(I am 71 years old.) A year ago I came out of winter forgetting how to hit that little ball...went from the mid 80s to the high 90s. A friend rescued me with an instructional clip from gabbygolfgirl. In a matter of a month or two I was in the high 70s to low 80s. This teenage girl's instructions: Take the club back in a good hinge and hang on to that hinge as long as possible-through contact. Keep the back elbow (I'm a lefty) tucked in and let that straight front arm take you right back to the ball-because it will. Stay balanced in the turn around your center axis with a tempo that brings the full force of the shoulder and hip turns working together. Everyone is different and we each have to find our individual optimal grip, club-face angle, arc and tempo. I had moved up to the red tees alongside my wife...she soon made me return to the gold/senior tees. And now I have moved on back to white and even blue...and still playing high 70s to low 80s. It is incredible-and so easy...stunningly so!
This was absolutely the best instructional video I ever watched. For the first time in years, even after taking lessons, your explanation regarding the "pressing down" in the back swing and the lag with the shoulders made sense. And it translated to much better shots when I went out and incorporated these thoughts into my practice. Thanks.
I couldn't agree more. I'm seeing a trend in mature golfers foregoing the expensive range lessons and instead watching exceptional videos such as this for free. It is still imperative that kids receive personal instruction, but in the midwest market, professional lessons are noticeably down for older players who understand the terms of analysis.
I have between playing golf for 37 years and left the game at times for a few years but always come back to it... Last winter and a half I worked hard on not slicing anymore with mechanics influencing swing path etc and film my swing however... In my takeaway I would twist my body and wait "late" to cock wrists and as a result would be rather laid off at the top resulting in what I feel too many manipulations to get the club back into the slot. I envied other golfers who could get it "more vertical" as seems as though simplifies the transition. Very familiar with your channel and own a LagShot 7 iron but I am very excited to try this new feel with "levers" as just fooling in the basement seems like club is coming on a much more easier angle to the top. Thank You Adam!
I had a horrible year of playing. 2 years ago broke 80 and now just struggling. I cannot express my gratitude how much this video helped me. It all made so much sense.
what I like about your videos, is that you state in pretty much every one of them, that nothing is set in stone. You show there are different ways to get the same job done.
I’m watching this video after having figured this out on my own after about 500 buckets and countless rounds. Immediately dropped about 15 strokes and can now shoot in 80s. A massive key to a proper swing and more importantly, contact.
This helped me so much today on the golf course. Wrist hinge was key and helped me really hit flush shots. Also watch his video on proper way to start your down swing. Those two videos will change your game for the better!!
Adam is the best, so clear and on point. This may be the best lesson I've found, quickly resulted in more solid ball striking, more distance, better trajectory on full shots. Thank you!
Good video. So many times over the years I have heard many instructors say that wrist hinge is something that should happen naturally. And maybe it should but unless I think about hinging/setting my wrist at the top of my swing I'm in for a bad shot. I just worked on this a couple of hours ago and when I consciously hinged and fired my body though the shot I nailed my drives and hit crisp iron shots. I've been playing golf for over 40 years and as I said.....I still have to think about it.
It's amazing how important this concept is to a sound golf swing. Seems so simple but the coordination of this kinematic sequence is complex and intricate.
Great video Adam, I had been cocking my wrists far too much with hardly any hinge for years and didn't know until I seen this video, been the range and was hitting straight/ 5 yard draws with a 3 iron! This simple yet affective explanation of hinging and cocking has also cured my wrist roll/flip...fantastic! Thank you!
Hi Adam , just found your videos , at last someone who talks in plain language, great videos and easy to understand. Any chance of you moving to the Southwest of England, can’t promise you decent weather and as many top golf courses, but it would make me happy 😂😂
I teach this game. I must tell you. That is the best explanation I have ever seen and heard ! I tell my students the same. Keep the Truth coming! I wish you well. Thanks
Really well done, Adam. It took my 2-3 days of taking a wedge halfway back to master the feel of the left pad pushing down on the handle. The ballstriking improves dramatically! I'm no slouch as a single digit but man, I wish Leadbetter made this clear to us back in the early 90's. This brings clarity to Hogan's book.
As with all your videos, this explains technique which can really easily be understood, practiced and applied. So glad I subscribed. I feel as if my golf is really coming on now. To be fair, it's also thanks in no small way to my pro here in the UK, but your videos have enabled me to understand in a way I didn't before. Thanks Adam. What you do is much appreciated.
OMG this was great. I'm a 13 handicap who normally shoots in the 70s maybe once a year. I watched this, practised the move for 50 swings, went out to play the next day and shot a 74, my best round ever by 4 shots. Awesome video, thanks so much
so glad I found scratch golf I touched on this a few months ago and played great but lost the feeling so hopefully with help from Adam will get that great feel back
wow...been playing over 50 years and always struggled with the takeaway...this is explained very well especially the downward pressure after the core movement....great stuff....thank you
I have been thoroughly enjoying many of your excellent instructional videos. Thank you for providing such easily understood coaching. You are a fab teacher.
First I decided to totally relax my left wrist by positioning my lead hand in what I refer to as the 'droopy handshake position' Next, as I swing my club back I now apply downward pressure on the grip of my club with my lead hand. Wow this is magic! Thanks to you; at 70 years old; I expect to win a few more tournaments this year.
