Vijay's 'Wrong' Move -- the Infamous Flat Right Wrist

[Yoda]

Originally posted by matt

Vijay makes an odd move indeed.

The crucial point in your post - a FLAT LEFT WRIST is the imperative, not a bent right wrist. Now normally these go hand in hand. That is, when you have a flat left wrist your right wrist is bent, and vice versa. Vijay kind of lets his right hand come off the club and his right wrist flattens a little. But his left wrist is STILL FLAT. And that's all the matters.

Check it out here: http://redgoat.smugmug.com/gallery/80095/1/2785334

Sure his right wrist is flattening...but his left wrist is holding steady and not bending!

[Bold by Yoda.]

I think we can all agree that you don't win nine tournaments on the toughest professional tour in the world -- not to mention over ten million dollars! -- by doing it wrong! So what is Vijay doing right?

For starters, Matt has it nailed: The First Imperative is the Flat Left Wrist. The Sweetspot is never permitted to pass the Hands during the Impact Interval (1-L-#8 ). It is the Number One Alignment in G.O.L.F., and nobody does it better than Vijay (despite the unique simultaneous Flattening of his Right Wrist).

The Second Imperative is the Clubhead Lag Pressure Point. A glance at any of Vijay's Impact photos will prove that, despite his unusual Flat Right Wrist alignment, the #3 Pressure Point (Right Forefinger) is dead behind the Shaft and definitely doing its job. Importantly, it is getting a lot of support from its most faithful ally...the On Plane Right Forearm.

Finally, the Third Imperative is Tracing the Straight Plane Line. This conscious direction of the On Plane Clubhead Lag Pressure through Impact is the responsibility of the #3 Pressure Point and Right Forearm. You can rest assured that Vijay is taking care of business here because he spends hours every week -- even at his level -- making that happen. Homer Kelley called the Inclined Plane the "heart and soul of the Golf Swing." And this last Imperative -- maintaining its Straight Line Baseline through Impact -- is what Vijay's famous practice routine is all about.

You want to 'be like Mike?' Then do what 'Mike' does: Establish the Plane Line by putting two shafts on the ground a few inches apart and aligned to the Target. Then stick another in the ground behind you to establish the Plane Angle. Finally, position a water bottle just in front and to the right of the Ball (which is located between the two shafts on the ground). This is your visual 'Gateway to Golfing Perfection' through which the Arc of Approach -- the curved path of the Clubhead Blur through Impact -- must pass. Your mission is to swing Through the Ball -- and through this 'mine field' -- without disturbing any of the deliberately placed obstructions.

Do that a couple of times a week for a few weeks and watch those wayward shots 'get religion!'

[Yoda]

This is a question for Yoda: Can you use angled or any hinging for that matter on the backswing? I thought hinging action was determined from impact to follow through.

The Left Wrist Action (Component #18 ) is Clubhead Control and is in operation from Start Up to Impact. It has two Planes of Motion: Rotational (Turning and Rolling) and Perpendicular (Cocking and Uncocking). The Standard Action (10-18-A) is a Swivel Action -- Hand Motion independent of Arm Motion. A Left Wrist that is Turned and Cocked on the Backstroke must subsequently be Uncocked and Rolled on the Downstroke.

Hinge Action (Component #10) is Clubface Control and is in operation from Impact to the end of the Follow-Through (the Both Arms Straight position). Hinge Action has only one Plane of Motion: the Vertical 'center position' of Rotational Motion. This Vertical Condition of the Rotational Motion is executed by the Flat Left Wrist remaining Vertical (perpendicular) to one of the three Basic Planes (Horizontal, Angled or Vertical).

At any time, the player may substitute Hinge Action for Left Wrist Action during the entire Stroke (7-10). Here, instead of true Hand Rotation -- independent Turning and Rolling -- the Left Wrist remains Vertical to one of the three Planes. Though the Left Wrist may appear to Turn on the Backstroke and Roll on the Downstroke (especially with Horizontal and Vertical Hinging), it is simply remaining vertical to the selected Plane of the Clubface Motion through Impact. Hence, there is no true Rotation of the Wrist. Nevertheless, from Top to Finish, the Stroke may take on the Feel of one long, slow 'Swivel' (2-G).

However...

When utilizing the Hinge Action alternative during the entire Stroke, the player should be aware that at some point, the Shoulder and Arm Motions gradually bring the selected Hinge Action Variation into an On Plane condition at the Top. This 'palms parallel to the Plane' alignment is identical to the Standard Wrist Action with its independent Turn and Roll.

Thus, other than the true Single Wrist Action of 10-18-C-#3 (wherein the Left Wrist does remain truly Vertical throughout the Stroke), the Wrist in the Backstroke gradually Turns (but is not Turned!) and in the Downstroke gradually Rolls (but is not Rolled!). Any forced attempt to maintain the Left Wrist Vertical is unnatural and will produce both an Off Plane Clubshaft and a most un-Golf-like Stroke, conditions intolerable to the the thinking player.