The only thing that can change the angle is to move the lever arms in comparison to each other: which is wrist cocking and un-cocking. It does not matter what angle you look at, what the shoulder or elbow does, or what Russia is doing in the Ukraine. Only cocking the wrist can change that angle. The carpal tunnel is a tube of nerves and tendons that passes through the wrist. Tendinitis, sprains, and strain are other common injuries, which affect the connective tissues of the wrist. Wrist pain may also result from medical conditions, such as osteoporosis. This condition decreases bone density and increases the risk of fracture.
I received two emails from a gentleman named Walt who is convinced that I cock my wrists during the swing. I got these emails awhile ago, but wanted to wait until the right time to release the video.
Well, that day has come. Walt insists that my wrists break, so today I'm going to try and put this issue to bed, once and for all!Good wrist action is no wrist action. This is something I have been saying for years and years. It's one of my Surgisms. Yet, every so often I get a critic who is adamant that I actually cock my wrists.Well Surgites, today I'm going to let the video do the talking!Be sure to pay close attention as I go into greater detail than ever before about the position of the wrists throughout the swing. I devoted about twice as much time to today's video because I really want you all to understand what I mean when I say, 'No wrist cock, PERIOD!'
I even enlisted the help of my mentor, Dr. Ned Armstrong, to help better describe the message that I'm trying to get across.Keep it vertical!The SurgeIf you can't view the YouTube video above try. You must allow popups from this site for the link to work. SteveYou know how much Surge likes doing follow up videos.
I think you are on to something, or maybe even on something.He could kind of morph into a training video about 'waxing and hair removal. I think that would be of great interest in the Surge Nation. Especially for some of our more furry brothers. That might make it easier for those folks with hairy knuckles to tell if there are 2 knuckles or 3 knuckles showing on their left hand at address.I think you might have just found a way to make the Surge Nation look better, and at the same time improve our golf game.You are a true inspiration.Keeping it vertical, with no hair on the back of my left hand, in Oklahoma,Dick.orto post comments. Sock it to them Surge! Firming up my grip recently, which also firmed up my writsts, made a big difference In 'CONSISTENCY', accuracy and length with ALL clubs!
Thankyou Surge.The doubting Thomas's among those who follow Surge is understandable, depending on the persons doing so. If it is to clarify points that they are having difficulties with performing themselves, fine. If it is carping criticism of the PPGS golf swing and it's 'rules', then, what is their point? Many, many of us have embraced the concepts of the PPGS concept and have seen it's amazing results. Nothing and no one is perfect. This angle is not exactly.yadda, yadda,yadda, when Surge does it, or he says one thing and does another. At the end of the day all the nit-picking, analysis has to be transferred into bodily motions to achieve results.
Thesse bodies are so varied as to be in line with the saying 'no two golf shots are the same', giving gazillions of variables. Yet even that being so, the Peak Performance Golf Swing WORKS! I for one am perhaps not as technical savvy as some who follow the Surge. A good thing for me. As said everyone is different. To those who are critical, what exactly is your point?
At the end of the day, minute differences married to fat,thin,tall,short anatomies and all the scientific dots are joined up this swing, I personally LOVE, WORKS. I wish the critics all the luck in improving their game using whatever methods you use, just don't knock our Surge!Dick on Duct tape, hahaha! Love the stuff! DH in sodden NZ where the heavens have opened again.Water shortage touted here?
Hahaha just like global warming hahaha! Hit them long and straight and check those wrists.orto post comments. Great response from you and Dr. Armstrong to Walt and his observations(criticisms) about the wrist cock, or lack thereof. I took your theory about the flat left wrist to the driving range and, once I felt comfortable with the new swing, to the course. The difference was amazing to say the least.
I was hitting through the ball with more consistency and the difference in distance and accuracy was like night and day. Walt, if you're reading this, pay closer attention. Surge will not steer you wrong. Think 'left wrist flat' and you can't go wrong. Thanks Surge, you're the man.orto post comments. Here's my take on the wrist cock (or not) and personal results.I think that until a golfer experiences a clean, pure, center struck golf ball using a 3/4 swing with not only no PURPOSEFUL wrist cock but actually resisting any wrist action, they may continue to scoff and disbelieve in what Surge has repeatedly said and shown.