Yes It is extremely effective for me at age 70. It works especially well because I also imagine that i am inside a clock and my hand are set at 6 AM . As I gradually press down on the grip of my club handle with my lead hand, by the time my hands are at 8 AM, my left wrist is fully hinged. the club head is pointed upward and my left arm is straight as an arrow. As I feel the muscles in my back lead shoulder activated I continue to make a full back swing. My downswing consist of slight pulling of my lead back shoulders muscles which drops my trail arms to it's side as I use my hips and lower body to propel my arms and club to impact through the ball to the classic finish. These are the key elements of my entire swing that I believe everyone could follow. I know i will and that is why i wrote them down and well be flagging this on my phone should i get tired and forget while on the course. Again; thank you for setting me on the correct path of my golf swing
Practiced this at home and then took it to the range. Great results, really helped my ball striking! Hoping I can now take it to the course with the same success. Thanks!
Ok this video might have just been my lightbulb moment. I know its an older video but I’m glad I came across it today. Apologies for the long winded comment, but in a sea of confusing and muddled golf tips, I’m seeking confirmation on this. If I understand you correctly, I can just about totally forget about swing thoughts trying to hinge wrists on the way back and then fire my wrists back through on the way down for power or to square the face. If they are “relatively passive” and the hinge comes naturally from the bending of the trail arm couple with the turn of my core the club head and my wrists/forearms will naturally rotate and hinge. And the wrists and forearms will unhinge and re-rotate properly in similarly fashion on the way back down so long as I have consistent re-extension of that trail arm and core rotation? I just had a lesson where the goal was to get my follow through to have a lower club head and wider / more right trailing my hands through the follow through and to accomplish this I was told to get some ulnar deviation. Well an intentional downward hinge feels so weird and conceptually makes no sense to me as it doesn’t seem to naturally compliment any other motion in my golf swing. But I’ve always been taught and seen examples of that upward wrist hinge so I went with it assuming somehow on the way back down we have to undo that manually added upward hinge. For years the wrist hinge vs face squaring has been a confusing topic for me and nobody had ever tried to explain it the way you did or as clearly so thank you! I’m going to focus more on trail arm bend and extension and forget about wrist hinge all together on my next range session and see if it works. I have tried this before though and when I have, I mentally feared that I’m sacrificing power since wrist hinge obviously can increase club acceleration as we close down the lag in the last milliseconds before impact. As support of this ill-fated thought, I always thought about chipping and little Handys floppy shots and how we generate that power with a lot of wrist flip. And thought it was just the nature of the game that you have to get that timing perfect just like on a Handys chip you have to perfect the timing to square the face and get that power. But this video made me realize that actually, the trail arm and the bend from my elbow and extending that arm actually will generate most of the power on a full swing and if my wrists are trying to manually release and add power separate from the powerful arm and elbow extension, then really all I’m doing is making my release less optimal. Like if I went to skip a rock on water most of they power is coming from the extend of the right arm and my wrist releases after my arm is extended. The arm extension should guide the wrist release. And since in golf the trail arm shouldn’t be extended until after impact, it shouldn’t be a thought I have in the downswing for impact. I think as I type this out it’s all clicking. I just needed a better understanding of the context of the drill I am working on in follow through. I was told to work on ulnar deviation in my follow through and to keep the stat and club head below and more right than my hands in the follow through at the point my arms parallel to ground. A tip for this was to use some ulnar deviation. The way it was explained to me I assumed the ulnar deviation was a cause and the effect was a consistent golf shot. Now I’m thinking that follow through position with ulnar deviation is simply the effect, and the cause is a swing with less manual manipulation of my wrists focusing on the trail arm bend and re-extension. This is going to simplify my swing thoughts and inspire so much more confidence. There’s so much content and instruction about wrist hinge and nobody has ever said it like you have. I could be totally wrong as it’s a complex game, but if I understand you correctly, simply put, proper wrist hinge should be passive, it’s an effect of good rotation and arm bend but shouldn’t be a proactive cause or swing thought. Why don’t more instructors explain it like this?
Thanks for the comment Clive. Glad you found more simplicity from the video regards wrist cock. We all have to work to improve our swings, but the breakthroughs are usually on the simple side All the best, Adam
Very well explained! One point tho, I think the steep and shallow planes of swing are due to guy on left with a long driver and gal on right using pitching wedge. As long as they address the ball properly and keep torso angle, they’re good…right? Thx for uploading, I hope to watch more of you!!!
Great videos Adam! What I like about your videos is that you don't try to push one type of swing. I like how you say, as in this video, it's ok to be in this parameter.
Interesting points. As soon as I start to bring my club back, there is a BIG DISCONNECT with my wrists and it feels terrible. I am a senior woman with lower back issues and a bad "lead" knee. I used to be able to hit a decent ball, but now they are worm burners and I have such a disconnect with wrists and back swing.
loved this video and implemented it. got such good results. Also the video about hitting faiway woods off the grass. Shot a 39 on the front nine with 2 lipouts. thank you so much
I like the side by side comparisons. Although, I think it would be great to see a side by side of what not to do. It would provide additional visualization. TY
Very deep and accurate advices.. must say! The push down with left palm is a key move for me.. raise the head up and is easier with strong grip. Sometime at practice area I do it even at the early start of the swing which is not recommended so much I guess.
This is the best I have ever seen this explained in one video. Hands in club out is not the only way to do it as is the common tour player method. My right hand can get more angle too early that sets the shaft a little flat early on however I get a good position at the top and then come back on the inside well enough. Have noted that Jack Nicklaus has a very right arm on top method not allowing the left to dominate. Would you recommend I try this to set the shaft steeper early on?
