Right Hand on Golf Downswing - Golf Swing Tips

Right Wrist Action to Move Club on Downswing Plane for Power Release

© John Hoskison

Jul 15, 2009

The right hand in golf is responsible for making all the necessary adjustments during the golf downswing. If you grip the club correctly with the right hand it will enable you to move the golf club through the correct positions. Follow these tips to get your right hand working in the most effective way.

Right Hand at Top of Backswing

• As the club reaches the top of the backswing the right thumb and index finger of the right hand play a crucial roll in supporting the weight of the club.
• The 'V' created between the thumb and index finger has to be underneath the shaft at the top to be able to contain the transition from backswing to downswing. As the golfer starts the downswing about a hundred pounds of leverage is created, if the thumb and index finger are not in the correct position control of the club is lost.
• If you wear a golf glove, and it is wearing out on thumb, it means the thumb cannot be positioned correctly as slipping is causing the wear.
• The right hand has to be set in plane correctly. In simple terms the back of the right hand must point at the ball, approximately forty five degrees to the ground.
• Imagine you had to karate chop the ball with your right hand from the top. If you let go of the club and opened up your hand the leading edge of your hand would point directly at the ball.
• If the back of the right hand is pointing up to the sky the clubface will be too closed. Likewise if the back or the right hand is vertical the face will be to open.The angle of the face at the top of the swing directly influences the right hand release at impact.

Use Right Hand to Start Downswing

• For most golfers, as the downswing starts, a battle commences between the shoulders, that are desperate to spin open, and the right hand, which must keep the club on the correct downswing plane. Keep the back of the right hand pointing at the ball, or the butt of the club, for the first part of the downswing.

• Ben Hogan once said that if a golfer could get the club halfway down in the correct position on the downswing, which means in plane and still pointing at the ball, you could give them eight right hands to release the club. Fundamentally it means if you get the club into the right position you can hit and release as hard as you like and you will hit the ball straight. The key is to get halfway down in plane.

• Practice the right hand movement on the downswing without a club, pretend you are going to katate chop the ball to halfway down and then release to square up the blade. A good exercise to help train your right hand is to hit a few shots with just your right hand on the club. This teaches the right hand control on the downswing.

See also: Hit Against a Firm Left Side to to Drive the Ball Longer or Pause at the Top to Find the Downswing Plane

Back of Right Hand not Pointing at Ball

Just About Acceptable

Keep the Club Shaft Pointing at the Ball

Release the Righ Hand onto the Ball

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