The lack of control of the lead and rear wrist actions during the putting stroke causes more problems for golfers on the putting green than anything else.

In my putting academy, I use several high-tech systems in order to analyze peoples’ putting strokes — for this article I will use Advanced Motion Measurement’s 3D Motion Analysis System and Science and Motion Sports’ SAM Puttlab, these systems will help golfers understand the motions of the wrists during the stroke.

Wrist Articulations

Grab a putter, make a few normal strokes and monitor your wrist motions. Now, make a few exaggerated strokes — open the blade, close the blade, flip your wrists back and through — and what you will see is that the wrist joints can move in many ways allowing you to make strokes of all different types. It is with this process in mind that I would like to discuss and explain the articulations of the forward and rear wrist joints and what positives and negatives they accommodate during the putting stroke.

The lead wrist controls the aim of the putter face, and when the forward wrist bounces around golfers will not be able to control the ball’s starting direction. The trailing wrist controls the loft of the putter head, and if the rear wrist is “slapping” at the ball golfers are adding loft to the blade during impact. When this happens, it causes the ball to jump into the air and the ball tends to come up short. Therefore, we must understand how to control the wrists individually as well as together, because when one moves uncontrollably the other follows suit.

Let’s examine in greater detail the articulations of the wrist joint. Hold the putter in your lead hand out as if you were going to shake someone’s hand. In this position, golfers will see that you can make the following three motions:

• Flex and Extend (from front to back and back to front).
• Cock and Uncock (from top to bottom and bottom to top).
• Pronation and Supination (rotation from palm up to palm down and vice versa).

Examine the motions of PGA Tour players today, and you’ll notice that they have very solid wrist motions back and through. It is an absolute necessity on the super-fast greens they play on from day to day. Their “solidity” helps them to move the putter back and forth with control and allows them to overcome their emotions and funnel their focus into making a solid, repeatable stroke when it matters most.

Flexion and Extension

When the forward wrist flexes or extends from front-to-back or back-to-front, it creates “wrinkles” where your arm and wrist meet on either side of the arm (relate the side of your arm to either the watch dial side or the watch clasp side). These wrinkles can help determine which motion is occurring: If the wrinkles are on watch dial side of your arm, then you are “extending” your wrist. And if the wrinkles are on the watch clasp side of your arm, you are “flexing” your wrist. This is a side-to-side motion and will be shown as: (F) flexion and (E) extension.

Cocking and Uncocking

When the wrists “cock” (also called radial deviation), the thumb side of the wrists move closer to your arms. And when the wrists “uncock” (also called ulnar deviation), the pinkie side of your hands move closer to your arm. This is an up-and-down motion, not side-to-side motion as commonly mistaken and will be shown as: (R) cocking and (U) uncocking

Pronation and Supination

The wrist “pronates” when it rotates from a palm-up condition into a palm-down condition. The wrist “supinates” when the palm moves from a downward condition into a palm-up condition. Remember that when you are carrying a soup bowl or a tray your palm must supinate in order for you to balance the item on your palm. This is a rotational motion only and will be shown by: (S) supination or (P) pronation.

Shaft Face on Angle

The putter shaft can be in one of two positions during the stroke: lagging or scooping. A lagging motion (L) occurs when the grip is in front of club head or scooping (S) position, when the grip is behind club head during the stroke.

The 3D Analysis Model: Address (15 Handicap)

The Address Position in Putting: The leading wrist positions are on the left and the trailing wrist positions are on the right of the above graph.

Leading Forearm Flex and Extension: 15.9E
Leading Forearm Rotation: 80.2P
Leading Forearm Deviation (cocking and uncocking): 38.4U

Trailing Forearm Flex and Extension: 4.2F
Trailing Forearm Rotation: 72.7S
Trailing Forearm Deviation (cocking and uncocking): 37.3U

Shaft Lean at Address (lag or scoop): 0.2S

Issues

Flexion/Extension: Look at your forward wrist and you will notice that its position helps to influence the club shaft’s vertical position in space, or your “forward press.” The lead wrist places the club shaft into the proper position at address — one that is not too backward leaning or too forward leaning.

