While it is impossible to stop using your hands in the golf swing as a result of your hands being the only part of your body connected to the golf club, there are several steps you can take to limit the level of activity of your hands in the golf swing.
These steps include:
- Using more rotation to generate speed
- Using more arms to generate speed
- Learn to work the golf ball both ways using a body swing
One can play great golf without a significant amount of wrist hinge or firing of the hands through the golf. The golfer that comes to mind when I think of quiet hands is Steve Stricker. He is a hall of fame golfer who has won on the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour and has played with a great level of consistency during his career.
Some of the reasons golfers want to try to “eliminate” or “stop using” their hands in the golf swing is for the following reasons:
- They are seeking great consistency
- They value accuracy over distance
- The need improvement in their short game
- They are trying to eliminate the big miss
Let’s dive into the 3 reasons listed above to help you stop over relying on your hands in the golf swing.
Use More Rotation To Generate Speed
If you look at 50 different swings on the PGA Tour, you will see different key elements. Some golfers will have a great deal of arm and hand speed and maybe not as much rotation. While others will rotate fully and lose less hands. And there are golfers that activate all of the speed generating portions of the golf swing.
If you want to use your hands less in the golf swing, it is ideal to ensure you have plenty of rotation and can generate speed and consistency from the body loading in the backswing and clearing on the downswing. The body that makes a complete turn will help generate quality speed in the golf swing.
Overactive Hands in the Golf Swing
Use More Arms To Generate Speed
The arms have a decent amount of potential speed loaded in them during the golf swing. The combination of a full turn back and thru in addition to letting the arms go can create enough speed to help you play golf at the highest levels. I am reminded of Gravity Golf and the teaching of loading up and then allowing gravity to take over on the down swing.
The golfer that is patient in transition and then allows the arms to fire and create speed can have a great deal of success!
Test out different feels to see what generate enough speed to reach the levels you want to in this great game!
Should I Roll My Hands in the Golf Swing?
Work the Golf Ball Both Ways With A Body Swing
For some years, I thought the golfer needed to be active with the hands to hit a draw and a fade. However, in recent years, as I have turned my own swing into a more rotational swing, I have learned to hit both a draw and a fade through body rotation, setting up in certain ways and creating certain club path angles.
The body draw or fade is very reliable as it doesn’t rely on specific timing and instead allows for club face stability through the hitting zone.
Hands in the Golf Swing: Complete Overview
Ultimate Benefit: Club Face Stability
If you really want consistency in your game, you must have control over the club face. The rotational or arms driven swing is going to provide you with the greatest level of club face stability. The golfer that is over reliant on the hands, can play great golf one day with plenty of speed and distance, but may struggle the next day with keeping the golf ball on the course! Trust me! I played golf like this for years.
In the past several, my swing has become less reliant on the timing of the hands and is now built on rotation and club face stability through the hitting zone. I no longer have to live in fear or hitting the golf ball all over the course and keeping it in play. Instead, I can focus on hitting certain shaped shots and plotting my way around the course.
This approach, in addition to my training with SuperSpeed (Check Current Price) golf and now I have greater accuracy with additional distance, has been a wonderful combination to reach the scratch level as a golfer and coach.
How to Release Hands in the Golf Swing
What’s Next?
Check out some of the more rotational swings on Tour: Steve Stricker and Jason day are two great examples. Then check out Phil Mickelson who has a significant amount of hand action, but also struggles with consistency from time to time.
View these swings, pick the one you like best and work to replicate some of the motions you see in their golf swings.
This rotation, less hands approach will help with your consistency and can also help from 100 yards and in where wrist hinge and active hands can lead to some really poor shots.
My Secret To Golf Improvement
Let’s face it, in order to get really good at golf, we must practice frequently. About five years ago, I made the leap and invested in a golf simulator build for my garage. I went with a SkyTrak Launch Monitor and the TGC software and can now play over 100,000 courses including Augusta, Pebble Beach, Bethpage Black, Whistling Straits. St. Andrews and many other of the top 100 courses in the world.
This golf simulator setup, which is more affordable that you might imagine, has been a game changer. I can now play golf everyday of the year regardless of rain, snow, cold weather or time of day. I can practice or play rounds of golf. I can stand in the 11th fairway at Augusta and with the auto-rewind feature I am able to practice my approach shots from various differences.
It is worth checking out through Rain or Shine Golf as they offer some incredible packages along with financing offers that are difficult to beat.
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