Wrist hinge direction and distance

I tried employing a new wrist break after reading something here about the right wrist breaking up and down, not side to side. I just played a half-round trying to employ this new break.

I found that I couldn't 'wind up' as fully as I could before, feeling as though my left arm was much, much tighter, and the left elbow wasn't interested in breaking (at all - which I took as a good sign), and my accuracy was pinpoint (after shots, I would return to address, drop my club at my feet, to find they were perfectly on target).

The downside, however is that I lost distance. Is this a normal byproduct? Should I be able to break the left elbow?

On a side note, I ended up topping a dozen shots tonight - once three times in a row. Would it be related to this new wristing?

Distance loss is not a byproduct. You might be a little timid to let the release go down with some power right now being a new feeling. The nice thing about this, is that you can release hard and not loose accuracy, it will impart more spin making it go higher though.

To really get the power, you have to work the lower body correctly - legs, hips and shoulders working together in smooth rotational whipping actions.

The topping is caused by you not fully releasing to the ball...kind of like the timidness from teh power issue. So let the release go and you will probably fix both.

Great to hear your accuracy is right on. What this game is really all about. Who cares if you hit it 350 yds into the woods. I want to find the thing after I hit it.

Thanks Greg - yes, power is back after trusting the new swing. Topping the ball was a product of standing up over the right leg (straightening the knee) as I rotated back. Knowing this, I'm looking forward to some accurate, consistent-ball-hitting rounds!

While I'm asking about wrist hinging, when should the wrists unhinge before impact? Mine release about 2/3's of the way back to the ball (shaft at roughly 8 o'clock). But I'm starting to think they should be releasing later (about 7 o'clock with the ball at just before 6 o'clock).

Any thoughts?

The right answer to when they should unhinge is up to the type of shot you want to play, and your physical abilities.

A smooth early release will hit it low. Hard and late will hit it high.

The aility to release as late as you can while still getting around and square is the right answer. Sergio is about as late as you want to see it, Freddy Couples in his early days also had a very late release...