The shaft appears to be forward leaning as you look “down,” however, 3D Analysis shows this club shaft to be basically perpendicular to the ground (actually in a 0.2 Scooping Position). Thus, when the lead wrist is placed into a position that is not quite neutral or a more “pronated” position, the lead wrist will bend, altering your perception of the club shaft. When you look down, it always seems that the shaft is leaning forward, but most of the time it is not. Use a mirror to monitor this action and you will understand “the illusion of the club shaft.”

Rotation: As stated above, the rotation of the left forearm helps to influence the motions of the forward wrist during the putting stroke; however, several factors must be understood before golfers can completely control the actions of the putter. This rotation of the lead forearm helps to open and close the putter during the stroke — some putting styles advocate this motion, while others do not. The only key for you to understand: If your lead forearm is out of control, you will never consistently do either to a high degree.

This action of the forearm is influenced by several factors that you must understand:

• The lead-hand grip style.
• The lead-hand grip position.
• The type and size of the putter grip itself.

If the lead hand is in an overly strong or overly weak position, it will place the lead forearm in an over-rotated or under-rotated position. This will influence the natural actions of the forearm during the stroke. While the grip position can be “neutral” if you place the putter too much in the fingers of your lead hand, it can also alter the natural motions of your lead forearm causing it to over rotate through the impact zone if you are not careful. Finally, the size of the grip itself can also lead to lack of lead forearm control during the stroke. Thankfully all these issues can be controlled and monitored at the address position. It is up to the golfer to correlate these motions and audit what they are trying to do during the putting stroke.

Deviation: In reality, the “deviation or uncocking” of the wrists at address usually does not get too much out of control unless the club is placed too much in the fingers of the lead hand. That usually happens because the grip is too small. If you are having issues with the lead forearm rotation and it is linked back to the grip itself and its position in the fingers, you most likely will have issues within this area as well.

Positions

There are two points to remember while you address the ball; first, it makes most golfers very comfortable and much more successful when the thumbs of both hand are placed in a position where they run down the middle of the grip itself. This action usually places the forearms in a positive position in order to move back and forth. Secondly, you must train your forward hand and mind in order to lead and control the actions of the putter head and its subsequent face angle. The actions of the lead forearm do more to control the actions of the putter head/putter face than anything else within the putting stroke.

The 3D Analysis Model: Top (15 Handicap)

The Top Position in Putting: The leading wrist positions are on the left and the trailing wrist positions are on the right of the above graph.

Leading Forearm Flex and Extension: 13.5E
Leading Forearm Rotation: 83.2P
Leading Forearm Deviation (cocking and uncocking): 38.1U

Trailing Forearm Flex and Extension: 1.7F
Trailing Forearm Rotation: 72.2S
Trailing Forearm Deviation (cocking and uncocking): 39.4U

Shaft Angle at Top (lag or scoop): 8.3L

Issues

Flexion/Extention: The only real issue that can occur during the backswing in regards to the flex and extension of the lead wrist can be when the forward wrist “flexes” on the backswing, leading and powering the putting stroke. This is easily seen when golfers take the putter back. Their watch dial starts to point down at the ground, and the putter head appears to be “hooded” on the way back as well. This flexion makes it alsmost impossible for golfers to move back through impact without some physical manipulation to start the ball on the desired target line.

Rotation: Once the putter is in motion, the rotation of the lead forearm should happen naturally (based on the putting stroke you emulate: “arc” or “square-to-square”). However, this can be altered if the player begins to force these actions to happen. Whenever a player tries to guide his putting stroke, the rotation of the lead forearm is usually altered and misguided. When this happens, not only do golfers have a faulty putter position at the top of their stroke, but they will never be able to deliver the putter head consistently into the ball. The only way golfers will be able to make putts consistently would be to have super-human hand/eye coordination, and this by itself is a very complicated process at best to control.

