Wrist Angle?

[Libre]

At address, is there an angle in your wrist?
In other words, is your arm and the shaft of the club in a straight line, or is it more like there are 2 line segments, with a bend at the wrist?
When I think of some women pros (Nancy Lopez comes to mind) I visualize their address pos'n with the hands held high and a straight line from the shoulder to the ball. But most of the male pros I can visualize seem to break the wrist, holding their hands lower in relation to their body.
What's your take on this?

[SilverUberXeno]

Are you talking about he line drawn through the arms, and then down the shaft of the club? Indeed, I do NOT think this should be a straight line. I let my arms hang almost completely straight down, and try to let the sole of the club rest flat on the ground. This produces an angle greater than 90, but much less than 180 (which would be straight).

[Libre]

Originally Posted by SilverUberXeno

Are you talking about he line drawn through the arms, and then down the shaft of the club?

Yes- that's exactly what I'm talking about.
All of a sudden it occurs to me that I've been trying to make this line straight and it shouldn't be.
Funny thing is, I realized this last night when I was playing a video game - EA Tiger Woods Golf - on my computer, and noticed my computer opponent's (Jim Furick) address position.

[SilverUberXeno]

Haha. Stuff like that happens, compadre. I used to play a bit of Mario Golf on the Gamecube, and I'd tell myself, "I'm content with my game if I can out-drive Yoshi."

I can, by the way =)

[cypressperch]

who have a near straight line made by the lead arm and the shaft. Ernie Els comes to mind. I believe the Golf Digest web site has a swing sequence video of his swing that shows this pretty clearly. I think Ernie accomplishes this by having his right shoulder considerably lower than his left or lead shoulder. Of course, since the right hand is lower on the grip than the left, the right shoulder will be lower. Some teach to keep the shoulders a little more level at address so that the shoulder turn going back will be fairly level. When you follow such teaching, you still try to keep the lead arm and club shaft fairly straight. I believe Nicklaus had an almost straight line as well.

Having said all this, there is other instruction that would have us cup (make an angle) in the lead wrist at the top of the swing which will support the club at the top and make it feel near weightless. Some golfers put this angle in at address and do just fine. By the time we get to impact, it seems that all good swings start looking the same despite all the differences we can detect at address.

Cypressperch

[Eracer]

I think he's asking about the angle formed by the shaft and the arms when viewed from behind the golfer, looking down the target line.

Having the shaft and the arms swing in one plane is one of the fundamental pricinciples behind the Natural Golf swing popularized by Moe Norman.

[Johnny Par]

Sorry off topic. Is that Douglaston Golf Range in your avatar pic?

[Libre]

Hey Johnny.

Sorry off topic. Is that Douglaston Golf Range in your avatar pic?

Bingo!


Eracer-

I think he's asking about the angle formed by the shaft and the arms when viewed from behind the golfer, looking down the target line.

Yes - that's what I mean.

[Eracer]

Originally Posted by Libre

Hey Johnny.

Bingo!


Eracer-

Yes - that's what I mean.

Here's a picture of the Natural Golf address position. If you do this, you must do all the other things that the Natural Golf method teaches. It's really quite different from the modern Hogan swing, or the two-pivot variation of the modern swing. In those methods, favored by most golfers, the arms hang down and the shaft extends at an angle to the ball.

I can't think of any pros who use Moe's swing, as it promotes straightness, but not distance. My Uncle, however, swings like Moe. He doesn't hit the ball far, but he hits it straight. That, along with being a good putter, allows him be a 10-capper at the age of 72. Can't really compete when the yardage is over 6000, but who cares? He's having fun playing golf.

[Libre]

Perfect picture of what I mean.
Looking at it, I can see where it would promote straightness but not distance.
I think I've been trying to address like that, but without "all the other things that the Natural Golf method teaches" it's a disaster. No wonder I stink.