Wrist torque and the golf swing is a real thing. I never encountered the explanation of how our hands and wrists affect the clubface before and I find it very interesting. The technical explanation offered in the video makes complete sense to me. I can see how the signals sent through our hands and wrists change the intent of hitting the ball square on impact. Interestingly, there is a simple fix that is nothing new, but it always helps to revisit this topic as a great reminder moving forward.
Dan’s explanation of wrist torque are simple and easy to follow. He takes us through the swing process to show how wrist torque is created by our brains reacting to the input of information and makes instantaneous adjustments. These adaptation of changes will force our hands and wrists to open or close the clubface. **At the end of this video, Dan offers a training aid to help with wrist torque. I am not affiliated with this product, nor have I ever tried it. It is part of the video.**
The solution to wrist torque is rooted in two areas. The first is to use a loose grip throughout our swing. The loose grip prevents us from administering unneeded forces in our hands and wrists which inturn will prevent the brain from making adjustments during our swing. This is not a new concept, loose grip, but one that many of us need to be reminded of from time to time.
The other fix is our swing plane. I have not talked about the swing plane in a long time, but the video mentions that amateur golfers have a tendency to develop poor technique to compensate for miss hits. A poor swing plane is definitely something that is a fundamental error for many players. It takes some focus practice to develop a consistent and effective swing plane. Yet, the time spent on this area of our game will produce excellent results.
I have never thought of wrist torque before when trying to improve ball contact. Watching Dan’s video helped me understand that it is an important area of knowledge that I might have been lacking. Regardless, the important take away is to keep my grip loose during my swing to ensure my club stays on the proper swing plane.
I am a grateful golfer! See you on the links!
The Grateful Golfer 
We can’t go thinking there is just one plane. Every club is a different length and will require us to swing on a different plane. Also, for those who can shape a shot, the key ingredient required to do that is simply changing the plane because every change in swing path is a change in swing plane too.
And it’s not just keep a loose grip. The wrists are a key component too. We need to use muscles in the wrist on the way back to cock the club and we need to use them on the way down to turn the face closed. But as we move from backswing to downswing, we need to keep our wrists limp. Doing so increases lag, stops early casting, but it also allows the club head to self position by the actions of centrifugal forces. The club head will follow the shaft and the shaft will follow the hands.
If you do that right, you should feel like you go out of control through the transition. I know I do. But you should also feel like your wrists experience even more torque. They get pulled into a more cocked position thanks to the weight of the club and shaft we’re swinging. But that torque is good then. It’s directed in the proper direction. At least if you set up properly and are on the proper plane.
I saw a video that featured Ledbetter giving a quick lesson last night. He said basically the first foot of the back swing is the most important to put you on the right plane. Basically, he said it was a matter of keeping the club head outside the hands for that first foot. That will keep you from getting the club head behind you and help get you on the right plane.
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Kevin,
I agree with most of your comment, however I do not subscribe to a different swing plane/path for each club. I think it is more universal than that. Shaping the ball can occur several different manners and it really depends on the player on how that is achieved. It is interesting that there are so many different ways to succeed in golf and finding that core 80% for our individual game is key.
Cheers Jim
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Sorry Jim, but it is physically impossible to create the same plane for different length clubs. The plane angle tilts lower as the length of a shaft is increased. If you want to make contact with the ball that is. Trying to use the same plane you use for a PW with a driver will see you slam the club into the ground literally feet before the ball.
Changing path won’t change the angle of the plane vertically but it will change the angle of the plane just the same. It just changes to match the path.
You can see what I mean with an easy example. Take a plate and hold it standing on edge straight up and down. Now tilt the plate back a little and you’ve changed the plane. Rotate the plate a little and you’ve changed the path. Rotate and tilt and you change both path and plane.
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Kevin,
I think we are saying the same thing, but looking at the swing plane as a different entity. The swing plane I am talking about is how it looks from the rear of the player. All the clubs swing on the same path. If you are looking at the player from the the side, you are right that the angle of approach of each club will be different due to club length and ball position.
Cheers Jim
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