The other day I rediscovered this fact (and feeling). There is a certain feeling I get in my set up and grip that leads to great drives off the tee and better strikes from tee to green. It results when I set my hands and wrist firmly (as prescribed by Surge) and actually resist any flexation through out the swing. The best way to describe it is: 'Set it and forget it'. Once I have the grip and wrists locked in position it seems the rest is easy. Shots are solid, straight and long (most). As soon as I try to hit it further by allowing my back swing to get loose and past 3/4's(and my grip and wrist to loose that pre-set firm feel) I get the opposite-wild shots, inconsistency and frustration.
Strange thing is I have had a lack of consistency from round to round making my hands and body remember the simplicity of what works. No wrist cock. In fact, when I get that going I don't even need to focus on rotating my forearms through the hitting area (from 5 to 7 on the clock when facing the golfer). It just happens. How did someone put it?
'Impact happens'.I think why it is hard to ingrain is because it is so compact and simple it seems illogical. Golf is often a game of opposites. When we hit it solid and long and pure it seems like butter, almost effortless. So this is becoming major golf goal for 2013: 3/4's, no wrist cocking or (wrist action at all). Maybe if I can just embrace the great results I see with a compact swing and the 'set it and forget it' grip, I will truly own it.I hope this made sense. It is my honest take after 4 years of applying the PPGS swing (and knowing when I'm not). Smaller swing, no extra angles and bigger results.Better golf success through simplicity.orto post comments.
Robert,Agree entirely. Your words are probably more descriptive than mine. My goal is to continue with the firmer grip and no wrist cock. I liked your comment about 'getting loose and past 3/4's and wrists to lose that pre-set feel'particularly. On one of the few so-so shots last round, it was one where the grip became loosened on the grip during the swing, which caused a less than perfect shot! A great video and timely as usual.KISS indeed, Keep It Simple Stupid! Good luck on the piste.
DH.orto post comments. I will pull for little Timmy Clark today. At 104 mph (with the driver) they say he has the slowest club head speed on tour. Still gets it out there about 285 most of the time.
I'd take it:) He is just so unlikely that like Tim 'Lumpy' Herron you just feel like pulling for those guys. With all the athletic bodies out there now these two break the mold.
It is cool to see the two rookies leading the way. How about Daly with the two triples a double on the back nine shooting a 45. Nuts.Fun stuff any way.
We'll see how the new young guns hold up.orto post comments. Robert/ Cindy:Hope you both are well!I'm catching up on my dailys.Love your analogy of no wrist cock and 5-7 o'clock hitting area!As a follow up, how do you like the Enlow grips?Per Brad, he said to hold club in hands vs fingers.
How do you hold them? What type of grip? Standard or baseball?Grips definitely stopped my snap hook on drives. Tried them with graphite iron shafts, but felt better with steel shafts for irons. Driver and hybrids are graphite.I am getting used to them and will never go back to standard grips.
Recently tried Jumbomax large grip on one iron. Now torn between the two.Appreciate your input,Phillip.orto post comments. Hi Philip,Good to hear from you. So you've been playing the Enlow but have tried the JM?'
Torn between to lovers, feeling like a fool' eh, lol? Of course I say you'll have to go with your intuiton and what feels good.
I'm an old 70's guy and our motto was 'if it feels good do it'. We also need to compare results using either. Personally I was torn too. Because I have the means to quickly change out my grips in a few seconds with my air compressor it has been easy to switch out grips and try both. Here's what I have found. I prefer the Jumbo max for my driver through 6 iron and then Golfpride jumbo tour wraps for my scoring irons. Two different grips on the same set of clubs?
On the mid to longest clubs I am looking for stable, straight and long normally. On my shorter irons (scoring clubs 7-58.) I want a bit more feel and ability to 'work' the ball - I do want my grip in the fingers. As you said the larger grips help take 'snap' (over-flexation) out of our wrists and puts the grip a bit more in the hands.
That aids in stabilizing the hands and wrists. So the Enlows are currently at rest in my tool chest.
It does not mean I may not go back to them at some point.Grip style? I use a normal standard grip that hopefully resembles Don's and is based on the training grip that you can buy at a golf store or get on the 'swingrite' training aid (I got through Doc's site). Again, see what feels and works best for you. Not to encourage Spending but you may need to get a full set of JM's to make a fair comparison.Like you, I don't think I'll ever go back to 'normal' grips.
Most grips feels so tiny to me now. The Enlows and Jumbo Max have redefined what 'Jumbo' really is:).orto post comments. That's rather easy to say, IF, you've never had a problem with keeping a flat left wrist. I guess we're all a little different in the things we have problems with. I'm willing to bet, you have some problem areas that I and others find rather simple to perform.
