Here is the latest BBG video fea

The main purpose of this BBG video, according to Brendon Devore, is to discuss the concept of how to efficiently maintain clubhead lag to P5.5+ - see Brendon at the 0.55 minute time point of the video demonstrating his P5.5 position where he has retained a clubhead lag angle of ~90 degrees. There is also a side-image showing Milo Lines retaining ~90 degrees of clubhead lag at his P5.5 position.

At the 1:35 minute time point of the video Brendon states that some golf instructors believe that clubhead lag just happens and that it is not a direct consequence of a certain number of biomechanical elements being performed by the golfer (and I obviously strongly disagree with that opinion). Milo replied that most pro golfers do maintain a large degree of clubhead lag at P5.5, but he never discusses how it is accomplished from a biomechanical perspective.

In fact, Milo diverts immediately to a discussion of the clubface alignment at P5.5 - see the 2:00 - 2:09 minute time point of the BBG video where Milo demonstrates a ~90 degree clubhead lag angle at P5.5, which he implies is a "wrong" position because he believes that his lead wrist is too cupped at his simulated P5.5 position. Milo asserts that having a cupped lead wrist at P5.5/P6 will cause the clubface to be too open at P5.5 and that it will lead to shanks or sliced shots secondary to an open clubface at impact.

Watch the BBG video between the 3:19 - 3:30 minute time points of the video where Milo makes the outrageously wrongheaded claim that if a golfer gets to the P6 position with a cupped lead wrist, that the face will invariably be too open and that he will consequently be presenting the hosel of the club to the ball. Milo then also wrongheadedly claims that the golfer can then only get a square clubface at impact by performing a pre-impact flipping maneuver.

Brendon then asks Milo a question about what he is looking for when he teaches a student-golfer on how best to maintain clubhead lag at P5.5/P6 - and Milo answers by stating that he looks at the i) clubface and the ii) chest alignment. Between the 5:43 - 6:20 minute time point of the video, Milo demonstrates the incorrect way (manifesting an overtly cupped lead wrist at P6) versus the correct way (manifesting an overtly bowed lead wrist at P6) that a golfer could potentially manifest at P6.

At the 6:45 minute time point of the video, Brendon talks about having a "green light" clubface alignment at the P6 position where a golfer can then just rotate his pelvis/upper torso from P6 => P7 (into impact) without having to use a hand manipulation technique to square the clubface. Milo then demonstrates the technique that he personally uses to accomplish that goal between the 6:50 - 7:06 minute time point of the video where he states that if can get to the P6 position with a slightly closed clubface alignment that he can just rotate his body into impact without having to do "something weird with his arms/hands".

Here is a capture images of Milo at his P6 position - from the 7:39 - 7:42 minute time point of the video.

Note that the clubface is tilted slightly groundwards and it is parallel to his spinal bend inclination angle. That represents a clubface that is slightly closed relative to the clubhead path at P6.

Look at Milo's lead wrist and note that it bowed by ~20 degrees at P6. Milo implies that he is using a lead wrist palmar flexion maneuver to get that specific slightly closed clubface alignment at P6.

I think that Milo is totally wrong! The reason why Milo's clubface is slightly closed (relative to the clubhead path and also relative to the watchface area on the back of his lead lower forearm) at P6 is mainly due to the fact that he adopts a very strong lead hand grip at address.

Consider these capture images of Milo's P4 => P6 early-mid downswing action when swinging a driver.

The red splined path represents his hand arc path and one can see that Milo shallows his clubshaft a lot between P4 => P5.5.

Image 1 is at P4 - note that his lead wrist is slightly cupped, and not overtly bowed. However, note that his clubface is slightly closed (relative to the clubhead path and also relative to the watchface area of his lead lower forearm) due to the fact that he adopts a very strong lead hand grip.

Image 2 is at P4.5 and image 3 is at P5 - note that his lead wrist is slightly cupped, and not overtly bowed. However, note that his clubface is slightly closed (relative to the clubhead path and also the watchface area of his lead lower forearm) due to the fact that he adopts a very strong lead hand grip.