Thanks for the comment. I love Nicklaus' look, but if you are having success (good position at top) your way, then you'll have to think it over. It's hard to be definitive without seeing your swing, but that's my best guess. If it's of interest to you, when www.scratchgolfacademy.com launches our premium site October 12, it will involve a way for me to do internet one on one lessons with people. Best, Adam
Alan, Thanks, glad you liked the video. I agree that bowing the wrist can help, but more around Impact. I have some videos on that in the impact category at UA-cam. All the best, Adam
Thanks for posting this video, I've been struggling with trying to feel where my wrist should be and this has helped me a lot. I've been especially struggling with my driver and have developed several different backswings (neither of which have very much wrist hinge). I'm hoping that using this method as well as less lower body movements (as you discussed in your hitting the driver video) will help me stop slicing the ball.
Thank you very much! I knew as a novice that there were many issues with my hinge and backswing but no one has helped me as much as you have in this video. Great instruction!
Great Video. I've found that conscious cocking of the wrists tends to lead to an early release as the conscious cocking increases tension. I've tired it a number of ways trying to get in increase in arc in the swing, including the "new" Ledbetter A swing. I've recently gone back to Jack's idea of a longer wider swing without conscious wrist hinging but keeping the wrists soft so that there is a significant increase in wrist angle at the transition of the down swing (at least with my driver, metals, and hybrids .. I have better luck with direct hinging with my irons) not unlike the snapping of a towel or remember playing "crack the whip" on the ice skating rink. The slightly shorter arc is more than made up by the increase in lag and the stored kinetic energy saved by not casting .. which often happens with consciously increasing my wrist hinging. Comments??
I agree that it's the increase in lag coming down that really counts. If the more passive 'Nicklaus' way helps you achieve this then stick with it. Best, Adam
Hi again Adam. I believe the main reason how many amateurs bring the club head too much inside is because they used both hands to cock the handle of the club. The fact is the the lead hand is the only hand that ever should hinge or cock during a backswing. It then naturally bends or dorsiflexes the trail hand. This is what I call the natural oppositional movement of the hands in a golf swing. The top of the swing then should always start with the unhinging of the lead hand which then allows the trail hand to bend the other way. Thanks for reading.
Scratch Golf Academy Thank you Adam you are a gentle man and a scholar in teaching golf. I am swinging the club head to the ball so consistent this year that I have chosen a complete stranger who never even thought of playing golf and will be teaching him to swing the golf club to the ball in one hour. I will show him the basics and one plus exercise that has never been taught by yourself ( I believe) or any PGA teacher ever. I know this may sound to you as words coming from a grandiose old fool. So I will be putting my experiment on You Tube this spring and see what happens. Did I find the single magic move in gollf.? I can't wait to find out for myself. Cheers.
Adam, Love the videos! Fantastic approach you have, with using feelings and movements to achieve proper technique, rather than trying to consciously get to certain angles and clubhead locations in real time, which for me has caused excess tension in the past and seriously confusing results. I subscribed here, as well as signed up on the SGA site and got the "Drop 5 Strokes" course in my quest to FINALLY break 90 as a weekend golfer. I do have a question about the wrist hinge; you talk about using pressure on the handle to get that radial flexion. Does it feel more like you're "lifting" from the thumb side of your left hand, or more like a "pushing" action from the pinky side of your hand/wrist? It seems trivial, but I have noticed that the two do seem to have slightly different tendencies in regards to clubhead. Also, at the top of the swing and at transition, do you allow momentum to continue to cock the wrists to some extent? Thanks for the great instruction!
John, Thanks for the comments, and for your interest in the videos. I'd say different people will feel the hinge in different ways, which is fine. If I had to 'give an answer' I'd say more of a push down/out with the heel pad of left hand (hypothenar eminence). My best suggestion is to make some slow motion swings in front of a mirror, and see what feel resonates with you when the hinge and plane look good in the mirror. 100% agree with your comment about the transition. Hope you break 90 soon! All the best, Adam
Keem, Thanks, I'm glad they've been somewhat helpful. Some people have especially flexible wrists/thumbs (I believe Ben Hogan did) and they cock their wrists a lot more than 90 degrees. It's OK, just make sure it's flexibility and not letting go of the club a little as you go back. Best, Adam
I think one of the issues that I have with with lack of "Hinge Flexibility", is that I trained for years in a sport, where you want your wrists to hinge upwards as little as possible.
Hello Adam, fantastic explanation and well-spoken video! I tend to have a flatter swing plane and skilled enough that I can get my hands back to impact successfully but I really don't like manipulating my hands that way in the swing. The downward pressure and core rotation makes a lot of sense to getting the club set on a better plane. Any other thoughts on not rolling my wrists on the takeaway? Thanks in advance.
Thanks Andy. Perhaps the feeling that the clubface looks more at the ball in the beginning of the takeaway (less toe up) would help. As long as you're not bowing your left wrist under it's not really a closed face, even though a lot of people would say it is. Hope this helps a bit. Best, Adam
Great videos Adam, always clear and concise. I've only been playing 6 months and having real consistency issues. When timing is on it's great but when off i can't even hit an iron. Your point about rolling wrists on takeaway (which i do) seems quite a big thing. Is this why potentially, amongst others, I am having issues from the start causing me not to be able to get club face square. I've not had a chance to change it on the range yet but pushing down on the grip sounds like great advice.
