Does a cupped wrist cause a slice?
Daniel Moore
Published Jan 23, 2026
If it's vertical (or perpendicular) to the ground (top inset), you're cupping your left wrist and opening the face. That can result in a slice.
How do you fix a cupped wrist?
If the tee falls out at the top of the backswing, you know that your left wrist is too cupped (see image below). A simple way to stop cupping is to point both thumbs at the sky at the top of the backswing (see image below). If you point your thumbs at the target, you'll almost certainly be cupped.
Why do I cup my wrist in golf?
This is to be expected and is a good thing, because if the clubface is too open on the downswing you will never have forward shaft lean. The secondary benefit of right wrist bend is it helps shallow out angle of attack and helps shallow out the plane angle making it easier to get path inside out for the average golfer.
Does a steep swing cause a slice?
Getting too steep in the downswing is a fault many golfers struggle with, but few know the root cause. There's not a more common fault in the golf swing than a steep plane on the downswing. For whatever reason, recreational golfers love to come over the top and swipe across the ball, causing weak cuts and slices.
Should the left wrist be cupped at address?
Likewise, good players who start with a flat left wrist at address have a flat left wrist at the top. Starting with your left wrist cupped and flattening it going back, or starting with it flat and cupping it, is unnecessary manipulation, which can lead to inconsistency.
45 related questions foundWhat does a cupped left wrist cause?
It's harder to see it when you're at the top of the backswing. But if you get the clubface open or shut at the top—by cupping or bowing the left wrist (or having a grip that's too weak or too strong)—you're going to hit a lot of high slices or low hooks. Check your clubface at the top.
Why does Dustin Johnson bowed his wrist?
“I'm taking less, less movement out in the face,” he says. “I feel like it's a little easier for me to control where the ball's going.” The bowed wrist combines with the posture, foot lift, and leading with the grip to produce DJ's bombshell drive.
What causes slice in golf swing?
A slice happens when a sidespin is put on the ball, causing it to curve to the right for a right-handed player and to the left for a left-handed player. Sidespin to the right is caused when the clubface is open (pointed right) relative to the path the club is traveling as the club impacts the ball.
Is a flatter golf swing better?
But that doesn't prohibit you from hitting the ball farther. On the contrary--a shorter, flatter swing is much easier to keep on-plane than a longer, more upright swing. You'll make fewer compensations on the downswing and hit the sweet spot on the clubface more often, producing greater ball speeds and bigger drives.
Why can't I shallow the golf club?
To shallow the golf club, you need to use the trail arm and wrists to move the club shaft from a steep position to a shallow position, more horizontal to the ground. By dropping the trail arm and hinging the wrists at the top of the swing, this will cause the club to fall into a 'shallower' position.
What does a cupped wrist look like?
Cupped wrists look like the opposite and are instead visible through your hands arcing up towards the sky.
What does a strong grip look like in golf?
What is a 'strong' grip? A strong grip means that the 'V' shapes made with your thumbs and your hands are pointing somewhere to the right side of your head. This is generally how I direct my students to grip the club. A strong grip can cure someone who swings over the top and/or struggles with slicing the ball.
What happens when your swing is too flat?
The bad news is, an overly flat swing can result in ugly, damaging duck hooks, shots pushed way right and balls struck near the club's sole. If you suffer from any of these issues, the first thing to do is check your swing plane in a mirror. Set up with any club, driver to mid-iron, with the mirror to your right.
What happens if backswing is too steep?
When the shaft works too steep in the backswing, it causes the player to excessively tilt their shoulder plane. A steep shoulder plane often results in a reverse pivot. It also requires excessive shallowing of the golf club to make solid contact.
Should you stand tall in the golf swing?
Standing tall makes it easy to turn through the shots and easy to turn in the backswing – it suits a lot of golfers. Jason Day and Rory McIlroy have very athletic postures because they work out a lot and this helps them really stand over the ball, but this type of posture might not be for everyone.
Can ball position cause a slice?
The forward ball position shifts the shoulders open to the target, which leads to an out-to-in swing and usually a slice. Standing too far from the ball pulls the upper body downward, leading to a compensating stand-up move through impact, another common cause of the slice.
What causes slice with driver?
A slice shot is caused by a poor grip and setup, an outside-to-in downswing path and an open clubface. An outside-to-in path occurs when the golfer reaches too far on the downside, bringing the club down to the right of the ball (outside), relative to the target line.
What causes a slice off the tee?
The most common cause of a slice is an open club face. This open club face will give you contact that isn't square and often feels like a “side swipe.” The most common cause of an open club face is an incorrect grip as your hand position will directly reflect in the face.
Why does Dustin Johnson touch his elbow?
By holding his right arm against his body, he's effectively pinning his arm against his body, so it stays tucked close to his torso. That allows the arms to swing the putter more inside on the backswing and start the ball on line as it comes through. “I've been working hard getting more comfortable over it,” DJ said.
How does Dustin Johnson hit a fade with a bowed wrist?
It's sometimes indiscernible, but Johnson typically sets up aligned slightly left—or open— in relation to the target line (above). That alters his swing just enough to keep the clubface a little open in relation to his swing path at impact, and that's what makes the ball fade.
Does DJ have a weak grip?
The strong grip that DJ employs gives him tremendous control of the low point and trajectory of each shot. Whether it is a clever chip or a ripped fairway wood, Johnson's grip gives him killer confidence over the ball. The advantages of implementing a strong grip aren't limited to the former No. 1 player in the world.
How do you get a flat wrist in golf?
Flat left wrist in golf: a simple guide
- 1) Identify your setup before the shot. Each player has a different way of holding the club. ...
- 2) Check the direction during the backswing. ...
- 3) Keep it flat in the downswing too. ...
- 4) Make it even flatter at the impact. ...
- Bonus tip for flat left wrist in golf: cultivate good habits.
Can you do cupping on your wrist?
Cupping was used on the wrist for 4 minutes at a pressure of 50 mmHg, and it was moved along the nerve pathway during treatment in order to cover all areas of the wrist.
What grip does Bryson DeChambeau use?
There are many different quirks to Bryson DeChambeau's game and one of them is the size of his JumboMax JMX Ultralite grips throughout his bag. These grips are unorthodox but they are typical of DeChambeau. They are helpful for amateur golfers and professional golfers. They are huge grips.