Are my wrists supposed to hurt after golf?

[Weltall]

Also... what causes slices..

So my left wrist (I'm a righty) always hurts after playing a game of golf. My friend says that he used to get that but now he doesn't. At first, I thought it was normal but now I"m starting to have my doubts.. I'm just wondering what I'm doing wrong..

Also, like many beginners, I slice A LOT with my driver. I'm just curious why this happens and how can I prevent it..

[titleistnutter]

Perhaps go to see a doctor? I have never had this problem and maybe something like a golf pride dd2 which helps with arthiritis would help the issue.

 

As for the slicing, do a search! There are waayyyy too many reasons to post, but it is easily curable given structured practice sessions

 

good luck!

[wkuo3]

Just guessing, is yor left hand almost on top of the grip as a very strong gripping possition?

Are you taking a deep divot for most iron shots ( pointing to the left of the target line)?

[Jim_0068]

Slices are caused by open clubfaces at impact, THAT'S IT. Don't let people confused with that there are 100s of reasons because there isn't. If the face is too open at impact for your swing path, you'll slice it.

 

END OF STORY

 

Most things that people do is try and play the slice are a result of the open clubface:

 

over the top

flipping

trying to swing more left to start the ball more left

etc

 

The trick is finding how why you have a too open clubface. Most times, it's an improper grip and an improper use of the hands/wrists in the swing.

[Honcho72]

Most of the time this can be traced to a flipping action of the hands at contact. Work on your release, you might even try the swing glove as it will help you keep the flat left wrist. A watch and ruler are always a cheaper option. Get with your MD and try Celebrex if Advil is not doing the trick, fix your swing and rest. I hope that helps.

[d0n]

I experienced this. Mine was caused from swinging out of my shoes while flopping my wrist at impact. The clubhead was passing my hands before impact. My left wrist was bending (cupping) way back almost 90 degrees instead of rolling over. This was cured by a lot of lessons and range balls but to sum it up in my instructors words, I went from being a hitter to a swinger.

[thenewbie]

Slices are caused by open clubfaces at impact, THAT'S IT. Don't let people confused with that there are 100s of reasons because there isn't. If the face is too open at impact for your swing path, you'll slice it.

 

END OF STORY

 

Most things that people do is try and play the slice are a result of the open clubface:

 

over the top

flipping

trying to swing more left to start the ball more left

etc

 

The trick is finding how why you have a too open clubface. Most times, it's an improper grip and an improper use of the hands/wrists in the swing.

 

haha, you can never say "end of story" when it comes to something as complex as golf. a slice is caused by sidespin, which results from the club face being open in relation to the direction of the club head. a drastic over the top move with a face thats perfectly square to the target line can result in a slice.

 

a pull slice, but a slice none the less.

 

are you hitting a pull-slice or a push slice? or are they starting on line? are your slices higher than your "normal" shots? info like that can really make the difference in diagnosing the problem.

 

as someone who has both bad wrists and shoulders (from 7 years of school football, my left wrist has been broken and has limited range of motion and my shoulders sometimes just "decide" to pop out of the socket for a quick painful second), I can tell you that a repetative and unfamiliar movement such as a golf swing can work and stretch muscles that aren't used to such strenuous activity, resulting in some soreness.

 

if some soreness is the extent of it, I wouldn't worry. the muscles and tendons will strengthen with time, and before you know it you'll be some sort of golfing machine. :russian_roulette:

 

if soreness gives way to pain, especially the shooting kind, then there could be other issues there, issues to take up with your doctor.

[Jim_0068]

haha, you can never say "end of story" when it comes to something as complex as golf. a slice is caused by sidespin, which results from the club face being open in relation to the direction of the club head. a drastic over the top move with a face thats perfectly square to the target line can result in a slice.

 

Nope, you'd hit a dead pull that would go directly left of the target the degree of the outside/in path.

 

a pull slice, but a slice none the less.

 

Nope, wrong, you'd hit a pull. Not a slice.

 

are you hitting a pull-slice or a push slice? or are they starting on line? are your slices higher than your "normal" shots? info like that can really make the difference in diagnosing the problem.

 

Doesn't matter if it's a pull slice or a push slice because the if the ball is "slicing" it means the face was OPEN at separation. BTW, separation= condition of the face when the ball leaves the face. You do know that the condition of the face at impact and separation are different don't you?

