Power Leak Series – Backswing Hinge

By | on March 14, 2024 | 28 Comments |


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Paul Wilson is the creator of Swing Machine Golf and founder of Ignition Golf. Paul's golf swing technique is based on the Iron Byron swing machine. YouTube Channels: Paul Wilson Golf and Ignition Golf Tips. Please Join me on Google+

28 Responses to “Power Leak Series – Backswing Hinge”

  1. December 22, 2015

    johnhoyle

    Greetings Coach I just want to make something clear in my mind On the back swing do you want the club to come level with the ground, i should say parallel, before the belt buckle starts to move in the one piece takeaway?

    • December 24, 2015

      Paul Wilson

      John,

      The hips would have moved very little at this point. There is not no movement. The belt buckle may have rotated about 1 inch at this point going back. Think of a spring. If you coiled the top it would move the most, the hips would follow the shoulders and the knees follow the hips.

  2. December 22, 2015

    DavidWeinstein

    Hello Paul

    I remember seeing this tip on your site in the past and, having followed it I learned to hinge. I was told that if I think, when I practice, to hook on purpose, that would also be a way to make sure I hinge. What do you think about this swing thought?

    Thanks
    Davidw

    • December 24, 2015

      Paul Wilson

      David,

      Hooking on purpose makes you re-hinge in the down and through swing. Not sure why it would be making you hinge going back. Don’t get me wrong. I want everyone hooking it then backing it off with lower body so this is an important element of the swing so keep doing it but you should be feeling the wrists hinge fully at the top and also watching for it in a mirror or reflection in a window.

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    December 23, 2015

    MatthewHalpin

    I was just working on this yesterday. My son observed that my hinge was really me folding my right wrist ‘backwards’ (folding the back of my hand instead of hinging my wrist with my thumbs in line with my arm – this was opening the club face and was probably causing my slice for the last 20 years). It’s hard to describe. Anyways, I started hinging more in the swing plane and getting the butt of the club pointing backwards. So, I do understand the hinge concept much better and I was definitely hitting better with less power. I was wondering if you had a lesson on the hinge from ‘down the line’ and specifically what the wrists should look like at the top from down the line – Thanks so much – I am really inspired by your lessons

  4. December 24, 2015

    DavidWeinstein

    Follow up:

    Paul, the reason I was thinking about the hooking motion was the tennis serve, where we let the head of the racket drop in the back, as part of a “snap”, creating a glancing blow.

    • December 24, 2015

      Paul Wilson

      David,

      Well, I am good with whatever works so long as it works. A lot of people do something thinking they are doing it but they are not so just check to see if your wrists are fully hinged at the top. Then keep doing it until you are always in this same position. I am not thinking of hinging because I know I always hinge fully. So this would be the ultimate goal for you too.

  5. December 29, 2015

    DavidMonin

    Hi Paul I watch with considerable interest that Matt Kuchar has a completely different practice swing than his swing to hit the ball. On the practice swings the path of the swing is noticeably across the line and on his shot swing the path is from the inside down the line.

    kind regards
    David Monin

    • December 30, 2015

      Paul Wilson

      David,

      Interesting. I will have to watch for it. Don’t like his swing but you can learn from everyone.

  6. February 15, 2016

    DamienCharles

    Hello Paul

    Really enjoy your website and lessons. Also really enjoy your “say it as you see it approach.”

    In regards to the hinge, if your wrist are loose do the naturally hinge as you move to the top of your backswing, or should you be actively/consciously hinging your wrist as you move into this position?

    thanks in advance
    Damien

  7. July 25, 2019

    DonaldMuns

    Thanks for the great hinge tip. I just started to notice I didn’t have any hinge last week. Once I started hinging my wrist it also delayed my swing and let my hips open before my hands came through. Wow!

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      August 7, 2019

      Paul Wilson

      Don,

      This is where the power comes from (as you just found out). It’s a hinge. A hinge is loose. The looser the hinge … the faster it swings. Keep doing it.

  8. July 25, 2019

    joelweist

    Paul–what are you thoughts on setting the wrists early during the backswing? I seem to hit the much more consistently , solid pure shots–I can hear the difference. I have filmed myself and I fully hinge at the top…and I am not letting go of the club, but when I set the wrists early in the backswing night and day difference. I am puzzled.

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      August 7, 2019

      Paul Wilson

      Joel,

      For me I don’t like it. I tried it and totally wrecked my golf swing. It activates your hands and arms immediately as you go back. In your case though you have probably done this a long time so you are more used to doing it this way. The whole point of powerless arms is in the downswing not trying to hit or help the ball. If you can set it early (your way) and be in great position at the top and not try to hit it coming down then it should work.

      Over the years, I have let people get away with this when doing private lessons with them. I weight up them setting it early or late and sometimes make the determination that early would be better (do you tell Ernie Els to not set it early?). It depends on the person, experience level, position at the top etc.

      So if it is way better setting early and you know for a fact you are in good position up there and you can stop trying to hit it hard in the downswing then do it. This is a choice you are going to have to make.

  9. July 25, 2019

    IanBernadt

    Hi Paul, Your ” Hinge and Turn ” tips for pitch shots are amazing and have helped me to develop really loose wrists for the first time. I’m extending this progressively while coiling and eventually should be able to use this with my driver.It does entail hinging earlier than you recommend during the backswing. Otherwise I’m slowly improving thanks to your great coaching.
    Ian.

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      August 7, 2019

      Paul Wilson

      Ian,

      Thanks. Glad you like it. It works amazingly well and keeps it simple.

      Glad you are getting it. The early hinge may be getting your wrists fully hinged at the top. If so, this would translate into a better release. Just be careful with the early set. Didn’t work for me (years ago).

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    November 23, 2020

    LennyLin

    Hi Paul,

    One question: is it ok that I manually do full hinge before I move club at the top of backswing, say around 3 o’clock or my lead arm almost parallel with the ground? Thanks

  11. November 8, 2021

    SurjitSidhu

    Hi Paul I am 65 started golf four years back and playing 3 days in a week 18 holes competition.I am not creating lag and have not tried ever.My question is that is it possible in my case,should I try for it.My G A handicap is 25.
    Thanks in advance for your Advice

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      November 16, 2021

      Paul Wilson

      At your level right now, I would be focusing on other things before you get to working solely on lag. Make sure the following are correct; grip, setup, follow-through and then work on some fixes like getting your wrists looser and stretching your arms out and curing any sort of chicken wing. If you work on these areas you will start to create some lag angles. Then once you perfect these, get your handicap lower, then you can add some lag angles.

  12. Hi Poul
    I am writing to you here from Denmark. It is a pleausure to watch your dayli tips.
    For some times I had a tendency to slice – as many other golfers. Then somebody showed me to hinge in another way. I bend my wristh volart and not radial., and then release when I hit the ball This has helped mee a lot. I have seen some pros do the same
    What do you think about this ?

  13. March 14, 2024

    SurjitSidhu

    Hi Paul I’m 67 year old started golf 10 years back having a 21 handicap playing three days in a week I can’t put a lag , even in this case I should have a fully hinge.
    Thanks

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