Very helpful Adam. Thank you. This has always been a topic that can be made confusing. I like the way you explain it. One question, does the left arm rotation have more of an effect on the right arm folding or vice versa? Almost seems like the chicken or the egg thing. Seems that the left arm has to rotate enough to where the wrists can fold on the proper plane and for the right arm to fold without flying too much. Kind of tricky area for me as I used to over rotate the left arm and get the club whipped inside some.
Gary, I'd say 'chicken & egg' is about right, but if anything right arm folding causes left arm rotation. Most players are just too active with the clubhead in the takeaway, this causes excessive rotation as a rule. Best, Adam
This is probably the best instructional video I've ever seen
Thanks very much, glad you found it helpful
I I agree Jeff your one of the best utube instructors I've seen.Thanks👏
Sorry I ment Adam😂
That was the fastest 9:44 I've ever experienced on UA-cam. Thank you for the efficiency in your delivery. Subscribed.
Thanks Steven, glad the video was helpful to you.
All the best, Adam
Warning! Extreme brevity and precision brimming here!
His name ends in "jet".
(I am 71 years old.) A year ago I came out of winter forgetting how to hit that little ball...went from the mid 80s to the high 90s. A friend rescued me with an instructional clip from gabbygolfgirl. In a matter of a month or two I was in the high 70s to low 80s. This teenage girl's instructions: Take the club back in a good hinge and hang on to that hinge as long as possible-through contact. Keep the back elbow (I'm a lefty) tucked in and let that straight front arm take you right back to the ball-because it will. Stay balanced in the turn around your center axis with a tempo that brings the full force of the shoulder and hip turns working together. Everyone is different and we each have to find our individual optimal grip, club-face angle, arc and tempo. I had moved up to the red tees alongside my wife...she soon made me return to the gold/senior tees. And now I have moved on back to white and even blue...and still playing high 70s to low 80s. It is incredible-and so easy...stunningly so!
That’s kind of scummy to promote another channel in the comments
@@smushparker6756 What a crappy opinion who cares
one of my favorite instructors. I like that he gets to the point quickly without rambling on like other instructors.
Thanks very much Rob.
All the best, Adam
This was absolutely the best instructional video I ever watched. For the first time in years, even after taking lessons, your explanation regarding the "pressing down" in the back swing and the lag with the shoulders made sense. And it translated to much better shots when I went out and incorporated these thoughts into my practice. Thanks.
Glad the video was helpful to you Arthur!
Thanks, Adam
I couldn't agree more. I'm seeing a trend in mature golfers foregoing the expensive range lessons and instead watching exceptional videos such as this for free. It is still imperative that kids receive personal instruction, but in the midwest market, professional lessons are noticeably down for older players who understand the terms of analysis.
I have between playing golf for 37 years and left the game at times for a few years but always come back to it... Last winter and a half I worked hard on not slicing anymore with mechanics influencing swing path etc and film my swing however... In my takeaway I would twist my body and wait "late" to cock wrists and as a result would be rather laid off at the top resulting in what I feel too many manipulations to get the club back into the slot. I envied other golfers who could get it "more vertical" as seems as though simplifies the transition. Very familiar with your channel and own a LagShot 7 iron but I am very excited to try this new feel with "levers" as just fooling in the basement seems like club is coming on a much more easier angle to the top. Thank You Adam!
Thanks Dan, I hope you make progress
I had a horrible year of playing. 2 years ago broke 80 and now just struggling. I cannot express my gratitude how much this video helped me. It all made so much sense.
Thanks, and glad to hear it
Same here I was consistent low 80s crushing the ball, now I lost tons of yardage and shanking so many shots. My backswing feels messed up
Very helpful!!! Wrist hinge is not discussed enough. Thank you
Thanks Ikie, glad you liked the video.
Best, Adam
what I like about your videos, is that you state in pretty much every one of them, that nothing is set in stone. You show there are different ways to get the same job done.
Thanks Bobby.
All the best, Adam
One of the best explanation that i ve seen,keep the good work.Wish i had a coach like that.Time for driving range.
Thanks Michael
Been working on proper wrist hinge for a long time , back swing plane and the feel of that pressure on the wrist is key , works well thank you.
The best video on wrist hinge and extremely well explained as usual.
Thanks very much Lionel.
All the best, Adam
I’m watching this video after having figured this out on my own after about 500 buckets and countless rounds. Immediately dropped about 15 strokes and can now shoot in 80s. A massive key to a proper swing and more importantly, contact.
Thanks Brian, and glad you’ve made progress
Best, Adam
This helped me so much today on the golf course. Wrist hinge was key and helped me really hit flush shots. Also watch his video on proper way to start your down swing. Those two videos will change your game for the better!!
Thanks for the comment, and glad you made some progress
Adam is the best, so clear and on point. This may be the best lesson I've found, quickly resulted in more solid ball striking, more distance, better trajectory on full shots. Thank you!
Bill,
Thanks very much, and glad you liked the video.
All the best, Adam
Good video. So many times over the years I have heard many instructors say that wrist hinge is something that should happen naturally. And maybe it should but unless I think about hinging/setting my wrist at the top of my swing I'm in for a bad shot. I just worked on this a couple of hours ago and when I consciously hinged and fired my body though the shot I nailed my drives and hit crisp iron shots. I've been playing golf for over 40 years and as I said.....I still have to think about it.
