October 13, 2025 Zoom Session

Copyright Wright Balance® 2025

"Experience is the measurement of TRUTH"
David F. Wright, 2018

This Zoom session was edited into 3 short videos. There is a brief quiz that follows each video. If your time is limited, please take the quizzes to test your knowledge of the content presented in the video.

In the first video, I start with a discussion of the cover story of Golf Digest: "Swing Shorter, Hit It Farther", an article on Jon Rahm. Then, I introduces a recent theory by our resident physicist, Dr. Jim Smith, on distance related to clubhead speed and shoulder rotation. I follow with a discussions of wrist cock as another variable related to leverage producing power and distance. I then prepare to demonstrate the variables impacting wrist cock in subsequent videos.

Video 1 Quiz

Question

The October-November, 2025 issue of Golf Digest shows Jon Rahm on the cover with the caption: "Swing Shorter, Hit It Farther". Why do you think Jon Rahms backswing is short? But remember, he still hits it "LONG". As you view this image, note that he has a full shoulder turn.

  1. His hip rotation is minimal creating a greater "X" factor.
  2. His wide stance width provides him greater power and creates a shorter swing
  3. He has no wrist cock.
  4. He has a full shoulder turn and doesn't need to have a longer swing.
  5. None of the above.

Answer

  1. He has no wrist cock

The fact is that Jon Rahm is 6' 3" tall and weighs 250 pounds. My experience with long drivers is that there is some anatomical reason they hit it longer than most. Yes Jon Rahm is large but I would "guess" that his wing span is a few inches greater than his height and his torso to leg length creates a lower center of gravity and greater swing arc creating speed the average player is not able to create. I have worked with several long drive champions whose leg to torso length and wing span are quite different from the average player.

I played a good bit of golf in the 90s with PGA Tour winner, Dennis Paulson. Each time we played, on the first tee, he would bend over and stretch with no knee flex and place both palms on the ground. At the time, I was amazed. Then he gave me a few pair of pants from his clothing sponsor as his waist and height were the same as mine. I tried on the pants and they were 2 inches shorter than mine. I had a 32 inch inseam and Dennis had a 30 inch inseam. That was an "Ah Ha" moment for me. I began to measure the height, wing span and inseam of every player I worked with over the next few years. I found that the longest on tour had one or more anatomical features others did not, a greater wing span than height was the most common and torso to leg length was another. Combine the two and you have the longest hitters. Dennis competed in the 80s in long drive competition and he was always in the top 3 in distance in the 90s on the PGA Tour with John Daly and Davis Love III.

By the way, the "X" factor is from the 90s before ground reaction force research was published. This model was formerly presented in a book by Jim McLean in 1997. The belief was that power was created in the body by rotating the "top" while restricting the "bottom" effecting a torque through the body. I practiced this in a gym for years while holding a 25 pound disc. This model works as training for the Lower Core Player as it sets posture and the proper sequencing. However, for the Middle Core (sequencing where upper and Lower body turn back together) or Upper Core Players (where the sequencing is initiated by the lower body), the X Factor does not fit. This training worked for me as I am a Lower Core player. However, as you have learned, the Lower Core Player makes up 10 to 15 percent of the population in the US but more in Europe and Asia.

Read on and view the videos as I explain what creates and limits wrist cock.

Question

True False

Wrist cock has nothing to do with power.

Answer

False

Wrist cock adds power through additional leverage

Question

What does wrist cock look like at the top of the swing?

Answer

In the elite player, wrist cock produces a swing that is parallel to the target line at the top of the backswing and you can see the cocking of the lead wrist if you look carefully at these images.

Shane Lowry

Hideki Matsumoto

Wyndham Clark

Jordan Spieth

Colin Montgomerie

As you read on, you will note that Stance Width is one setup position that can restrict wrist cock depending on their playing Core Zone.

Question

What is the average outcome of an initial Wright Balance® lesson?

  1. Increased swing speed of 4 to 6 miles per hour
  2. A 1/2 to a full club increase in distance
  3. A greater shoulder turn
  4. All of the above
  5. None of the above

Answer

4

Telling a student that they will experience a 1/2 to 1 club increased distance is something I have said and experienced when teaching for the past 7 plus years. I have heard this from multiple Wright Balance® Professionals as well. It is speculated that the increased swing speed and greater shoulder turn are the reasons for the distance increase due to the change in balance at setup and the proper sequence of motion.

Question

TRUE OR FALSE

Our resident Physicist, Dr. Jim Smith, did the math on shoulder rotation. He theorizes that 10 degrees of shoulder turn is equal to 4 plus miles per hour clubhead speed and 11 yards increase in distance distance.

Answer

True

This is a graphic image of Dr. Smith's model when comparing all levels (High index; mid index & scratch) of players.

Keep in mind that this is theory but consistent with the observations of Wright Balance® professionals over years of teaching.

