dispassionately watch through Impact your Bending Left Wrist and Flattening Right Wrist -- trust me, that is almost certainly happening -- and determine to correct it, then it can be done. Put your Stroke on video. Try to correct your Motion as I've prescribed. It didn't work, did it? Do another video. No good. Try again. No good. Try again. Closer. More #1 Drive Out Pressure for Hitters. More #2 Throw Out Pressure for Swingers. No good. Try again. Better. Again. A lot better!

Nirvana!

Stay with it.

You can do this!

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by sdbyrd

Has anyone tried the training aid called Greg Norman's Secret? It purports to help you learn to maintain a frozen bent right wrist. (And they're cheap on eBay.)

Why bother? You know the secret- level bent right wrist. Level is uncocked, bent is unflat. Push your right hand into the wall. That is a uncocked bent right wrist.

Hans, why don't you tell sdbyrd about our 'Secret?' You know, the Chipping Stroke where we put the Weight Left and the Hands ahead with the Left Wrist Flat and the Right Hand Forefinger 'crinkled up' and dead behind the Shaft (facing slightly right of Target). Does that firm up -- and keep Bent! -- the Right Wrist or what? Does it maintain the Lag Pressure? You bet! Does it mandate taking both Hands and the entire Golf Club through Impact? Of course!

Tell'em about it!

Oops. I think I just did!

[Yoda]

Hitters have to educate the right wrist to stay bent while they
"unbend" the right arm.

And they do this by learning to hit the Ball with the heel of the
Right Hand (and its Pressure against the Left Hand Thumb).

Learn to hit the Ball with the Pressure Points in your Hands.


The Club becomes irrelevant.

[Yoda]

According to TGM, cocking the right wrist in incorrect.

Let's say I'm at impact fix: what exactly cocks my left wrist after takeaway begins(without the incorrect cocking movement of right wrist)? Is it just the bending motion of the right elbow? Is this the only thing that cocks and uncocks the left wrist?

Although I thought that i always only bent the right wrist, I've noticed that I have unknowingly been adding a little bit of right wristcock at the top of my backswing

FP,

Yes. For G.O.L.F.ers using The Magic of the Right Forearm (7-3), the Right Elbow raises and lowers the Left Arm and cocks and uncocks the Left Wrist.

And congratulations on discovering the Cocked Right Wrist that has been silently plaguing your Game! You have just discovered an inferior alignment in Section 6 of your Stroke, the Top. What to do?

First, note the difference in Feel between the Cocked Right Wrist and the Bent Right Wrist. Do one and then the other until their difference in Feel is unmistakable. Look, look, LOOK, both by turning your head around and checking out your Top alignment, and also in a mirror to make sure you get it right. Then, simply avoid the Cocked Right Wrist and integrate the Bent Right Wrist into your Total Motion.

When you've done that, you've made One Giant Step on the road to Golfing Perfection. Next!

[Yoda]

Yoda,

How far past ball separation does your right wrist stay TOTALLY bent?

The Flat Left Wrist and Bent Right Wrist Alignments are established in Impact Fix (7-8 ). The amount of 'Flat' in the Left Wrist is an absolute -- there is only one Flat! -- otherwise the Wrist is Bent or Arched. However, the amount of Right Wrist Bend can vary. It is normally determined by (1) Ball Location -- the further back the less Bend and the further forward the more Bend -- and by (2) the Right Elbow Location of the Major Basic Stroke employed (10-3). However, at the player's option, any desired degree of Bend (between minimum and maximum) can be arbitrarily selected. That precise degree of Bend is then 'frozen' and held throughout the Stroke (to the end of the Follow-through per the discussion below).

In the classic Adjusted Address (8-3), the Fix Alignments are reversed -- the Left Wrist is Bent and the Right Wrist is Flat -- to gain certain advantages (7-9). However, once the Stroke gets underway, the Flat Left Wrist and Bent Right Wrist Alignments are re-established in Start Up (8-4) by the selected Loading Action (10-22) and then maintained to the end of The Follow-Through (8-11), the Both Arms Straight Position.

This includes the Impact Interval (8-10), during which the Flat Left Wrist executes the selected Hinge Action (7-10) by remaining Vertical to one of the Three Basic Planes. That is, either the Roll Feel of Horizontal Hinging; the No Roll Feel of Angled Hinging; or, the Reverse Roll Feel of Vertical Hinging.

In Short Shots, where The Follow-Through is also your Finish (8-12), you should be able to "look, Look LOOK " and verify that your Impact Fix Wrist Alignments have been maintained, i.e., the Left Wrist is still Flat and the Right Wrist is still Bent. In Full Shots, after the Follow-Through, the Left Arm folds and the Left Wrist remains Flat and Swivels Palm Up against the face of the Inclined Plane. Similarly, the Right Arm remains straight, the Right Wrist Swivels Palm Down against the Plane and Flattens. At the Precision Destination of The Finish (2-N-0), the Fix Alignments of both Wrists are then restored.

All this is the Geometry of Wrist Alignments during the Stroke, including Impact, Hinging and Swiveling.