Homer Kelley On How To Practice The Flat Left Wrist
 

In a 1981 G.S.E.M. (Master, Golf Stroke Engineering) Authorized Instructor training class, Homer Kelley was asked the following question:

"Is there something we can do -- in practice -- to help keep the Left Wrist Flat?"

His reply appears below. Vote your choice, and I'll post the answer Sunday!

I have yet to be right on any of the polls. ](*,)

But after listening to an audio tape of Homer about a zillion times, I can hear him say that very thing on number five.

:-k

hedge bet: watch it while doing number two. :roll:

It's all over answer for everything yellow, "Look, Look, LOOK"

Gotta say #2 on this one......

The Golfing Machine - Basic
 

I went with #4---that seemed to work for me last weekend. Dr Dave

I voted 4...but I was thinking 5.

FLAT LEFT WRIST
 

Well, nobody seemed to like #3 so I went for it. It seems to make sense to me, but I have a lot to learn.

Dave

I'm going for #4.

"Look, Look, Look" while performing #2.

no.1 - just like the imperitive....
 

I went for no.1 - its a sure visual aid to keeping the left flying wedge intact....

#1

Earlybird
 

You'll get the answer early, Dave. See you Thursday! 8)

I went for number 4. Whether I am right or not is another thing :lol:
Alex

I say #1
 

because that is what Yoda always tells us to do when learning the wedges.

FIRM LEFT WRIST
 

I'm sticking with #3.

You know, I can look all day while hitting the golf ball and I can never tell by looking whether my left wrist is firm or not. You all must have better eyesight than I do. It's all a blur to me!

If I'm hitting into an impact back or doing drills, that's different, but on an actual swing I don't have a clue as to whether my wrist is firm or bent.
I think it takes a video camera to tell.

Dave

I will go with # 1

Learning To Vote
 

You may be right, jr33!

One thing's for sure, you read all five and may have learned from each. And that makes Yoda very happy! :mrgreen:

Thanks for voting!

Gregg had shown me this a couple years back so that is why I gueseed that one. Since he was in the masters class. I need to go back and practice that. When will we ge the answer? :D

#1 is my guess. Sounds sort of like the left hand dowel drill.

Re: Learning To Vote
 

I voted #5, but have to say #3.

Anyway, I am having a hard time with this my self. And would appreciate if anyone could throw in a few causes and fixes related to this subject.

For years I've been struggling with inconsistent distances on full strokes. Several days, I struggle to carry 100 yards with the PW and on the better days I easily carry 110 yards with the GW.

Massive power leak. Due to improved game management this doesn't cost me as many strokes as it used to, but generally I drop more shots from T to green than in the short game. I have a handicap of 6, and at least 5 of them are from T to green.

Correlating with this inconsistency is the divots. They are generally much to steep and deep - and more normal when I on the rear occations strike the ball really well.

Having studied TGM, I have reached the conclusion that left wrist breakdown between release and impact is the cause. So I am working on keeping the bent right/stright left wrist through impact. But this is not so easy.

So: What are the major causes and fixes to left wrist breakdown - or should I say breakdown of the flying wedges?

Best regards,

Bernt

PRACTICE
 

Bernt -

I think it just takes a lot of practice doing the right thing - looking - using an impact bag, pillow case stuffed with rags, etc.

YODA HAS SOME DRILLS ON THIS SITE USING AN IMPACT BAG WITH DOWELS.

I have been practicing 3 months now daily with at least 100 shots on LW, trying to keep the left wrist flat. It's getting better . . . but I'm not prepared to say "mission accomplished." When I transfer the game to full shots is when I fear I have a breakdown.

Many here recommend the "tac-tic" as a means to let you know if your left wrist has bent. It makes a little noise when it bends. I alternate with the "wrist firm" which won't let the left wrist bend, to give you the feel of the firm left wrist. I also alternate with neither on the wrist.

Hope this helps a bit.

Dave

I think #4

per 2-G HINGE MOTION - Roll” is actually imparted by the turning torso and/or the orbiting Arms per 2-K#4 and 2-K#5 as described in 10-18. Practice these motions first with open Hands cause of the Flat Left Wrist, must always travel at the same RPM as the Arms and reproduce the Hinging inherent in the selected Lag Loading procedure (10-19) per 4-D, 9-2 and 9-3, regardless of Clubhead Extension velocity. See 2-P and 7-18.

For a Practice drill, Educate the Left Hand (5-0) to reproduce – with Zero Pivot – the three Hinge Actions, distinct and separate, while swinging continuously back and forth. First without a Club, then with a short Club, then with both Hands. Then, with increasing Pivot motion using the Right Forearm per 7-19. Learning only one Action isn’t so helpful because you won’t know their differences

HOWEVER . . .

In 4-D-1 THE FLAT LEFT WRIST he says "Take a very “short” Grip and practice swinging back and forth with the top of the Clubshaft against the inside the Left Forearm until you can hold the Wrist steady with a normal Grip. So – there must be the Flat Left Wrist." That's #1.

I'm still going with #4.

There's no party here for me!!!!

#4 :idea: Rhythm of different hinge actions

How To Practice The Flat Left Wrist: Homer's Own Answer!
 

And the answer is #5!

"Look at it. Just watch the damn thing. I don't know of any other way...because your hands will lie to you."

Congratulations to the 18 members (29 percent of the 61 who participated) who got it right!

Actually, all five answers should be incorporated into your program for learning this #1 Alignment in G.O.L.F. I recommend starting with Answer #1 (the Short Grip -- this one is in 4-D-1) and monitoring the action per #5. As soon as you can do this, move on to #4 and refine the motion to include your ability to execute each of the three Hinge Actions while keeping the Wrist Flat.

In his own teaching, Homer Kelley reached the point where he refused to go any further until the student could demonstrate that he could maintain a Flat Left Wrist through Impact. Why? Because, "Unless they can do that, everything else just adds to the confustion. Nothing works."

The Flat Left Wrist: The Gateway To Better Golf.

On a full swing - do you think the answer can be found in the divot and the ball flight trajectory?

(I'm having a hard time watching my left wrist during impact)