On The Tee with Hank Johnson

The Golf Swing Simplified

Final segment in a series: Saving the power for impact
In the previous segments in this series we have discussed Centering your swing by maintaining a steady head. Creating the motion by rotating your trunk back and through. “Connecting” your swing by keeping your upper arms matched to your chest.
Now we are going to talk about the secret of storing the power of the swing for impact. This is commonly referred to as lag or leaving the club back so that it comes through last. Everyone has lag at the top of their swing because the right wrist is bent. The back of the right hand is bent back toward the right arm. There are wrinkles in the back of the wrist. It looks sort of like the player is holding a waiters tray with the right hand.
Here’s the the key. Good players leave at least some of that bend in the back of the right wrist until after impact. This lets the club continue to accelerate all the way through the ball for the most powerful impact.
Hard to do? YOU BET IT IS. Instinctively golfers want to throw the clubhead at the ball with their right wrist because it feels more powerful. Again the key is to accept the fact that throwing the clubhead into the ball from the right wrist will hit short, crooked shots and that leaving at least some bend in the back of the right wrist through impact with the ball hits the longest, straightest shots.

Hank Johnson, PGA