Question regarding Joe Dante's Magic Moves...

[haager831]

If you are familiar with the Joe Dante golf book, I was wondering about his magic move that involves the backward bend of the back wrist...I have been consciously hinging my wrists with this thought to much success so far...

 

My question is that when I begin to hinge as my takeaway is ending, I have better success when I feel like I am almost "throwing" the clubhead into my trail wrist and then just turning my shoulders to the top.

 

Is this feeling of throwing the clubhead into the backward wrist bend( all the while keeping the clubface pretty shut) a sound one? Or will it leads to future problems?

 

any feedback is appreciated. thanks

[Dean21]

That "magic move" is probably going to result in a lot of "magic flips" through impact, if I'm understanding you correctly.

[haager831]

Not at all in fact...Im setting my wrists this way and I am actually eliminating my flips this way...I am keeping my arms in front , so it is helping to eliminate the need to flip the face shut... as I am hinging, I am still keeping a relatively shut face...

[nlk10010]

[quote name='haager831' timestamp='1373900011' post='7457392']
If you are familiar with the Joe Dante golf book, I was wondering about his magic move that involves the backward bend of the back wrist...I have been consciously hinging my wrists with this thought to much success so far...

My question is that when I begin to hinge as my takeaway is ending, I have better success when I feel like I am almost "throwing" the clubhead into my trail wrist and then just turning my shoulders to the top.

Is this feeling of throwing the clubhead into the backward wrist bend( all the while keeping the clubface pretty shut) a sound one? Or will it leads to future problems?

any feedback is appreciated. thanks
[/quote]

Funny you should bring this up.

Golf has given me fits since I first picked up a club a few years ago (granted, I don't play on a course much and practice only sporadically during the Summer). I simply can't stop hitting behind the ball. I took a lesson on Saturday and my pro convinced me that I'm simply not getting my weight forward. The swing he teaches (which I've not been able to identify) emphasizes loose wrists, flipping the wrists through impact and almost "throwing" the club down the target line. I can see how this would help me get my weight on my front foot but I couldn't seem to get what he was teaching, until he gave me the picture of throwing a ball underhand. Once I thought about that I started to try a move where, at the start of my downswing, I bend my rear hand back and twist it a bit so the path is inside out (this seemed the natural way to "throw" a ball). As I follow through I then roll the wrists to the left (I'm right handed).

Now I'm not saying this is my cathartic moment, I don't believe it is, I still will probably need to give up golf ( ), but it [i]did[/i] give me a much better feeling of throwing that club and bringing my weight to my front foot. I don't know if this is the move you're talking about, but I just wanted to give you my $.02. Maybe it's a special swing for senior, uncoordinated golfers (I'm 63, kind of short and heavy and have, according to my MD, the lower back of an 80 year old), I don't know. But I'm convinced that if I get this move down then [i]at least[/i] I'll get my weight forward (I am finding it harder and harder to resist breaking my 7 iron when I hear that thud on the mat).

Edit, sorry I see you're talking about throwing your club into the backward wrist as you finish the takeaway. My pro's method also includes this, but emphasizes flipping (or rolling) through impact.

[haager831]

Nlk10010, I highly advise you look up and read Joe Dantes Magic moves...You will get a better understanding about how to set, and when to release the club in a much more consistent fashion.

And I know my post seems to advocate a "flippy" release, but if you hold the backward wrist hinge and let your pivot square the clubface, you will naturally hold your angles longer and release the club in a much more consistent and powerful fashion.

If this makes sense, it feels like a flip well after impact instead of before....

[nlk10010]

[quote name='haager831' timestamp='1373904282' post='7457868']
Nlk10010, I highly advise you look up and read Joe Dantes Magic moves...You will get a better understanding about how to set, and when to release the club in a much more consistent fashion.

And I know my post seems to advocate a "flippy" release, but if you hold the backward wrist hinge and let your pivot square the clubface, you will naturally hold your angles longer and release the club in a much more consistent and powerful fashion.

If this makes sense, it feels like a flip well after impact instead of before....
[/quote]

Thanks for the info. I could have asked my pro but I didn't; I like him a lot because he's the only one I've run into who will actually [i]show[/i] me what I'm doing wrong (and right) instead of just talking. He also will try different things to get me to do what he wants; i.e. end up with my weight forward. Of course he [i]does[/i] have some weird notions: when I asked him what the first move should be on the downswing (or what my thought should be) he simply told me that my "intention" to hit the ball will tell my body what to do. Hey, the way I hit (or not hit) the ball I can't afford to question [i]anyone[/i].

To Google Search with "Joe Dante".

[Etzwane]

It's been some time since I last read "four magic moves" so I won't comment on the author's intent but I think the "hinge" of the back hand would best happen early in the swing.

I find the concept simlar to the Flying Wedges in The Golfing Machine (left hand only cocks/uncock, club in line with left arm, right hand bents back) so I would "hinge back" only as much as to put the club in line with the left arm. In TGM this happens in the takeaway as a result of the right arm gently stretching the left arm (Extensor Action), I guess that would be compatible with Joe Dante's move.

[martynbirch]

Interesting one this, I played yesterday and things were not going well. I finished the last few holes with a thought of actively rotating my left forearm on the back swing to try and make better contact. Hit some of the best irons I have for weeks, when I got home I realised rather than rotating my forearm I was setting my wrists early, something I haven't done before.

Had a search on here for early wrist set and came across the 4MM and downloaded it to Kindle and read it through. Went to the range today and had a fair bit of success setting early especially with irons. Range tomorrow and then game Friday so will see how it goes.

Certainly seems simple and I think helps my backswing consistency. Interested to hear what the experts think of this method, I saw in another thread Jim Waldron recommends his students read it.

[haager831]

nlk, marty....

Just a little follow up to my recent "enlightenment" on wrist hinge...I have been striking the ball much more consistently and am really starting to get to the point that I do not have to consciously think about it anymore.

*** Couple of warnings, and things I have learned***

Always make sure that when you bend the rear wrist back, you do not roll your wrists open and fan the clubface...feel like you are keeping the clubface shut, while also keeping your rear arm as straight as possible.

Also, I had a couple of rounds that I was so concerned with my wrist hinge that I was swinging a very "armsy" swing that didn't have a very strong pivot...this equaled some weaker shots with a tendency to either early extend or OTT pulls....Make sure to keep a strong pivot with a good deep hip turn.

cheers

[KMeloney]

Haager -- I have recently rediscovered the benefits of the "Faldo drill." The Faldo drill is intended to put you in the proper position at the top of the backswing, which in turn makes the down swing positions better. When you think about it, it's all about having your wrists hinged already, and turning your shoulders to get to the top position. The Dante move aims to achieve the same thing, I think. So, I think there's plenty of support for the Dante move and what you're doing.

Overswinging at the top of the swing is a real problem for me, and an early wrist set with mostly just a turn of the shoulders really helps.

[Howard1947]

The Dante backward wrist break simplifies the swing by placing your hands in the correct impact position very early in the backswing. It took me a while to learn to keep my arms “wooden” and initiate the downswing with a lateral shift of the left hip toward the target. When done correctly, the arms automatically shallow and the hands compress the ball with little effort. Once you learn the moves, you can then work on your distance which requires a larger shoulder turn, a more pronounced lateral hip shift with more weight shifting to your front foot, and then a rotation of your hips and shoulders into a full finish. And you must keep your head behind the ball to insure a clean strike.

[kowalgolf]

I've been working on rhythm and tempo using the towel drill where you swing the towel like a club. You want the end of the towel tap your shoulders before you start the DS. The feeling I'm getting sounds similar to your feeling with the wrists.