Bowed left wrist

[power fade]

Had a lesson the other day and the coach said my path was out to in and my club face was open to path.

Long story short, I strengthened my grip a bit which made my left wrist (r/hand golfer) really cupped at top of backswing, so was still hitting fades as I couldn't square it on downswing. We then tried bowing my left wrist at the top, and although it felt awkward I was starting to hit the ball sweet with an improved path too?? and even managed a number of draws - almost unheard for for me. It was a thing of beauty watching that wee right to left shape flying through the air.

The question is will I end up hooking the hell out out it or have I found another eureka moment

 

[the_coach]

Had a lesson the other day and the coach said my path was out to in and my club face was open to path.

Long story short, I strengthened my grip a bit which made my left wrist (r/hand golfer) really cupped at top of backswing, so was still hitting fades as I couldn't square it on downswing. We then tried bowing my left wrist at the top, and although it felt awkward I was starting to hit the ball sweet with an improved path too?? and even managed a number of draws - almost unheard for for me. It was a thing of beauty watching that wee right to left shape flying through the air.

The question is will I end up hooking the hell out out it or have I found another eureka moment

Ideally you want a flat left wrist, so it virtually matches your arm angle. If you drift back to the out to in swing you might find you're pulling it dead left some, if you have that same path but close the face you'll pull hook it left. As path is going left & in both cases the face angle is looking left.

It's a case of working to the flat left wrist at the top, you don't want it cupped you'll get big fade/slices, not ideal to have it bowed a lot as if you don't clear your hips first it will start left & continue to move left.

It's a case of trying to have the flat wrist at the top with a more neutral swing path, slightly inside to square to back inside again.
You'll probably have to 'feel' that you're swinging a good ways right through impact, in fact if you've been used to swinging out to in, it won't actually be a good ways right but probably just a tad right. Try to do this so the starting flight of your ball is to the right of target not left.

 

[power fade]

Thanks for reply.

As I am unable to square/close face naturally, bowing seems to do the job for me. I guess if I start to hook it then I will have to ease of and flatten my wrist or weaken my grip.

The Instructor likes to exaggerate the fix and then bring it back as it helps pupil understand his swing better.

I thought I would be dead against something unconventional, but losing the fade feels good and old Dustin Johnson is doing ok with his bowed wrist.

 

[leaney]

Ideally you want a flat left wrist, so it virtually matches your arm angle. If you drift back to the out to in swing you might find you're pulling it dead left some, if you have that same path but close the face you'll pull hook it left. As path is going left & in both cases the face angle is looking left.

It's a case of working to the flat left wrist at the top, you don't want it cupped you'll get big fade/slices, not ideal to have it bowed a lot as if you don't clear your hips first it will start left & continue to move left.

It's a case of trying to have the flat wrist at the top with a more neutral swing path, slightly inside to square to back inside again.
You'll probably have to 'feel' that you're swinging a good ways right through impact, in fact if you've been used to swinging out to in, it won't actually be a good ways right but probably just a tad right. Try to do this so the starting flight of your ball is to the right of target not left.

If having a bowed left wrist helps him hit the ball well then why change it?

Do whatever works. Get the ball on or around the green in two and have a decent short game. Don't over complicate it by trying to replicate what everyone else thinks is best.

 

[the_coach]

Thanks for reply.

As I am unable to square/close face naturally, bowing seems to do the job for me. I guess if I start to hook it then I will have to ease of and flatten my wrist or weaken my grip.

The Instructor likes to exaggerate the fix and then bring it back as it helps pupil understand his swing better.

I thought I would be dead against something unconventional, but losing the fade feels good and old Dustin Johnson is doing ok with his bowed wrist.

No worries.
Dustin obviously fine, if his timing is on & he clears his hips, part of the compensatory moves he has to make to deliver the club square at impact. Wouldn't ever think he'll be a truly consistent player, though not bad when he gets it right ... eh!
But as seen lately when he's off some, he's off in a big way.

Slightly bowed wrist you can work with for sure, but it'll mean making compensatory moves on the way to impact to square the face, you'll have to clear the left hip & continue to turn the body left through impact.

What's likely to happen if you don't clear hips with bowed wrist is you'll either get the shaft stuck behind you and block it well right, or realize you're about to do this & try to rescue it with hands & arms & send it left.