Thanks Marty.
We all have 'weak spots' in our technique, things we have to keep revisiting. Hope you continue to make progress.
Best, Adam
It's amazing how important this concept is to a sound golf swing. Seems so simple but the coordination of this kinematic sequence is complex and intricate.
Thanks Cory
Great video Adam, I had been cocking my wrists far too much with hardly any hinge for years and didn't know until I seen this video, been the range and was hitting straight/ 5 yard draws with a 3 iron! This simple yet affective explanation of hinging and cocking has also cured my wrist roll/flip...fantastic! Thank you!
Keith,
Thanks for the follow up. Glad you are hitting the ball better.
Best, Adam
This guy is a great teacher.
Where can we find more instruction from this specific teacher? Thank you very much.
Thanks very much
Magic, This is where i have been confused over a long time , this has helped a lot. Thank you.
Thanks Neil, glad you liked the video
Best, Adam
Hi Adam , just found your videos , at last someone who talks in plain language, great videos and easy to understand. Any chance of you moving to the Southwest of England, can’t promise you decent weather and as many top golf courses, but it would make me happy 😂😂
Ha, doubt it, but I love to visit England. Glad you like the videos Chris
I teach this game. I must tell you. That is the best explanation I have ever seen and heard ! I tell my students the same. Keep the Truth coming! I wish you well. Thanks
Very kind of you Todd. Stay well, and all the best.
Adam
This is a game changer video Russell
Thanks Graeme, hope you make good progress
Best, Adam
you are a good teacher, I need to watch some more of your videos
Thanks Mike.
Best, Adam
Really well done, Adam. It took my 2-3 days of taking a wedge halfway back to master the feel of the left pad pushing down on the handle. The ballstriking improves dramatically! I'm no slouch as a single digit but man, I wish Leadbetter made this clear to us back in the early 90's. This brings clarity to Hogan's book.
Thanks very much Mac, glad you're making progress!
Best, Adam
This was great. I've never really known what I should he doing with my wrists but this explains it perfectly
Thanks, and glad you found the video helpful
As with all your videos, this explains technique which can really easily be understood, practiced and applied. So glad I subscribed. I feel as if my golf is really coming on now. To be fair, it's also thanks in no small way to my pro here in the UK, but your videos have enabled me to understand in a way I didn't before. Thanks Adam. What you do is much appreciated.
Andy,
That's very kind of you, I'm glad you've found the videos helpful. Best, Adam
This guy is by far the best online coach. By far.
Very kind of you Stephen!
OMG this was great. I'm a 13 handicap who normally shoots in the 70s maybe once a year. I watched this, practised the move for 50 swings, went out to play the next day and shot a 74, my best round ever by 4 shots. Awesome video, thanks so much
Nice going Nic!
Best, Adam
so glad I found scratch golf I touched on this a few months ago and played great but lost the feeling so hopefully with help from Adam will get that great feel back
Thanks Kevin, I hope you get back to hitting the ball well!
Best, Adam
wow...been playing over 50 years and always struggled with the takeaway...this is explained very well especially the downward pressure after the core movement....great stuff....thank you
Rocco,
Glad you found it helpful!
Best, Adam
I rarely make online comments but this deserves one. Excellent teaching style and great suggestions and pointers.
I appreciate it Robinson.
Best, Adam
Johnny,
Thanks Adam, for clearing up a lot of issues on the wrist hinge and backswing.....Awesome information.
Johnny,
Thanks very much, I'm glad it was helpful for you. Best, Adam
@@Scratchgolfacademyputting
I have been thoroughly enjoying many of your excellent instructional videos. Thank you for providing such easily understood coaching. You are a fab teacher.
Thanks for the kind comment.
All the best, Adam
Very informative! And the more correct way!
Glad you liked the video
Best, Adam
Adam ...you make your point without unnecessary waffle...great video.
Thanks very much DA.
All the best, Adam
Great lesson! Loving your teaching style ...
Thanks very much
Best, Adam
First I decided to totally relax my left wrist by positioning my lead hand in what I refer to as the 'droopy handshake position' Next, as I swing my club back I now apply downward pressure on the grip of my club with my lead hand. Wow this is magic! Thanks to you; at 70 years old; I expect to win a few more tournaments this year.
Nice going Thomas, glad you are making progress.
All the best, Adam
Yes It is extremely effective for me at age 70. It works especially well because I also imagine that i am inside a clock and my hand are set at 6 AM . As I gradually press down on the grip of my club handle with my lead hand, by the time my hands are at 8 AM, my left wrist is fully hinged. the club head is pointed upward and my left arm is straight as an arrow. As I feel the muscles in my back lead shoulder activated I continue to make a full back swing. My downswing consist of slight pulling of my lead back shoulders muscles which drops my trail arms to it's side as I use my hips and lower body to propel my arms and club to impact through the ball to the classic finish. These are the key elements of my entire swing that I believe everyone could follow. I know i will and that is why i wrote them down and well be flagging this on my phone should i get tired and forget while on the course. Again; thank you for setting me on the correct path of my golf swing
I was just coming on UA-cam to find a video about how to hinge wrist correctly and this is at the top of my subscriptions!
Thanks Shane, I'm glad you found it helpful!Best, Adam
I've subscribed to ur vids ...very simple and precise thank u
Thanks Lincoln
Best, Adam
Practiced this at home and then took it to the range. Great results, really helped my ball striking! Hoping I can now take it to the course with the same success. Thanks!
