The Bent Right Wrist

[mrodock]

To produce powerful and accurate golf shots, the Arms must overtake the Body and the Club must overtake the Hands. Only in this manner can the Golfer achieve true Mechanical Advantage (and its Power). In other words, the Golfer's Flail (2-K) must operate freely.

Most students attempting to incorporate the Flat Left Wrist into their Stroke Pattern also override (via Steering) the mandatory Clubhead Overtaking (and hence, its proper Closing). Remember, the proper Release contains two components, Uncock and Roll, not just Uncock.

I remember one particular student -- a college player struggling to make the team -- who came to me in the summer of 2006. [Seems to me I wrote a post about this.] We began our session as I usually do, around the greens. We hit the little Shots, first Chips with Basic Motion (no Wristcock); then Chip-Pitches (a little more Arm Motion and with Wristcock added); and finally, longer pitches with a definite Pivot Motion and Wristcock (but still no Finish Swivel, which is introduced in Stage Three of the Basic Motion Curriculum / 12-5-3).

The guy's action was beautiful. His Grip, Stance and Posture were perfect. His Head was centered, his Power Package and Plane alignments were dead on, and he executed each Stroke flawlessly. Had you told me he was a playing professional, I would not have been surprised. In fact, as I watched him, I couldn't help but think, "I've got a full day with this young man. What are we going to do?"

Then we went to Practice Tee, and I asked him to hit a full Pitching Wedge.



Fore right!

Same thing with the 8-iron and 5-iron. By the time we got to the Fairway Wood and Driver, he could barely keep it on the range. I had never seen anything like it (and haven't since): a TOUR quality Basic and Acquired Motion, and at best, a 10-handicap Total Motion. I took his Driver from him, handed him a dowel, and looked him dead in the eye:

"Is what I just saw normal for you?"

"Yes," he said. "I hit it everything right . . . and short."

"Well, my young friend, get ready, because I am about to change your golfing life forever."



He had told me that he developed his Short Stroke Patterns by "reading all your posts" and "concentrating on the Flat Left Wrist." Which was wonderful. But what wasn't so wonderful was that he had absolutely no concept of the correct action past the Follow-Through (Both Arms Straight position). And that inability to Finish was jamming up the whole works through Impact in his longer Strokes.

In less than ten minutes with the dowel, I taught him the proper Overtaking Action from Release through the Finish Swivel. I handed him back his 8-Iron with instructions to "Make that Motion . . . let the Motion make the Shot." The first swing took his breath away (mine, too! ): He nailed it dead straight and long.



Same with the 5-Iron and Hybrid.



Then the Driver . . .

P-O-W!



We both stood there and just looked at each other. A minor miracle had just occured, and it deserved its own moment of silence.

On the Lesson Tee, as in life, some days are better than others.

This was a very good day.

That's flat out awesome, as Okie said!