 

It's quite obvious to me that you don't understand ball flight laws otherwise you'd wouldn't be arguing with me on this point. You are the exact reason why i still hang around and help people when i have time. However i get really aggravated when it's people like or others who believe they know better than someone who has taught the game to many and learned from one of the best.

 

Go learn the ball flight laws, not the PGA version, but the REAL ball flight laws that hobbs figured out years ago and come back and post here again.

[Weltall]

Just guessing, is yor left hand almost on top of the grip as a very strong gripping possition?

Are you taking a deep divot for most iron shots ( pointing to the left of the target line)?

 

yes... and yes... I thought you were supposed to put the thumb directly on top of the grip.. If not, where are you supposed to put it?? Those golf sites tell me so many different grips taht I don't know which to follow.. I also point to the left of the target to prevent my slices.

[wkuo3]

Just guessing, is yor left hand almost on top of the grip as a very strong gripping possition?

Are you taking a deep divot for most iron shots ( pointing to the left of the target line)?

 

yes... and yes... I thought you were supposed to put the thumb directly on top of the grip.. If not, where are you supposed to put it?? Those golf sites tell me so many different grips taht I don't know which to follow.. I also point to the left of the target to prevent my slices.

 

hand position on grip is different for all of us, even for the pros, some work better with stronger grip position, some weaker.

All important is the impact position, no matter where you were with your grip position, back swing follow through, the moment of truth is at the impact. Ideally, at the impact, your left hand should lead the club face slightly ( Bowing a few degrees at the wrist ) with the back of the hand facing down the target line.

Try to use an impact bag ( or bean bag, or a corner of furniture or hallway wall) put the club face behind the bag, adressing the spot, now turn towards the left assuming impact position, put a little force behind the club, see the shaft bowing a bit and your hands ahead of club face a bit. At this time your hands should feel able to bend towards the target more if needed without causing any discomfort. Many great teachers had said, the "feeling" of a great golf shot is difficult to convey to the students, because everyone felt somewhat different on the same shot.

For average righty golfer, the leading hand ( left )should have the thumb slightly to the left of the top with the V formed by the index finger and thumb pointing between your right ear and the tip of the right shoulder, and your right hand should cover the left thumb with the life line in the right palm. The two V formed by the index finger and thumb should be parallel.

When practicing this new grip position, set up with the correct alignment parallel with the target line.

It'll take a few buckets of range balls and maybe a few trips to the driving range, but you'll be playing better, pain free golf.

[jcjr34]

Weltall,

 

When you strike the ball, where does it start to go in regards to your target line before slicing? Right, left or straight? You're a righty I take it?

 

Regarding your response to wkuo3, your grip is actually weak, not strong. This is evident w/ your thumb directly on top of the shaft at address. My guess is that the ball starts going right and then tails further right because weak grips tend to promote the 'push' (for many amatuers, I know Ben Hogan has this grip, but hey he's Ben Hogan!).

 

And please forgive me for my possible ignorance in the definition of slicing, but a slice can be caused by either an open clubface, or more often than not, an over the top move, sometimes a combination of both.

Here's the telltale sign of an over the top swing.. Assuming you're a righty, if your divot points to the left of your target line, then you do have an over the top move.

If your clubface is open to the target line w/ the OTT swing, then your ball will immediately take off ('block') to the right and then tail off further right as it moves.

If your clubface is square to the target line w/ the OTT swing, then the ball would take off straight and then start tailing right.

If your clubface is closed to the taget line w/ the OTT swing , then the ball would immediately 'pull' to the left and may ultimately tail back to the right depending on the orientation of the clubface vs the swing.

[Jaff]

I thought you were supposed to put the thumb directly on top of the grip..

 

This is how i grip with my left hand... it seems to work for me although i've only been playing for a month. I learnt this grip from a Mark Crossfield video at the Today's Golfer web site.

[wkuo3]

I thought you were supposed to put the thumb directly on top of the grip..

 

This is how i grip with my left hand... it seems to work for me although i've only been playing for a month. I learnt this grip from a Mark Crossfield video at the Today's Golfer web site.

It all depends on your total impact position.

