How to Stop Flipping Your Hands at Impact

What it looks like

At impact, a good swing has the hands slightly ahead of the ball with the lead wrist flat or slightly bowed and the shaft leaning toward the target. In a flip, the lead wrist is cupped, the shaft leans back, and the clubhead is already ahead of the hands.

Common causes

• Trying to lift the ball instead of letting the loft do it.
• Weight hanging back on the trail foot, so the club must be thrown forward.
• An over-the-top move that leaves the face open, so the hands rotate to square it.
• Casting the club early, so the wrist angle is gone before impact. See our guide to casting.

What it does to your shots

• Thin and fat shots from inconsistent low point.
• Hooks and pulls when the hands roll over, or blocks when they do not.
• Loss of distance and a lack of compression.

Hands-ahead checkpoint

1. Set up with a short iron and make slow swings that stop at impact position.
2. Check that your hands are ahead of the clubhead and the grip end points at your lead hip.
3. Hit half shots holding that shape through the strike.

What you should feel: The handle leads and the clubhead trails until after the ball.

Chip and hold

1. Hit short chips and hold the finish with the clubface pointing at the target.
2. Keep your lead wrist firm through impact.
3. Build up to longer shots with the same finish.

What you should feel: The lead wrist stays flat and the body does the turning.