Ever notice the strange, almost exaggerated wrist position of top pros like Dustin Johnson or Jon Rahm at the peak of their backswing? That move, known as a bowed wrist, is one of the most visible and debated positions in the modern golf swing. This article will break down what a bowed wrist is, why some of the world's best players use it, and whether it’s a move you should consider adding to your own game.
In golf, your wrist can be in one of three main positions at the top of your backswing: cupped, flat, or bowed.
This bow, or flexion, has a direct and significant impact on the clubface. When you bow your lead wrist at the top of the swing, it forces the clubface to close relative to your swing path. For many golfers, this is a very powerful position to be in.
Like many things in golf, a bowed wrist isn't universally "good" or "bad" - it’s a powerful tool that works wonders for some and causes chaos for others. Understanding the pros and cons is essential before you even think about trying it.
Golfers like Dustin Johnson, Jon Rahm, Collin Morikawa, and Viktor Hovland have all used a bowed wrist to reach the top of the sport. Here’s what it does for them:
While the benefits are tempting, a bowed wrist is not a free pass to better golf. If not managed properly, it can cause some major problems.
A bowed wrist isn't just a random occurrence, it's typically the effect of a few specific causes.
For some, it's a direct consequence of their grip. A "strong" lead hand grip (where your hand is rotated more on top of the club, and you can see three or more knuckles) naturally encourages the wrist to bow at the top. It's simply the most comfortable position for the wrist to move into from that grip style.
For others, it’s a deliberate, learned move to solve a swing problem. Viktor Hovland, for example, famous for his slice in college, worked with his coach to incorporate a bowed wrist. This move pre-set a closed clubface, which allowed him to rotate hard with his body and eliminate his slice for good, turning his one weakness into a major strength.
The golf swing, at its core, is a rotational action. The club moves around your body in an arc, powered primarily by the turning of your torso and hips. A bowed wrist complements this rotation perfectly by setting the clubface early, allowing the body to be the exclusive power source for the downswing.
After reading all that, you’re probably asking yourself, "Is this move for ME?" Here's a simple way to think about it:
A bowed wrist might be beneficial if you:
You should probably avoid it if you:
Eğer bu hamleyi denemeye karar verirseniz, aşırıya kaçmamaya dikkat edin. Küçük bir bükme yeterlidir. İşte hissetmeye başlamanıza yardımcı olacak birkaç egzersiz:
This is the classic drill to get the feel. Take your normal setup and swing the club to the top of your backswing. At the top, feel as if you are slowly revving the throttle on a motorcycle with your lead hand. Notice how this closes the clubface (making it point more towards the sky). It's a subtle move, not a huge one. Hit small half-shots just focusing on that feeling at the top, then letting your body rotation bring the club through.
Set up a camera or a mirror to see your swing. Again, swing to the top of your backswing. Pause and look at your position.
Check to see how the change in wrist position also changes the clubface angle. This visual feedback helps connect the feeling to the reality of what the club is doing.
Creating shaft lean is the ultimate goal here. Grab your club and swing down slowly, stopping at the exact moment of impact. You want to see your hands in front of the clubhead, with the grip-end of the club pointing towards your lead hip. Your lead wrist will naturally have to be flat or slightly bowed to hold this position. Repeat this hundreds of time as a slow-motion drill to ingrain the feeling of a compressed impact.
What if you already bow your wrist naturally but are hitting hooks? This is a common issue, and the solution almost always lies in your body rotation, not your hands.
Remember, a bowed wrist pre-sets a closed face. If you stop turning your body through the shot, your fast-moving hands will take over and snap the face completely shut. The fix is to feel like you rotate your chest and hips towards the target as fast and as long as possible.
The goal is to keep your torso ahead of the club. When you do this, your body "holds off" the clubface from shutting too quickly, and you’ll deliver that powerful, square impact. For every great player with a bowed wrist, an aggressive, relentless body rotation through the ball is a non-negotiable.
A bowed wrist at the top of the swing is a 'power move' used by some of the best golfers in the world to guarantee a strong clubface position, which allows them to create incredible compression and distance. While highly effective, it requires excellent body rotation through impact to avoid hitting a hook.
Understanding these concepts is one thing, but knowing if it’s right for your swing is another. That’s where we can help. With our Caddie AI, you can get 24/7 coaching feedback on your specific swing questions. Whether you're trying to figure out why you’re hooking the ball with a bowed wrist or need a smart strategy to play a tricky par-5, our goal is to give you the expert, personalized advice you need, right when you need it.
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