Wrist Rotation Through The Ball. Drills??

Hello folks,

This is my first post after stumbling across this site whilst looking for some help with my game which seems to have collapsed!

I’m a 12 handicapper (well 13 now with my recent displays!) who recently has developed a shank come slice type of situation with my irons. I’ve had a lesson and the pro said it was my wrist action through the ball which he showed me on video. My hands/wrists are not rotating so the blade remains open at impact and stays that way. He said it’s a bit like an off-drive in cricket (for those of you who know cricket)

All well and good and he had me doing small shots with the weight well on my back foot and consciously rotating my wrist through which helped and we built it up and I found my distance again which had totally gone with a week fade (when I didn’t scuff slice or shank that is).

Are there any drills any of you know about to get this right?? It seems a timing problem as well because if I get too much action in the wrists a, massive hook develops which then leads me to ease off which results in the shanky slice again. As you can imagine I’m having a lovely time on the course trying to bumble round with a driver and 7 wood!!

Is it all in the wrists? Or is rotation of the body in there as well??

The thing is irons are, well were, my game. Long high and straight . now it’s all gone apart from the odd good one. I just have no confidence stood over the ball with an iron at all. I’m glad my puttings improved though as it’s the only thing saving me flying up to a 25 handicap!!

Bloody hell this game’s frustrating. Sorry for the long windedness. Any help greatly appreciated.

The first thing I would do is make sure your grip is strong enough. If you have drifted into a weak grip it will make it difficult to square up the clubface. As far as a drill, split gripping the club will help you to get the proper feel of the right hand release. ( Split grip is separating the hands with right lower than for right handed with proper hand position on the club).

If you want a powerful release without "flipping" the clubhead you need to use your body. I replied a couple times in a post about releasing the clubhead with the left side.

In this month's Golf Magazine, there is a GREAT article about the downswing. It talks about the "4 H's" (Hips, Handle, Hands, Head(clubhead)). That's the order your downswing should go.

Learning to rotate the hips properly is very difficult. Many people push their hips towards the ball, which is VERY bad. You loose your spine angle and hit all sorts of nasty shots.

I like the "pumping" drill for someone who wants to work on body rotation and timing. Bascially make a backswing. Then start to swing down. STOP at the halfway down point. You should have that "L" formed by the clubshaft and left arm. From there, practice PUMPING the left hip back, the right shoulder down, and the handle of the club towards the ball. After about 3 to 4 of those actions, make one big acceleration through the ball and complete the shot.

What you should be looking for? Maintaining the "L" even as you pump. Shoulders should be closed to the target line, but the hips should be OPEN! Also, make sure you are maintaining your spine angle.

To work on that hip rotation, think about your left hip going BEHIND you.

__________________
What's in my bag....
Cleveland VP 2 Blade Putter
Ping Tour Wedges, 54 & 60
TaylorMade rac LT2, 4i thru PW
Tour Edge Exotics Iron-Wood 21* 3i - Aldila NV 90 Stiff Shaft
Ping G5 18* 5 Wood - ProLaunch Blue 75 Stiff Shaft
Ping G5 15* 3 Wood - Aldila NV 75 Stiff Shaft
Cleveland HiBore XL 9.5* - Fujikura Fit-On Red Stiff Shaft

Cheers msk mate , i was wondering if my grip had anything to do with it maybe. When i think about it it has been feeling a bit sloppy for want of a better phrase, not compact as such. The "v's" pointing to the chin etc.

I'll have a go.

I'll have a go Random Cheers.