Tom,
Thanks for the comment. Glad you hit the ball better. Best, Adam
Great instruction! TY!
Thanks Kyle!
Best golf instruction on you tube. Bar none.
Thanks very much for the comment.
Best, Adam
Probably the clearest explanation of a back swing I have ever seen. BTW, I have seen most. Great work!
Thanks Anthony!
Best, Adam
Ok this video might have just been my lightbulb moment. I know its an older video but I’m glad I came across it today. Apologies for the long winded comment, but in a sea of confusing and muddled golf tips, I’m seeking confirmation on this. If I understand you correctly, I can just about totally forget about swing thoughts trying to hinge wrists on the way back and then fire my wrists back through on the way down for power or to square the face. If they are “relatively passive” and the hinge comes naturally from the bending of the trail arm couple with the turn of my core the club head and my wrists/forearms will naturally rotate and hinge. And the wrists and forearms will unhinge and re-rotate properly in similarly fashion on the way back down so long as I have consistent re-extension of that trail arm and core rotation?
I just had a lesson where the goal was to get my follow through to have a lower club head and wider / more right trailing my hands through the follow through and to accomplish this I was told to get some ulnar deviation. Well an intentional downward hinge feels so weird and conceptually makes no sense to me as it doesn’t seem to naturally compliment any other motion in my golf swing. But I’ve always been taught and seen examples of that upward wrist hinge so I went with it assuming somehow on the way back down we have to undo that manually added upward hinge. For years the wrist hinge vs face squaring has been a confusing topic for me and nobody had ever tried to explain it the way you did or as clearly so thank you!
I’m going to focus more on trail arm bend and extension and forget about wrist hinge all together on my next range session and see if it works. I have tried this before though and when I have, I mentally feared that I’m sacrificing power since wrist hinge obviously can increase club acceleration as we close down the lag in the last milliseconds before impact. As support of this ill-fated thought, I always thought about chipping and little Handys floppy shots and how we generate that power with a lot of wrist flip. And thought it was just the nature of the game that you have to get that timing perfect just like on a Handys chip you have to perfect the timing to square the face and get that power.
But this video made me realize that actually, the trail arm and the bend from my elbow and extending that arm actually will generate most of the power on a full swing and if my wrists are trying to manually release and add power separate from the powerful arm and elbow extension, then really all I’m doing is making my release less optimal. Like if I went to skip a rock on water most of they power is coming from the extend of the right arm and my wrist releases after my arm is extended. The arm extension should guide the wrist release. And since in golf the trail arm shouldn’t be extended until after impact, it shouldn’t be a thought I have in the downswing for impact.
I think as I type this out it’s all clicking. I just needed a better understanding of the context of the drill I am working on in follow through. I was told to work on ulnar deviation in my follow through and to keep the stat and club head below and more right than my hands in the follow through at the point my arms parallel to ground. A tip for this was to use some ulnar deviation. The way it was explained to me I assumed the ulnar deviation was a cause and the effect was a consistent golf shot. Now I’m thinking that follow through position with ulnar deviation is simply the effect, and the cause is a swing with less manual manipulation of my wrists focusing on the trail arm bend and re-extension.
This is going to simplify my swing thoughts and inspire so much more confidence. There’s so much content and instruction about wrist hinge and nobody has ever said it like you have. I could be totally wrong as it’s a complex game, but if I understand you correctly, simply put, proper wrist hinge should be passive, it’s an effect of good rotation and arm bend but shouldn’t be a proactive cause or swing thought. Why don’t more instructors explain it like this?
Thanks for the comment Clive.
Glad you found more simplicity from the video regards wrist cock. We all have to work to improve our swings, but the breakthroughs are usually on the simple side
All the best, Adam
Wonderful video tips
Thanks Lenard
Best, Adam
Very well explained! One point tho, I think the steep and shallow planes of swing are due to guy on left with a long driver and gal on right using pitching wedge. As long as they address the ball properly and keep torso angle, they’re good…right? Thx for uploading, I hope to watch more of you!!!
Thanks for the comment
Cannot recall any pro or am. discussing the hinge in this way. Many thanks.
Thanks David, glad you found the video helpful
Such a great video! 👌🏽 So thorough, without time wasting.
Thanks very much!
Best, Adam
Scratch Golf Academy d
Great information
Love this vid!!
Thanks!
Great videos, I can't get enough. Thank you so much for your time.
Thanks very much Maluk
Best, Adam
Thank you, best explanation and easy to follow
Thanks Jim, glad you found it helpful.
Best, Adam
Great teaching aides. Now everytime i have a good shot while playing my golf patner I say "Adam Bazalgette here". thanks so much>
+Scott Schultz
Thanks Scott. I wonder what your golf partner makes of that?
Best, Adam
Adam is a great instructor..wish I was local
Thanks very much
Best, Adam
Fabulous video , pushing down on the club gives me width and also more room for my strike , brilliant
Thanks Jamie, glad it was helpful to you.
Best, Adam
Great videos Adam! What I like about your videos is that you don't try to push one type of swing. I like how you say, as in this video, it's ok to be in this parameter.
Thanks Bobby!
Best, Adam
Great clear instruction. Will try it at the range.
Thanks Mark.
All the best, Adam
Your quick to the point
excellent teaching, easily understood.
Thanks very much.
