Greg Norman's "secret"

I managed to get one of these off ebay from the U.S. a while ago (for those that don't know, it's a device that straps to your right wrist and keeps it in a cupped position through the swing, stopping the undesirable swatting move)
It's improved my chipping accuracy a lot, but I simply don't understand it's use in the full swing - how can you release through impact with a cupped right wrist, surely everything should straighten out there should'nt it?

Hey Mariner,

I too have "the secret" and actually just got back from the range after attempting to work with it. I am also having trouble understanding its use in the full swing. It makes me block everything. I am wondering if anyone has had sucess with this aid and can help us out.

Hi Guys,

I am one of the biggest proponents of "The Secret". I have used used it a lot through the golf season. I can say that without a doubt it has been, for me, the best training aid I have ever used. It teaches you how to hit the ball correctly and gives you the feel of maintaining the "angle" in your wrist.

Some have problems getting the right feel because when you set-up the angle in your wrist feels really awkward. What I do, is set up normal (you will notice the Secret want to pull back off of your wrist. That is okay), then as I start the take-away, I let the Secret come back and rest against my wrist and never let it come back up.

If you have been a "swatter" as Greg Willis calls it, it will really feel funny at first, but work with it and you will begin to feel the correct way to hit the ball. I would never have known this if it weren't for this gadget.

Chessbum...

I've been away for the holidays. Here is my take on "Greg Norman's Secret"....it is just a crutch. In-other-words it helps initially to get your right wrist in the proper position at impact but does not help in the follow-through. I have found an easier way to achieve the same results as the "Secret". When you address the ball just apply some pressure from your right palm into your left thumb. You will notice by doing that the butt of the club leans towards the target and your right wrist is set just like the "Secret". Now just maintain that pressure on the left thumb and take your back swing and then swing down to the ball. Keep the pressure on your left thumb from start to impact. On impact you can just release the club and follow-through to a finish. You might try this in chipping and pitching first before you go to the driver. This will help get some muscle memory and will teach you the correct position with the right wrist. Don't expect this to change quickly...it does take some time. This method will probably create some tension but I don't think this is much of a problem. The whole exercise is just getting to set the right wrist in the proper position. It did work for me. I no longer have to think about it anymore. It comes as second nature to me...Good luck.

Hope this helps.
Seeker

I just don't get it at all !!

Why would you want to create cupping in your right wrist, at address or impact. It can only create an open clubface at the top and again at impact? The only way I can possibly see it working is if you allow your shoulders to be excessively open when you strike the ball. Again, why would you wish to do that??? This seems to create a flaw that you must introduce an opposite flaw to compensate.

I would suggest a glove on the left wrist that maintained the natural cupping at address through the swing would be more use.

This is either the Hans Christian Andersen's "Kings suit of clothes" or I am completely off track here. Please can someone explain how cupping can get your right wrist in the proper position at impact? My understanding has always been that the only movement of the wrists in the back and downswing is in an "Up and Down" direction and the palm of the right hand should face the target as it pushes through impact. If anything I would also suggest the opposite, that a controlled pushing forward of the right wrist under the left creates extra head-speed and keeps the clubface on target longer through impact.

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Best Regards
Brian

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Funny o'l game!

The answer is because the risk of not cupping will create the potential for swatting (the hands flipping the club horizontally through impact). Swatting is a big hidden power leak. You feel like you are creating clubhead speed and maybe you are, but there are many other bad factors you are introducing:
1) Steepening the angle of attck - might be ok for wedges, but the ball flight is now high and just about every shot likes a low boring tragectory. If you want hight, adjust the ball position
2) Increasing the error % of a square face - Because your hands are the ones causing the face to square up now, they are prone to bigger errors of hooks and slices.

Cupping the right hand ensures that the right arm stays connected to the hip (no excessive out-in path) and

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I'm a golfaholic, no question about that. Counseling wouldn't help me. They'd have to put me in prison, and then I'd talk the warden into building a hole or two and teach him how to play. ~Lee Trevino

cupping the right wrist does not open the clubface unless you rolll open your clubface by rolling open your forearm. The clubface may appear to rotate open but it is staying square to the plane

It does if your left wrist is cupped at the top

http://youtube.com/watch?v=piL7pYSa-KA

The answer to the golf swing is in this clip titled "golftips".

Very good

Perfect shot every time.

Hi Greg,

Hope you don't mind me going over this again? I have questioned it before but still do not completely follow the logic. I can see that it is possible to hold an angle in the right wrist at impact, but it must be accompanied by either very open shoulders or a very bent right arm(or both). I do not subscribe to this as a preferred way to strike a ball.

To me swatting at the ball normally takes place when someone has a reverse pivot, where they have no other way but to flip the wrists forward as their torso falls backwards in their swing. When a golfer transfers their weight correctly and pushes through with the right side flipping rarely occurs. I have scanned many video clips of tour pros and cannot see where they retain cupping in the right wrist at impact. If the poor pivot is the problem would it not be best to try and fix that?

I accept that I may be wrong here but I have the type of analytical mind that will not rest on something until I have resolved the issue.

__________________
Best Regards
Brian

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Funny o'l game!

BrianW

I will not try to answer on Greg's behalf, but look at it another way.

If you believe that at impact a person should have (1) a straight left arm and (2) a flat left wrist, then it should be next to impossible to not have a bent back right wrist.

Don't believe me?
Try this:
- palms flat together
- straight left arm
- flat left wrist
What is your right wrist doing?

The degree to which the right wrist is bent back will depend on the relationship between the length of a person's arms and breadth of their shoulders.

Hope this helps.

Charles

Thank you for your comments.

I think the left wrist should have the same slight bow in it as it had at address right throughout the swing. The same with the right wrist at impact.

Great. This, to me, explains why you have a have a hard time understanding the logic behind Greg's Right Hand Drill, "the secret" and I should probably include "the swing glove" (since all three of these use the same principles).

Charles