If the thumb on your leading hand is still basically on the top of the grip at the impact position, your trailing hand would also be almost on top on the grip, if working in sinc with the leading hand.

It's kinda hard to apply the power at impact?

Get into an impact position and see if you could apply the power by changing the grip opsitions, you'll find the more tradition positions works better.

Of course, it may work a bit differently for each situation, so experiment and find what's working for you.

You don't have to copy exactly what others are doing.

[Jaff]

^ Thanks for the advice. I'd be interested in hearing any more views on the 'thumb-on-top' grip. Unfortunately, I can't seem to post a link to Mark Crossfield's video, so I am assuming I've interpreted his instructions correctly.

[wkuo3]

^ Thanks for the advice. I'd be interested in hearing any more views on the 'thumb-on-top' grip. Unfortunately, I can't seem to post a link to Mark Crossfield's video, so I am assuming I've interpreted his instructions correctly.

 

Assuming the hitting position with your weight shifted mostly to your left( for a righty ), hands and wrists in the hitting down position slightly leading the club head, hold this position and slowly bring it back to the address position without shifting your hands on the grip.

This is as close to a perfect grip for "you", thumb on top or not.

I'm always interested in new stuuf and will look up Mark Crossfield's video, Thanks for bring it up.

[thenewbie]

haha, you can never say "end of story" when it comes to something as complex as golf. a slice is caused by sidespin, which results from the club face being open in relation to the direction of the club head. a drastic over the top move with a face thats perfectly square to the target line can result in a slice.

 

Nope, you'd hit a dead pull that would go directly left of the target the degree of the outside/in path.

 

a pull slice, but a slice none the less.

 

Nope, wrong, you'd hit a pull. Not a slice.

 

are you hitting a pull-slice or a push slice? or are they starting on line? are your slices higher than your "normal" shots? info like that can really make the difference in diagnosing the problem.

 

Doesn't matter if it's a pull slice or a push slice because the if the ball is "slicing" it means the face was OPEN at separation. BTW, separation= condition of the face when the ball leaves the face. You do know that the condition of the face at impact and separation are different don't you?

 

It's quite obvious to me that you don't understand ball flight laws otherwise you'd wouldn't be arguing with me on this point. You are the exact reason why i still hang around and help people when i have time. However i get really aggravated when it's people like or others who believe they know better than someone who has taught the game to many and learned from one of the best.

 

Go learn the ball flight laws, not the PGA version, but the REAL ball flight laws that hobbs figured out years ago and come back and post here again.

 

ok, I'm going to bypass my standard srcastic coment and simply say that if the face is square to the target line but the club is coming over the top and cutting across the ball, no way are you going to hit a dead pull. its simply not possible for the ball to go in a different direction than the face is facing in this case.

 

I'll go learn the ball flight laws, if you go learn that no matter how long you've done something, or how amzingly brilliant you are at it, you never know it all.

 

and whats quite obvious is for some reason you feel the need to lift yourself up by demeaning others, and I don't appreciate it one bit.

 

the reason a ball curves right is sidespin. go ask your buddy hobbs if that isn't the case.

 

go learn how to treat others with some respect and come back and post here again.

[wildwilly911]

the club face needs to be square to the club path to go straight, i think every is getting confused with target line. as to the grip your using a weak grip and not many people can hit the ball straight consistently turn your hand clock wise more and experiment, your wrist pain is probably due to flipping wrist trying to stop the slice. let the wrist unhinge on there own dont make an effort to do it

[thenewbie]

yeah, guess your right. to be specific; if the club and plain and face are both square to the target, the ball should fly straight at the target. . .disregarding fun stuff like wind and what-not. if, however, the club plain is out to it, but the club face is square to the target line, then in essence the clubface IS open, open in relation to the plane the club is traveling on. thus resulting in a pull slice.

 

personally, I slice when my timing gets off, and I haven't fully released the club by the time it hits the ball. the result is a LOW slice that starts straight or slightly left of target. however, I have experimented with a weaker grip, which almost always results in a HIGH fade-slice. even if I've released the club well, the club is still a bit open at impact, adding effective loft, creating a high-launching, high-spinning shot that also usually starts just a little right of the target line.

 

in both cases, two different swing "flaws" resulted in slices that flew completely differenty from each other. the nature of the flight beyond the slice helped me diagnose and fix the problem.