All the best, Adam
Interesting points. As soon as I start to bring my club back, there is a BIG DISCONNECT with my wrists and it feels terrible. I am a senior woman with lower back issues and a bad "lead" knee. I used to be able to hit a decent ball, but now they are worm burners and I have such a disconnect with wrists and back swing.
I hope this helps Shelly
What a coach! ❤
Thanks Pete!
@@Scratchgolfacademy love the teaching style. Glad I found your channel 🫡
loved this video and implemented it. got such good results. Also the video about hitting faiway woods off the grass. Shot a 39 on the front nine with 2 lipouts. thank you so much
Nice going Joyce! Glad the videos have been helpful to you.
Best, Adam
Scratch Golf Academy s
I absolutely loved this explanation!!!
Thanks very much!
Best, Adam
Scratch Golf Academy I really want to take a lesson from you and make a trip out to Florida. I feel like I need to re construct my swing.
I like the side by side comparisons. Although, I think it would be great to see a side by side of what not to do. It would provide additional visualization. TY
Thanks, glad you liked the video.
Best, Adam
Thank you for another great video
You're welcome George.
Best, Adam
Very deep and accurate advices.. must say!
The push down with left palm is a key move for me.. raise the head up and is easier with strong grip. Sometime at practice area I do it even at the early start of the swing which is not recommended so much I guess.
Bjarni,
I wouldn't recommend hinging right at start of backswing, but if it was a gradual hinge it might work OK.
Best, Adam
Good moring Agam,I really enjoyed your video,learned a lot,I also hit left handed.Gerry F from Montreal,QC"
Great info Mr A. I'm an A-Swinger and you cleared up something for me, which I thought was Swing Anxiety, its not using the core & proper hinge.
Thanks William, glad you liked the video.
All the best, Adam
This is the best I have ever seen this explained in one video. Hands in club out is not the only way to do it as is the common tour player method. My right hand can get more angle too early that sets the shaft a little flat early on however I get a good position at the top and then come back on the inside well enough. Have noted that Jack Nicklaus has a very right arm on top method not allowing the left to dominate. Would you recommend I try this to set the shaft steeper early on?
Thanks for the comment. I love Nicklaus' look, but if you are having success (good position at top) your way, then you'll have to think it over. It's hard to be definitive without seeing your swing, but that's my best guess.
If it's of interest to you, when www.scratchgolfacademy.com launches our premium site October 12, it will involve a way for me to do internet one on one lessons with people. Best, Adam
Helped me understand it a whole lot better thank you
Thanks Mitchell.
Best, Adam
Hi Adam, great explanation of the wrist cocking, but no mention of the wrist bowing, surely this must be used if requiring power to the ball!
Alan,
Thanks, glad you liked the video. I agree that bowing the wrist can help, but more around Impact. I have some videos on that in the impact category at UA-cam.
All the best, Adam
No one better for instruction than ABzzzz
Very kind of you Philip.
All the best, Adam
Thanks for posting this video, I've been struggling with trying to feel where my wrist should be and this has helped me a lot. I've been especially struggling with my driver and have developed several different backswings (neither of which have very much wrist hinge). I'm hoping that using this method as well as less lower body movements (as you discussed in your hitting the driver video) will help me stop slicing the ball.
Thanks for the comment, I'm glad the video is helpful to you.
Best, Adam
Thank you very much! I knew as a novice that there were many issues with my hinge and backswing but no one has helped me as much as you have in this video. Great instruction!
Glad it was helpful for you!
Best, Adam
Great video sir. Id pay you 🎉
Thanks, glad you found it helpful
This tip 3:50 is one to think well over. He has that particular one, too.
Thanks, I hope the video is helpful to you.
Best, Adam
Finally a simple way to get a proper backswing.
Thanks Phil, glad you liked the video.
Best, Adam
@@Scratchgolfacademy b
that and a connected take away is key to setting up your downsing.
Thanks for the comment, I agree with you.
Best, Adam
Great Video. I've found that conscious cocking of the wrists tends to lead to an early release as the conscious cocking increases tension. I've tired it a number of ways trying to get in increase in arc in the swing, including the "new" Ledbetter A swing. I've recently gone back to Jack's idea of a longer wider swing without conscious wrist hinging but keeping the wrists soft so that there is a significant increase in wrist angle at the transition of the down swing (at least with my driver, metals, and hybrids .. I have better luck with direct hinging with my irons) not unlike the snapping of a towel or remember playing "crack the whip" on the ice skating rink. The slightly shorter arc is more than made up by the increase in lag and the stored kinetic energy saved by not casting .. which often happens with consciously increasing my wrist hinging. Comments??
I agree that it's the increase in lag coming down that really counts. If the more passive 'Nicklaus' way helps you achieve this then stick with it.
Best, Adam
Hi again Adam. I believe the main reason how many amateurs bring the club head too much inside is because they used both hands to cock the handle of the club. The fact is the the lead hand is the only hand that ever should hinge or cock during a backswing. It then naturally bends or dorsiflexes the trail hand. This is what I call the natural oppositional movement of the hands in a golf swing. The top of the swing then should always start with the unhinging of the lead hand which then allows the trail hand to bend the other way. Thanks for reading.
Thanks for the input Thomas. Different people feel the same things differently, but point well taken.