Deviation: Whenever the putter is “picked-up” by beginning players, the putter tends to move up and outside of their intended path and this will cause radial deviation or a cocking of the wrists on the backswing on longer putts. Whenever golfers add a hinge to their wrists on the way back, they have added another putting power source and controlling distance will be very hard. Beginning player who fight this problem will find it much easier to keep the putter head “low to the ground” on the backswing in order to alleviate this problem

Positions

Flexion/Extension/Rotation: If left alone, golfers will find that this action/reaction will almost take care of itself, thus, if they don’t try and overpower the motion they will find that lead forearm rotation will take care of itself naturally. Flexion and extension on the backswing almost never happens unless golfers are leading and powering the putter with their forward wrist off the start. This only tends to happen, as stated, in the beginning player.

Deviation: There is no real worry on the deviation side from address to the top.

The 3D Analysis Model: Impact (15 Handicap)

The Top Position in Putting: The leading wrist positions are on the left and the trailing wrist positions are on the right of the above graph.

Leading Forearm Flex and Extension: 21.5E
Leading Forearm Rotation: 83.9P
Leading Forearm Deviation (cocking and uncocking): 38.5U

Trailing Forearm Flex and Extension: 5.9F
Trailing Forearm Rotation: 67.2S
Trailing Forearm Deviation (cocking and uncocking): 40.5U

Shaft Angle at Impact (lag or scoop): 0.8S

Issues

Flexion/Extension: Whenever the putter begins at a certain position in regards to the shaft angle, it would stand to reason that if it does not return to that exact same position at impact that the effective loft of the putter would be off. As you can see from the above photo, the shaft angle at impact is 0.8 scoop, while it began at 0.2 scoop at address. This means that the putter shaft is slightly “backing up at impact,” and when this happens the lead wrist is breaking down and flipping, adding loft to the putter at impact. This causes a golfer to lose control of their impact alignments.

Whenever the lead wrist breaks down, the effective loft of the putter will be increased!

For example: If you were using a TaylorMade Daytona, which has a factory set loft of 3.5 degrees, and you added the above 3 degrees of loft (as shown on the right side of the graph in red), then your dynamic loft at impact would be 6.5 degrees (3.5 + 3 = 6.5). With that much loft at impact, the ball will be launched into the air adding even more inconsistency as it bounces, skids and then finally rolls.

Rotation: Monitor your directional control and how the putter blade is influenced and you will find that the forward wrist and forearm basically control this activity. Whenever the lead forearm under-rotates, the ball will be shoved right (for a right-handed golfer) and when the lead forearm over-rotates the ball will leave the blade to the left. Eighty-three percent of the ball’s directional control is affected by the face angle of the blade at impact. Only 17 percent of the ball’s direction is influenced by your stroke’s path!

As you examine the lead forearm in the address position and impact, it should be very close to the same number depending on what type of stroke you use as well as your ball’s position. In this example, you will see that at address the lead forearm was 80.2 degrees pronated and at impact it was 83.9 degrees pronated. That shows that the lead forearm has become too active during impact, thus the blade is pointing too far left and “pulling” the putt to the left.

Now that we understand that the lead forearm was too overactive, I’m going to explain what happens to the putter head’s rotation as well.

The above graph shows the rotation of the club head at the top of the backswing (open 7.9 degrees) and into the full-finish position (closed 18.1 degrees). This gives us a total putter head rotation of 26 degrees (18.1 + 7.9 = 26) on the average. As you can see, a very SMALL over-rotation of the lead forearm really causes the blade to shut!

Deviation: When golfers hit putts with a putter that is too long and too upright, or a longer putt, the tendency is to “stand up” in order to make the putter fit more effectively. When golfers stand up, there is some ulnar deviation or an un-cocking action of the wrists during impact. This activity is directly linked to a putter that does not fit, and 90 percent of putters today are too long and too upright.

