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GOLF
ARTICLES - FEBRUARY 2008http://www.golfputters.net/golf-articles/feb08/index.htm
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Don't
Get Wristy
____________________________________________________________
With the hitting
instinct
most people have a preconceived notion that the power in
the golf swing comes from the arms and hands. But in
reality, the arms and hands have no place in the golf
swing. The down-swing is a gravitational event, until
the club head enters the pre-impact zone. Only at this
point should the arms and hands help power the golf club
into the golf ball.
There are certain situations around the green where
"iffy" lies would dictate a conscious manipulation of
the club head by bringing the hands and wrists into
play. But on the tee, where the objective is to generate
maximum power and distance, it's a no-no to get "wristy"
or "handsy". With the golf driver, you should keep the
hands and wrists as quiet or passive as possible. That's
especially true during the backswing. The golf driver
should be taken away in a one piece motion with a full
shoulder turn and with the big muscles in the legs and
torso controlling the swing. When the golf club reaches
the waist level is the point at which the wrists should
begin to hinge. This is the only point where the golf
swing should get "wristy".
There is a temptation to control the golf club with the
hands for many golfers. This is when the hitting
instinct takes over - that in order to generate power,
the arms and hands have to come into play. But you
should forget that and let the golf club do what is was
designed to do. At the beginning of the downswing, the
hands and wrists should remain passive as the swing is
triggered by the weight shift and a turn towards the
left side. Once gravity has started the arms on their
downward route, only then should the arms and hands
attempt to create acceleration. This point is known as
pre-impact and you should have the sensation that the
hands and arms feel like they are cracking a whip. The
key is to think faster, not stronger. Having relaxed
wrists with no tension throughout the golf swing and not
trying to force it is the best way to achieve this.
Relaxed arms and wrists always equals more power. Until
the moment of impact, keep the smaller muscles of the
hands and arms out of the picture and let the bigger
muscles of the legs and torso take charge.
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