I’m sure you stretch before your round. Maybe some squats, side bends or even swinging two clubs. But my guess is that you don’t warm up your hands and fingers. These parts of your body are critical to swinging the club correctly. Moreover, they’re huge speed producers. Not using your hands and fingers the right way — and getting them warm before your first swing — could limit them from doing their job.
Here’s an easy 60-second stretch that’ll get your mitts warm so you can max out your clubhead speed and, more important, avoid injury.
Simply extend your lead arm with your palm facing down. Using your opposite hand, pull your lead hand straight down (1), using pressure to elongate the muscles in your wrist. Hold for 10 seconds. Next, rotate your arm so that your palm is facing up and do the same: Pull your fingers down and hold (2). You should feel a good stretch from the tips of your fingers through your palm and up to your elbow. As you can guess, you should repeat these stretches with your trail hand.
Now these important speed producers are warm and ready for action. It’s also not a bad idea to do a quick version of these stretches before attempting a shot from deep rough, when most wrist injuries occur.
Scott Munroe is a GOLF Top 100 Teacher who teaches at The Boca Raton Club in Boca Raton, Fla., and Nantucket GC in Siasconset, Mass.
