Brian Manzella Video Answer - Flat Left Wrist Drill

[MrLuigiFercotti]

This obsession many have with a flat left wrist is kryptonite to the vast majority of golfers out. The reason is that changing the wrist position at the top will very likely change the plane of the top as well because any activation of the muscles of the forearm that control flexing of the wrist is likely to result in inhibiting or enhancing the amount of forearm rotation as well.

Far better to gett the club on plane and square at the top than worrying about whether your wrist is flat or not.

[secretogolf]

@MrLuigiFercotti Why don't you just not cock your wrist and the left will be straight at take away.At set up your wrists are already cocked enough.Stay connected,arms to upper torso and rotate the left arm /shoulder on plane and you will look back and see a flat left wrist and all the angles, clubshaft to arms, will be 90 degrees.Your right but you can do both.

[NikeGolf118]

@MrLuigiFercotti Well, unfortunately alot of golfers "don't worry" about position and that is the reason they are a 30 handicap. Most of the best golfers have that flat left wrist, so that must not be a coincidence.

[MrLuigiFercotti]

@NikeGolf118

You are correct, but I will repeat, get it square and on plane at the top, and don't fret over a flat left wrist.

Also, it's not just about face position, having the thumbs under shaft so the club is properly supported is also important.

[secretogolf]

@MrLuigiFercotti You don't need to change your wrist position at the top.You just need to lead the club head with the handle on the downswing.Luckily we reach this flat left positon /bent right naturaly if we don't manipulate the wrists.Throw the right arm/shoulder down the target line then check your wrist position,it will be text even if you cock your wrists alot in the back swing.Unless your over the top or not behind/tilted back at impact.See Lynn Blake for verification here at UTUBE

[pepswe]

@MrLuigi Square to what at the top?

A neutral grip and a flat left wrist through the swing matches the club head travel to the rotation, a bent wrist = club head travel to long + added loft + throw away + open face at impact.

Arching wrist = de-loft the club + closed face

A flw will make it easier to have the club on plane!

A flw is exact!

A little bent, how much is a little? Its impossible to control.

I prefer a flat left wrist, no bending or arching just cock and uncock, turn and roll baby!!!

[MrLuigiFercotti]

@pepswe

If you have a neutral grip, a FLW will have the face square to the plane at the top. If you have a strong grip, a FLW equals a shut face at the top, which means you have to inhibit the release unless you like big hooks. So some cup in the left wrist is not a deal breaker if you have a strong grip. For me, I don't over swing because I don't have a lot of left wrist flexibility, some cup has the face square and I can get a full wrist cock. Everyone's anatomy is different.

[holyrocnroll]

@chemicalkid100 try telling that to dustin johnson lol

[MrLuigiFercotti]

@holyrocnroll

The exception does not make the rule. There is not a teacher out there that would advocate a bowed left wrist. It takes a very athletic golfer to make that position work and real strong set of hands and wrists. I would not be surprised to see DJ change that as he gets older.

[secretogolf]

@chemicalkid100 If you toe the club at waist high then take a normal grip,place it down to address you will find the clubhead is square.You will only need to use a 2 knuckle grip and you will have a nice draw.Remember ther are differences in the arc or plane from upright,flat (Baseball swing) to vertcal plane,they are simply optical illusions.

[RobertFromHere]

Hi. This is a nice excersise, but I think only the second part if you train the wrist for the movement of the through swing. The wrist position in the back swing is different as in the first part of this excersise. The shaft lays on your left thumb on the top of the back swing, but in the wideo is the left thumb on the top of the shaft.

[plentyofouts]

Since when is a convex wrist at the top a NO NO..? Er Ben Hogan...? Anyone? Bueller? Flat left wrist through the ball sure. But that is a product of an effective pivot and correct forces in your action. Simply forcing a flat left wrist does not address the problem at all. Hogan used his hands to hit and rotate. Hard. He wanted the clubface well open on the way down so he had something to hit hard with! All the best ball strikers have an 'open' clubface on the way down. Snead, Hogan, Knudson.

[acc771]

IM very curious what scientifical evidence is behind this, and why it works, because it really did work for me, thanks!

[onlinegolfinstitute]

Hey Brian, great tip. I have tried many wrist flexibility exercises and this is definitely an addition to my arsenal. Too many golfers get obsessed with stretching out their back and neck that they forget to work the wrist.

@ squadr0nleader: I understand where you're coming from but many golfers have an over-exaggerated like Brian shows at 1:24. That sort of grip is doomed for failure

[squadr0nleader]

I suspect you may have misunderstood my earlier text. What Brian shows at 1:24 is a CONVEX left wrist at the top, which of course is a no no. What I am saying is that, although most great players have a FLAT left wrist at the top, there have been quite a few with a CONCAVE or CUPPED left wrist at the top, e.g. Bobby Locke, Peter Alliss, who were also v. long hitters. I have always agreed, however, that whether flat or concave at the top, the left wrist should always be FLAT AT IMPACT.

[jokojay]

Good drill, bad sound. Unless you habitually hook it (not to be confused with an over the top dead pull, all you hackers out there...) a flat left wrist at the top, maintained through impact, is a huge key to compressing the ball and good golf. Thanks, Brian.

[mywalter]

Brian, Thanks for the time. I found your instruction very interesting and I am going to try the excersise. About a year ago I thought I would have to give up playing due to near paralyzing pain in those fore arm tendons. Since I have been looking for drills to improve my wrist flexibility - what you have illustrated makes the most sense (to me). Thanks Again.

[squadr0nleader]

Brian, you seem to teach a flat left wrist at the top which contradicts instruction from, e.g. Jack Nicklaus and John Jacobs who teach that it doesn't matter whether flat or cupped so long as the position used fits the rest of the swing. Many club players will need to use a 'strong' grip which usually leads to a cupped wrist at the top. Also there have been many great players with a cupped wrist at the top e.g. Ben Hogan (slightly cupped), Bobby Locke, Peter Alliss, Johnny Miller & many others.

[pecky1234]

the vast majority of great players have flat left wrists,including nicklaus. and trevino, player,snead,lyle, sergio, david toms, tiger etc...and it would help the huge majority of amateur players

[eliyates2]

ben hogan we all know cupped his wrists because he was fighting the hooks at one point and time. and those others may or may not have had cupped wrists for the same reason....but overall i agree with brians drill and think its a very solid instruction video. thanks brian!

[brown547]

These players may have had slightly cupped wrist at the top, but as straight as they hit the ball, Hogan and Nicklaus (esp his long irons), their wrist were flat at impact. A flat wrist is key to power and accuracy in which Hogan and Nicklaus had both

[taylorsir]

brian have been doing the drill for over a week now but im getting pain in the tip of my left elbow (we call it tennis elbow in the uk)is this a common ,and will it go away in time.

[dekkker]

Brian -with all due respect- you spent too much time talking.

[DannRyan]

Seems like you are giving good advice, wish I could hear it.

[zkool5]

I heard it. It was great.