It's a little judgmental to say what someone else should or should not have problems with. I am glad you find it so simple to maintain a flat left wrist, As for me, I have trouble with a flat left wrist, among many other areas as well.PS: If you want to be sure you're not just fooling yourself. Here's a little device which will tell the truth about YOUR wrist cocking or not cocking.orto post comments. I completely agree with your comment.It sealed the deal for me too. Every instructor should understand and be able to demonstrate the proper application of duct tape in any setting.It is yet another example of why the Surge Nation is what it is.As I ask frequently, where else could you get what we have here. I have watched a lot of golf training videos in my life. I don't think I have ever seen any of those so called instructors use duct tape.
Surge has great hands, and great feel. Did you see how he handled that tape. It tried to get wrapped up, as duct tape always does. But Surge, with the hands of a surgeon, flipped it back and went right on.The Surge has skills,Dick.orto post comments. It always amazes me when a troll will try and say that the PPGS is for all practical purposes the same as most other swing taught except for being more vertical and perhaps shorter (3/4's). That little bit of flex has nothing to do with what the vast majority still teach as a necessary, purposeful wrist set in order to have power. All this does make for interesting conversation.
It definitely helps us see who are the trolls just hopping from site to site and who are the ones that truly understand and are working to learn the PPGS vrs the rest.orto post comments. I think the confusion on cocking the wrist comes from the definition that the Surge and Dr. Armstrong use. Seemingly they define a left wrist cock as the wrist leaving the flat wrist position and bending back on itself with the back of the left hand now closer to the forearm.
This is usually called a 'cupped' position or dorsal flexion. Almost all instructors agree this is not usually a good thing and that the left wrist should remain flat throughout the swing. No arguement with the Surge here. However, throughout the golf instruction world this action is not the definition of wrist cock but rather wrist cock is considered the Vertical hinging of the wrist while still maintaining the flat wrist position.
This is how the angle at address between the left arm and clubshaft gets to around 90 degrees near the top of the swing. All the arm lifting (without bending the left elbow) will never get you to the 90 degree angle without some vertical wrist hinging. Try it and prove it to yourself. Surge does admit to a small amount of vertical hinging as he starts down from the top. It is still wrist cocking (as defined above and most of the instructional world) whether it occurs during the backswing as you start down. It also happens automatically for most without thought but it is still wrist cock whether it is deliberate or not.orto post comments.
Surge has demonstrated several times how the wrist can hinge in one of two directions either 'cupping' which closes the club(visualize Dustin Johnson) and or arching (bending it in the opposite direction). As one can test for themselves or see in the video I will attach the wrist has very little flex in the other directions (up or down).
But with this swing we keep our left wrist flat which both shortens the swing (unless you bend your elbow) to 3/4's, and that's what we want. So I say what you are seeing in Don's swing is that flexion and NOT wrist cock. Not Automatically or other wise Dcameron35. No confusion and NO WRIST COCK!.orto post comments.
So if the rest of the golf world is wrong then does that make it right? Actually what Dustin j does is a great example of wrist cock. For a clear resolve to this issue would be to look up the definition of wrist cock in the PGA glossary. It becomes quite clear that Surge is correct and 'the rest' of the golfing community is incorrect. If you correlate the movement to 'cocking' the hammer of a gun then it's perfectly clear that wrist cock is tha backward bend of the right hand towards the forearm with left wrist in a bowed position. You may also want to take a look at a club head with a bowed wrist. It surely isn't open.orto post comments.
Cocked Wrists: A description of the hinging motion of the wrists during the backswing in which the hands are turned clockwise. Ideally, the wrists are fully cocked at the beginning of the downswing. (He cocked his wrists early in the backswing to hit a high, soft shot over the bunker).This is what is currently in the glossary. Ambiguous at best and certainly different that it was 3 years ago.Tomato, tomato- as long as we realize that the only motion of the wrist is the slight hinge caused by force of club head still going back as we enter transition, we're all good.orto post comments. Thx, Doc, for the online house call. Good to hear from you.
The Nation has had this conversation before. My 2 cents.I think the term 'nominal hinging' was kicked around last time we had this chat. Ok, so it is nominal hinging. I hope the wrist-hinge posters are happy. A reminder here that this is just a by-product, and not an intentional & pronounced flexation element.I underscore the word 'nominal'. You get someone that really loads that shaft (DJ), and yes, it can and does go beyond nominal. Ok, so it does.
