Cupped at the top

Hello all! Long time no post. My wife recently had a baby so I haven't been around as much as I like. Finally getting back out to the range.

However, I am noticing something disturbing. It seems like my left wrist is bending TOWARDS the TOP of my forearm at the top. Or as many people would say, not having a flat left wrist at the top.

After reading Jim Hardy's book on 1 & 2 plane swingers, I definately have a 2 plane swing. I stand more erect, narrow stance...however, I do use a STRONG grip. Which from what I read is a no-no. Might be why I am hooking the ball.

From that...any tips on how to get FLAT at the top? Grip especially.

Thanks as always!

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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

What is the position of the leading edge of your club face at the top with this cupped wrist? Is it in line with your left forearm, or is it more parallel to the ground or more perpendicular to the ground than your left forearm?

Hi,

Try this drill:

At the range try sliding a comb under your watch strap so that it sits over your left wrist, if you bow your wrist upwards then you will feel the tension from the comb and it will encourage you to keep it flat, grove the feeling of a flat wrist so that you can maintain it on the course.

Regards
Brian

It is more perpendicular. My forearm looks like it is at 45 degrees and the leading edge is at 60 degrees.

I can obviously maneuver my hands at the top to have a flat left wrist, but it feels unnatural. I seem out of position from the get go.

***Sounds like a good drill. I thought about getting one of those swing gloves that doesn't let the left wrist cup***

Hiya hero,

I suffer the same problem (cupping at the top). Let me tell you - when I make the concious effort to keep my wrist flat going back, my ball striking is great (for me). When I cup, I lose balls right (either with pushes or push-slices). When I don't cup, all balls go straight or get slightly pulled.

Hi Randomhero.

Time for one of my home remedies i think.
For this you need a pastic hair comb and some adhesive tape.
Tape the comb to your wrist so that it runs down the back of your left hand to just above the knuckles. The plastic comb will be rigid enough to stop any extreme cupping of the wrist.Wear this during your practice sessions for the first week and then for alternate practice sessions.
This will soon get rid of any extreme cupping.

cheers
aft

Hi Random,

The comb will be much cheaper!

The ideal position at the top is 45% for your forearm and club face.

Regards
Brian

learn the hogan waggle, and also, the more your rear elbow flies, the easier for it to be cupped at the top

Great replies...lets see here....

1) My misses are pulls or pull-slices. Not pushes or push slices.

2) Gonna try that comb thing tomorrow. Makes complete sense.

3) I need to make an effort to keep my right elbow turning back more level.

***Could my grip be a problem? Too strong, too weak? ***

Is the left wrist not meant to cup at any stage during the swing? Even after impact and through the release? I'm having a really dificult time trying to keep my left wrist flat (as I posted before) as a result the toe of my club faces towards the ground, my clubface must be open at impact and I've a serious lack of distance and penetration in my ball flight? When I do try to keep it flat I either top or shank. Please help, I'm getting disheartened with the game because of this.

Well, jesper, IMO, what the club does after the ball is gone is immaterial. Or, put another way, what the club does after the ball is gone is a by product of what the club has done before impact.

I know for myself, my left wrist is certainly cupped when I've got the club at finish.

as a rough generalization, it should be flat a foot or so after impact but when those hands start getting back to waist high it does not have to be flat

Hi,

The most important thing is that the clubface is square to the ball at impact, the things we have discussed here are to assist with achieving this. At the end of your backswing the toe should point to the ground but at a 45% angle that matches your forearm, slight cupping is OK but yours will open the face and create off target shots, I suggest your lack of penetration and distance is caused by either casting or flipping your wrists through impact.

Regards
Brian

Hi Folks
There is one thing we have all overlooked in the case of these two chaps...GRIP.
With a grip that is weak in the left hand ( no knuckles showing )you will get a flat wrist at the top of the backswing but, the face will be open at impact.
With a grip that is strong in the left hand ( three or more knuckles showing )you will get extreme cupping at the top of the back swing but,the face will be closed at impact .

We need to know if both these chaps adopt a neutral grip ,or one of the alternatives.

cheers
aft

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Hi Aftford

Sorry if I am missing something here. Surely a strong or weak grip will rotate the forearms in relation to the club alignment, not cause cupping at the top but changing the angle of the clubface relative to the ground and your left forearm thus creating a more open or closed face at impact?

Best Regards
Brian