The extra length and overly upright putter lie of most putters today causes the toe of the putter to sit too high. This action will cause the body to “stand up” during the putting stroke and create too much ulnar flexion.

Positions

There are three things that you must note at impact in order to control your lead wrist and its control of the golf ball during impact.

• Flex and Extension: The flex and extension of the lead wrist during impact controls your putter’s dynamic loft and the putter’s angle of attack. If either of these actions is out of control, then you will never have a consistent “roll” off the face of the putter and this will make consistency non-existent.
• Rotation: The lead forearm and wrist control the amount of putter head rotation on the way back and through. Depending on your stroke type (“arc” or “square-to-square”), you will want to monitor and or eliminate these actions.
• Deviation: If a putter does not fit a golfer, he or she will almost always “stand up,” altering address-to-impact wrist cock. If golfers change this angle, they will create an off-plane impact position with a high rear forearm!

When you “stand up” during impact you will create too much ulnar flexion and a high rear forearm results!

The 3D Analysis Model: Finish (15 Handicap)

Whenever the lead wrist breaks down the effective loft of the putter will be increased!

Leading Forearm Flex and Extension: 33.1E
Leading Forearm Rotation: 76.0P
Leading Forearm Deviation (cocking and uncocking): 34.6U

Trailing Forearm Flex and Extension: 13.2F
Trailing Forearm Rotation: 63.3S
Trailing Forearm Deviation (cocking and uncocking): 37.6U

Shaft Angle at Impact (lag or scoop): 32.6S

Issues

Flexion/Extension: Examine the photo above and numerical values, and you will see that through impact the body stalled and the “hand slap” took over. This is the reason why we see the big breakdown of the lead wrist after impact. This is not of too much concern unless the impact alignments and shaft angle really begin to scoop.

Rotation: Reduced forearm rotation into the finish (for this player only) causes “curly-q’s,” which are the subconscious mind’s way of trying to fix a faulty putting stroke and guide the ball into the hole.

The inconsistent ending position and direction of the putter shows the lead wrist and forearm trying to “make-up” for poor positions during the entire stroke. This is a guiding action by the lead forearm and wrist, but it is too late.

Deviation: If your head position rises through impact, check to see if your putter is fit correctly. If not, ulnar deviation will occur.

Positions

In order to reduce the amount “hand slap” or lead wrist breakdown within the stroke, golfers must educate their hands and body to allow the shoulders and arms to lead and power their putting stroke all the way to the finish position. Whenever the lead wrist breaks down, the shoulders have stalled and the slap occurs.

Not only does this slap cause poor directional control, but it also causes poor loft control at impact. When the rear wrist follows the lead wrist in its slapping motion, then the effective loft of the putter is altered as well. Too much wrist action adds loft to the putter and this will cause golfers to launch the ball into the air and leave the ball short too often.

Finally, monitor the putter head’s alignment into the finish. If the putter head is overly open or closed based on the stroke type golfers are using, then they will find that their lead forearm is out of control as well. Control the lead forearm’s rotation and the blade will follow suit.

What 3D Motion Analysis Has Told Us

• Very small changes of the rear wrist’s flexion and extension during the stroke causes almost a 2:1 change in the position of the lead wrist’s flexion and extension with the tested pupils.
• The rear wrist can be controlled rotationally during the backswing by allowing the elbows to separate (width wise) as the club moves to its top position.
• Address versus impact pronation of the lead wrist influences the putter’s face angle at impact (rotationally).
• When the rear wrist supinates from the top of the backswing into impact, it is doing so in order not to allow the putter head to close too rapidly based on the motion described above.
• Lead wrist ulnar flexion (uncocking) occurs as golfers “stand up” during impact on longer putts.
• Increasing ulnar flexion (uncocking) of the rear wrist from the top into impact places a golfer’s rear forearm in a position that is off plane and too high, which tends to close the blade through impact.