He can do that.And for those who think that intentional, significant hinging/cocked wrists are a key element to a good, consistent swing. Use your full wristcock and let it rip. Let us know how that goes-good or bad. Otherwise, for myself, I choose to just let it be and allow myself a nominal hinge.' A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.' Let's make a deal here and now: be truthful with our outcomes. It's about results.orto post comments.
Yes radial deviation. However there is a point that some are not getting regardless of the verbage.The radial deviation that occurs is nearly always accompanied by either cupping or bowing. (Unless we fight to keep the wrists and grip firm and the left wrist flat).
Because as Surge demonstrates and any one can experiment with their own wrists, the radial deviation up is only an inch or so without cupping or bowing. Again look at Dustin Johnson. So regardless of what the terms are that various teachers are using, unless we bow or cup (which Don totally discourages) there will be very little hinging up down or otherwise.Again it's not just verbage.The act of cocking or hinging that most encourage and teach is only physically possible if there is cupping, arching or bowing.So yes, if the left wrist is kept flat and grip is firmed up there will be very little angle changed other than that set at address. BTW, Surge admitted only that there was a flex that happens when he starts the FUS. That is not the same or anywhere close to cocking the wrists.orto post comments.
It would seem to me, those wishing to learn the PPGS properly, would be best helped by accepting the definitions of it's developer and instructor and let other so called ambiguous definitions and semantics be dammed. Why on earth would I care what anyone in the rotation philosophy of teaching calls something. It is not their systems I desire to learn.A wise man once said, The sheep know the voice of their master, and heed his call. We in the Surge Nation know the voice of our instructor, and it is to his advice we heed. Let the others pay heed to their own instructors, and please allow us to do likewise.PPGS,.orto post comments.
There it is Terry.It doesn't matter what any of those things are called anyway because Surge isn't recommending to do any of them intentionally anyway.Not a thing wrong with his old maxim 'The best wrist action is no wrist action'.The minute I decide I am going to 'flex' my wrists (even if I fully intend to keep a flat left wrist) sooner or later that 'flex' is going to turn into a bow or a cup. If it's a bow I can live with it but if it's a cup I am done and probably on the road to shank city.orto post commentsPages.
Golf Hall-of-Fame teacher Manuel de la Torre says that wrist action is an involuntary reaction to swinging the club. A classic drill to teach this involves swinging the club from waist-high to waist-high, letting the weight of the club cock the wrists on the backswing and uncock the wrists on the follow through. Think of your wrists as a door hinge—they can move back and forth, but do not move by themselves. If you keep your forearms relaxed, the weight of the club can cock the club without any interference on your part. Even if your forearms are relaxed, there are other ways tension can creep into your arms. The left hand provides the primary connection for controlling the club.
It is very common to grip too tightly with this hand. According to teacher Michael Hebron, the secret is to tighten only the last two or three fingers of your left hand—the pinky and ring fingers, and perhaps the middle finger.
In doing so, you create a strong grip without locking the wrist muscles and interfering with the free movement of your wrists. Likewise, Ben Hogan wrote about the same problem with the right hand. Just as the thumb and forefinger of the left hand can interfere with proper wrist action, the thumb and forefinger of the right hand can lock the right wrist in position. Hogan recommended practicing with those two fingers completely off the grip.
He also recommended adding some pressure with the middle and ring fingers of the right hand to help grip the club, but many players trust the left hand to grip it and merely wrap the right-hand fingers loosely around the grip for support. With your left-hand grip focused in the last two or three fingers, your wrist will remain relaxed enough to move freely but you still need to provide a bit of guidance to the club. According to teacher Jay Williamson, the simplest way to do this is to keep the back of the left hand flat—that is, the back of the left hand and the back of the left forearm form a straight line. Doing so limits the movement of the wrist to a single plane, improving consistency. This action will not be difficult because using only the last two or three fingers to grip the club actually encourages this movement. Ben Hogan famously wrote that, after his hands had passed his hips on the downswing, he tried to hit the ball as hard as he could—“I wish I had three right hands.” But for most teachers, including de la Torre, the right wrist does very little during the swing except respond to the swinging of the club. It provides support to the left wrist while the forearm remains relaxed; it cocks in response to the weight of the club at the top of the backswing, and uncocks at contact as a result of the momentum of the club and the straightening of the right arm.