All the best, Adam
Scratch Golf Academy Thank you Adam you are a gentle man and a scholar in teaching golf. I am swinging the club head to the ball so consistent this year that I have chosen a complete stranger who never even thought of playing golf and will be teaching him to swing the golf club to the ball in one hour. I will show him the basics and one plus exercise that has never been taught by yourself ( I believe) or any PGA teacher ever. I know this may sound to you as words coming from a grandiose old fool. So I will be putting my experiment on You Tube this spring and see what happens. Did I find the single magic move in gollf.? I can't wait to find out for myself. Cheers.
Best of luck Thomas
Adam
Perfect timing Adam. I have just been working on adjusting my wrist hinge to get a little more power from my shots. Thanks so much!
Thanks, glad you found it helpful.
Best, Adam
Yet another excellent video - thanks!
Thanks very much William.
All the best, Adam
Thanks Adam
Thanks for your interest Tony.
Best, Adam
Mr. Bazalgette is the best. 👍
Thanks Michael!
Your explanation is so clear and helpful ! Thanks a lot
Thanks Gerhard! Best, Adam
Helped a lot !!! Thanks a ton !!
Glad it was helpful for you.
Best, Adam
Great concepts for mental pictures! Can't wait to see if my 65 year old 11 handicap body can perform it!
Best of luck Peter!
Thanks, Adam
Peter Martin t
Good video
Thanks Joe.
Best, Adam
Thanks this really helps, great tip!!!!
Glad you liked the video.
Best, Adam
Help. Thank you.
Hope you make good progress Robert.
Best, Adam
Adam,
Love the videos! Fantastic approach you have, with using feelings and movements to achieve proper technique, rather than trying to consciously get to certain angles and clubhead locations in real time, which for me has caused excess tension in the past and seriously confusing results. I subscribed here, as well as signed up on the SGA site and got the "Drop 5 Strokes" course in my quest to FINALLY break 90 as a weekend golfer. I do have a question about the wrist hinge; you talk about using pressure on the handle to get that radial flexion. Does it feel more like you're "lifting" from the thumb side of your left hand, or more like a "pushing" action from the pinky side of your hand/wrist? It seems trivial, but I have noticed that the two do seem to have slightly different tendencies in regards to clubhead. Also, at the top of the swing and at transition, do you allow momentum to continue to cock the wrists to some extent? Thanks for the great instruction!
John,
Thanks for the comments, and for your interest in the videos.
I'd say different people will feel the hinge in different ways, which is fine. If I had to 'give an answer' I'd say more of a push down/out with the heel pad of left hand (hypothenar eminence). My best suggestion is to make some slow motion swings in front of a mirror, and see what feel resonates with you when the hinge and plane look good in the mirror.
100% agree with your comment about the transition.
Hope you break 90 soon!
All the best, Adam
Great video. Is the takeaway motion the same with all clubs? From wedge to driver?
Thanks. More or less, the wrists usually hinge a little more gradually with the longer clubs.
All the best, Adam
thanks a lot adam for quick i try to practise now..
Thanks. I hope it goes well for you.
Best, Adam
Hi Adam, I had been following your videos regularly and found your tips very useful. Is it alright to be over hinged? what is the consequences?
Keem,
Thanks, I'm glad they've been somewhat helpful. Some people have especially flexible wrists/thumbs (I believe Ben Hogan did) and they cock their wrists a lot more than 90 degrees. It's OK, just make sure it's flexibility and not letting go of the club a little as you go back.
Best, Adam
Thank you Adam, appreciate your response, Have a great day.
I think one of the issues that I have with with lack of "Hinge Flexibility", is that I trained for years in a sport, where you want your wrists to hinge upwards as little as possible.
No worries Steve, just keep working at it
Best, Adam
Hello Adam, fantastic explanation and well-spoken video! I tend to have a flatter swing plane and skilled enough that I can get my hands back to impact successfully but I really don't like manipulating my hands that way in the swing. The downward pressure and core rotation makes a lot of sense to getting the club set on a better plane. Any other thoughts on not rolling my wrists on the takeaway? Thanks in advance.
Thanks Andy. Perhaps the feeling that the clubface looks more at the ball in the beginning of the takeaway (less toe up) would help. As long as you're not bowing your left wrist under it's not really a closed face, even though a lot of people would say it is.
Hope this helps a bit.
Best, Adam
Thank you Adam!!!
Thanks! I'm glad it helped you.
Best, Adam
Helped a ton!
Thanks for the comment. Best wishes, Adam
Great videos Adam, always clear and concise. I've only been playing 6 months and having real consistency issues. When timing is on it's great but when off i can't even hit an iron. Your point about rolling wrists on takeaway (which i do) seems quite a big thing. Is this why potentially, amongst others, I am having issues from the start causing me not to be able to get club face square. I've not had a chance to change it on the range yet but pushing down on the grip sounds like great advice.
Tony,
I'd guess your takeaway is a real cause of timing problems. I hope you make some progress on the range.
All the best, Adam
Very helpful Adam. Thank you. This has always been a topic that can be made confusing. I like the way you explain it. One question, does the left arm rotation have more of an effect on the right arm folding or vice versa? Almost seems like the chicken or the egg thing. Seems that the left arm has to rotate enough to where the wrists can fold on the proper plane and for the right arm to fold without flying too much. Kind of tricky area for me as I used to over rotate the left arm and get the club whipped inside some.
Gary,
I'd say 'chicken & egg' is about right, but if anything right arm folding causes left arm rotation. Most players are just too active with the clubhead in the takeaway, this causes excessive rotation as a rule.
Best, Adam