Video 2

Question

What happens to wrist cock outside the Wright Balance® Stance Width Performance Range (PSR)

  1. Wrist cock increases
  2. Wrist cock is completely eliminated
  3. There is no impact on wrist cock
  4. None of the above

Answer

2 Wrist cock is completely eliminated

Question

What impact does the amount of heel pad on top in the lead hand have on wrist cock?

  1. Has no impact on the amount of wrist cock
  2. Too little heel pad on top in the lead hand reduces the amount of wrist cock
  3. Too much heel pad on top in the lead hand increases wrist cock
  4. There is an exact amount of heel pad that produces wrist cock

Answer

  1. There is an exact amount of heel pad that produces wrist cock

Question

TRUE OR FALSE

The amount of wrist cock is equal to the Carrying Angle

Answer

True

These images show the relationship between carrying angle and wrist cock for me as a Lower Core Player with 147 degree carrying angle.

Question

TRUE OR FALSE

Leverage and Power are created with wrist cock

Answer

True

Video 3

Question

Which of the following has the greatest impact on wrist cock?

  1. The Wright Balance® Performance Stance Range
  2. The amount of heel pad on top
  3. Adding the trail hand so that the hands work together
  4. Setting the correct Power Spots in both hands
  5. All of the above

Answer

5 >All of those impact wrist cock. If one of those factors is absent, wrist cock will also be absent

Question

What happens when the lifeline of the trail hand is placed on the lead hand covering the lead thumb before setting the fingers of the trail hand?

Answer

The hands do not work together and wrist cock is eliminated.

Question

Assume that the lead hand has a neutral grip and the hips are square. What happens when the Power Spot of the trail hand is placed on the club before covering the lead thumb?

  1. When the fingers of both hands are extended, they appear parallel.
  2. Wrist cock is equal to the player's carrying angle when the player is in their Wright Balance® Performance Stance Width Range (PSR) and only when the fingers are parallel.
    ?3. the ability to cock the wrist is diminished.
  3. 1 and 2 above
  4. None of the above

Answer

4

When all else is neutral and the trail hand is added with the power spot first, the hands work together as shown in this illustration.

Question

Why is a hammer a simple way to demonstrate wrist cock

  1. Your student has likely used a hammer and can relate to the power produced by a hammer with and without wrist cock
  2. You can demonstrate the loss of wrist cock when your student steps outside their PSR (Wright Balance® Performance Stance Range)
  3. A hammer promotes an understanding of gaining leverage and power in the golf swing
  4. All of the above
  5. None of the above

Answer

4

Question

TRUE OR FALSE

A hammer is an efficient way of teaching wrist cock, leverage and power because the PSR and Power Spots don't impact wrist cock.

ANSWER

False

On the contrary, using a hammer during a lesson, is a simple way to teach wrist cock creating leverage and power.

However, to have any wrist cock at all, the Power Spot and PSR and posture paired with the matching sequence of motion must also be set correctly. It not, power is reduced due to no wrist cock.

Using the Power Spots to Determine Performance Stance Width Range (PSR) by Core Zone

This video demonstrates how to determine your student's Performance Stance Width Ranges (PSR).

Question

If I want to determine my Middle Core Stance Width Range (PSR), what do I do?

Answer

Set a yardstick on the floor; Place your left foot on the "0"inch mark on the yardstick; With the thumbs of your left and right hands, apply pressure to your Middle Core Power Spots on your left and right middle fingers as shown in the above video; Step to the 14 inch mark, add knee flex and check your hip rotation using a bar on your hips or let your arms drop from your chest wall; If your hips are open or closed, step one inch at a time wider until your hips square.

When your hips square at the 15, 16 or 17 inch mark, that is the beginning of your PSR for your Middle Core Stance Width Range. Next, you will have 6 to 9 inches from your beginning PSR. Step out 6 inches; if your hips square, step out an inch at a time until your hips no longer square as shown in the above video. You have found your full PSR for your Middle Core.

Question

Your PSR for each of the Core Zones is used for training from cycling to doing squats. Any activity that is outside your PSR creates pelvic rotation and predisposes you to injury.

However, golf is different. If you want to play wider or narrower than your PSR, what grip change do you make.

Answer

If the thumb of your trail hand is not on the left center of the grip and is off the grip toward the index finger of your trail hand, you will override the impact of the PSR and your hips will be square in any stance width as long as your posture and grip fit your Core Zone.

Question

If you are inside your PSR with a trail thumb over the grip as described in the above answer with a neutral grip and posture, what impact does this have on wrist cock?

Answer

There is no adverse impact on wrist cock. Wrist cock will be equal to your carrying angle.

Question

If you are outside your PSR with a trail thumb over the grip as described in the above answer with a neutral grip and posture, what impact does this have on wrist cock?

Answer

Any time you are outside your PSR, wrist cock is eliminated.