This is an idea that I’ve had about “why” a slightly bowed out front wrist at impact, feels so SOLID and powerful… and thought I’d share:
Given #1:
I’ve mentioned many times, that a solid golf shot at impact, will have the shaft inline with the front arm, leading the club head, and (with my method), the body is unwinding, “dragging” this shape around to the left (right hander). I call this “trapping impact”.
Given #2:
Now, imagine the “weakest” part(s) of the body (related to the golf swing). Hum… Thighs, Hips, Shoulders, Arms, Wrists, Fingers etc.. Well, in my opinion it is the wrists! Especially when they are cupped or bent inward. That seems to be a position that is NOT very strong or can be held very long against leverage.
Given #3:
Okay…lets add the word “leverage” into the mix. They realized long ago, the longer something is, the easier it is to use it to move something else… take a long pole for instance. It works well until it breaks at some point.
So how does this all relate to the golf swing and impact?
Well, my thinking is, that if you are at impact with a bent inward front wrist, the different forces occurring at 80-100 mph, are enough to make it difficult or impossible to maintain that wrist angle, and it wants to flatten out or even bow out (because the club head is lagging behind a little) this due to the “leverage” factor.
The ball getting in the way must play some role in holding the club head back some too. These things make me think the wrists will struggle through impact, unless they are in a very solid shape that fits what is going on. Ben Hogan was aware of this and suggested to supinate the front wrist just before impact.
This bow out shape is the strongest position for the wrists to be in at impact, because of the angle of the shaft and being drug around to the left via the body’s rotation (my method).
Feel for yourself… setup like you’re going to take a shot and let the club head touch the ground slightly. Then, use your body to drag the club head around to the left and find the strongest position for your front wrist or wrists to be in while your dragging. So… if you’re not in this strongest shape at impact, you’re probably in a weaker (not as repeatable) position. This is one reason some shots feel more solid than others.
Hint: The real culprit is usually the back hand throwing the club head at impact that puts you into that weak position.