Cupped Left Wrist Explained

The cupped left wrist opens the clubface…
This in turn gives the green light to the pivot to rotate hard and level to square up the clubface with rotation.

The clubface should feel as open as possible on the downswing… and this might even be reflected at the top of the swing.

While most considered Hogan to be flat or squared up with his left wrist at the top or downswing… here are some images to the contrary.

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Hogan showing the cupped left wrist and clubface skyward intention… which is correct.

slightly cupped wrist at top of swing.

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Clubface open… left wrist cupped.

The clubface is WIDE OPEN… and left wrist cupped on downswing…
Hogan will turn hard and level on this one… all green lights…

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As an older player… his clubface is so open… skyward…
I love this shot.

The more open, the more the body can rotate aggressively and close the clubface with pivot rotation.

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Hogan with extremely cupped wrist here…

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John,

You wrote regarding Hogan’s clubface-: “The more open, the more the body can rotate aggressively and close the clubface with pivot rotation.

I totally disagree!

When we talk about an open clubface in Hogan’s mid-downswing where his lead wrist is still cupped, we are really talking about an open clubface relative to the clubhead path. Body rotation cannot possibly close the clubface relative to the clubhead path in the later downswing - although it can close the clubface relative to the ball-target line due its effect on the clubhead path.

Hogan closes his clubface relative to his clubhead path by using two biomechanical maneuvers.

First of all, he converts from having a cupped lead wrist in his mid-downswing to having a bowed lead wrist in the early phase of his late downswing - as seen in the following animated gif.

HoganEarlySupinationTwo

Then, he also closes the clubface relative to his clubhead path by supinating his lead forearm a lot in his later downswing.

Jeff.

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… and what is causing that wrist to flatten out?
You’re getting closer now Jeff… nice to see some critical thinking going on now…

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John,

… and what is causing his peripheral clubshaft to be bending forward during the time period that his lead wrist is moving from being cupped to becoming bowed?

It would be nice to see you do some critical thinking.

Jeff.

FWIW, I have always found David Leadbetter’s book on Ben Hogan’s Modern Fundamentals curious in the statements to the effect that Hogan’s swing had several “compensating movements” that prevent it from being something that Leadbetter would advocate/teach.

This always struck me as curious as multi-movements break down under pressure. Hogan’s action didn’t breakdown under pressure from what his contemporaries all-to-a-man said. (Don’t all of the other Shell episodes seem less impressive after watching Mr Hogan hit all 14 fairways and 18 greens?)

There’s the “All things Ben Hogan” channel on YouTube that has a “secret” video. Ben’s in a suit (looks like a Hogan Co, dinner) talking and demonstrating wrist cupping. It’s verbatim of what John is teaching, advocating, and patiently explaining.

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I’ve never been comfortable swinging with an intentionally cupped left wrist. Probably missing what made it work for Hogan.

If the hands are in the sternum vicinity at address they are already cupped. I just maintain my address position and do the orbit pull.

Jeff, you were getting close, but then you went back to vapor trails and not the motors that are creating them.

Forcing a “position” of a wrist or arm doesn’t work in the golf swing. These things you talk about need to be dynamically created through movement, force, pressures and acceleration.

Try to start thinking about the pressures that are creating "The Look’

But remember… if you “disagree”, then you are disagreeing with Hogan and other great strikers. Not sure what your model is…

John,

You wrote-: “Forcing a “position” of a wrist or arm doesn’t work in the golf swing. These things you talk about need to be dynamically created through movement, force, pressures and acceleration.”

I agree that arm/wrist positions must be created dynamically due to the forces that you describe.

Here is an example of how it would look in Hogan’s early followthrough.

Note that the lead wrist is bowed/flat and not extended. Note that the clubshaft has not bypassed the lead arm (from an angular rotational perspective). Note that the trail wrist is still bent.

Here is what it would look like in your golf swing action’s early followthrough.

EricksonHoldingFlexFollowthrough

Note that the lead wrist is bowed/flat and not extended. Note that the clubshaft has not bypassed the lead arm (from an angular rotational perspective). Note that the trail wrist is still bent.

Jeff.

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This is because of a quick pivot acceleration… it pins the left wrist flat… not because of an arm swing disconnect fake manipulation.

The term “fake manipulation” reflects your biased mindset and your mental incapacity to accept that there are alternative ways of efficiently performing a full golf swing action.

I don’t believe that there is anything that represents “fake manipulation” in the DH-hand release action of these skilled pro golfers.

Collin Morikawa

MorikawaDHer

Cameron Champ

Jordan Spieth

Dustin Johnson

JohnsonDHReleaseThree

Will Zalatoris

ZalatorisDHer

Justin Thomas

Jeff.

Another post relating to John’s opinion that a DH-hand release action, in the absence of “holding shaft flex”, is really a disconnected fake arm manipulation technique.

See - https://newtongolfinstitute.proboards.com/thread/966/john-ericksons-ideas-swinging-hogan?page=1&scrollTo=12645

Jeff.

By fake I was referring to your assertion that their left wrist is flat post impact… therefore they must be doing things correctly within a hitter context… which is simply a false comparison.

These pivots are not accelerating post impact… it’s all stall and disconnect. These are swinger’s releases that have nothing to do with hitting technique.

I never asserted that a FLW post-impact implies that a golfer is using a hitter’s technique. I am definitely asserting that a FLW post-impact where the lead wrist does not rapidly extend, and where the clubshaft does not bypass the lead arm "from an angular rotational perspective), is what is expected with a hitter’s technique and also with a swinger’s technique if they use a DH-hand release action through impact. I know of no scientific evidence that proves that one technique is better than the other technique - despite your personal bias that the hitter’s technique is better. I totally reject your opinion that a swinger’s technique where a golfer uses a CP-arm release action combined with a no-roll DH-hand release action is a “disconnected” technique.

Jeff.

Here is an example of a pro golfer - Joaquin Niemann - who is using a CP-arm release action combined with a no-roll subtype of DH-hand release action.

Jeff.