Image 4 is at P5.2 and image 5 is at P5.5 - note that his lead wrist is becoming less cupped at P5.2 and it is probably overtly bowed at P5.5. However, note that his clubface is not closing more - relative to either his clubhead path or the watchface area on the back of his lower lead forearm - as a result of performing a lead wrist palmar flexion maneuver. The likely reason is that Milo is not really performing the reverse motorcycle maneuver that can potentially close the clubface if the lead wrist is radially-deviated.

To prove that Milo's bowing maneuver is not causally responsible for his slightly closed clubface alignment at P5.5/P6, and that it is far more likely to be due to his use of a very strong lead hand grip, let's look at the clubface alignment of two pro golfers who also use a very strong lead hand grip, but who have a cupped lead wrist alignment at P5.5/P6.

Here is a swing video containing many golf swings of Matthew Fitzpatrick, who uses a very strong lead hand grip.

If you look at a number of his golf swings, you will note that MF has an overtly cupped lead wrist throughout his entire downswing between P4 => P7, and that he never bows his lead wrist.

Here is a capture image of MF at his P5.5 position - from one of those golf swing actions.

Note that he has an overtly cupped lead wrist at P5.5.

Here is another capture image of another MF golf swing action where he is at his P6 position.

Note that his lead wrist is overtly cupped. However, note that his clubface is closed relative to his clubhead path and also relative to the watchface area on the back of his lead lower forearm - to the same degree as seen in Milo's P6 position.

Here is a swing video of another pro golfer - Daniel Berger - who also uses a very strong lead hand grip.

Here is a capture image of DB at his P5.5 position.

Note that he has an overtly cupped lead wrist. However, note that his clubface is slightly closed relative to his clubhead path and the watchface area on the back of his lead lower forearm - to a similar degree as seen in the capture image of ML at his P5.5 position - despite the fact that his lead wrist is overtly cupped.

Here is another swing video of Daniel Berger's driver golf swing action.

Here is a capture image of his P6 position.

Note that he has an overtly cupped lead wrist at his P6 position.

Milo stated that if a golfer has an overtly cupped lead wrist at his P6 position, that the clubface will be too open, thereby necessitating some hand manipulation technique between P6 => P7 in order to get a square clubface by impact.

So, let's consider DB's P6 => P7 time period.

Image 1 shows that DB has a slightly closed clubface at his P6 position - despite having an overtly cupped lead wrist at P6.

Note how easily/efficiently DB squares his clubface between P6 => P7 while continuously maintaining roughly the same degree of lead wrist cupping.

Note that the back of his lead hand continuously faces the ball-target line between P6 => P7 to roughly the same degree, and that there is minimal counterclockwise rotation of his lead humerus or lead lower forearm happening between P6 => P7 during his PA#3 release action. That's the huge advantage of using a very strong lead hand grip - that very little PA#3 release action (mainly due to lead forearm supination) is required between P6 => P7 in order to get a square clubface by impact.

Here are capture images of MF's P6 => P7 time period.

Image 1 is at address - note that he uses a very strong lead hand grip.

Image 2 is at P6, image 3 is at P6.5 and image 4 is at impact.

Image 2 shows that MF has a slightly closed clubface at his P6 position - despite having an overtly cupped lead wrist at P6.

Note how easily/efficiently MF squares his clubface between P6 => P7 while continuously maintaining roughly the same degree of lead wrist cupping.

Note that the back of his lead hand continuously faces the ball-target line between P6 => P7 to roughly the same degree, and that there is minimal counterclockwise rotation of his lead humerus or lead lower forearm happening between P6 => P7 during his PA#3 release action. That's the huge advantage of using a very strong lead hand grip - that very little PA#3 release action (mainly due to lead forearm supination) is required between P6 => P7 in order to get a square clubface by impact.

Finally, here are capture images of Milo Lines P6 => P7 time period.

Image 2 shows Milo at his P6 position. Note that he has an overtly bowed lead wrist (and according to the HackMotion data presented in the BBG video he likely has ~20-26 degrees of lead wrist palmar flexion at P6). However, note that his clubface is not more closed at his P6 position - when compared to MF and DB at their P6 position - despite the fact that those two pro golfers have an overtly cupped lead wrist at their P6 position.

Note how easily/efficiently ML squares his clubface between P6 => P7 while continuously maintaining a flexed lead wrist between P6 => P7 (although the degree of lead wrist flexion apparently decreases to ~10 degrees by impact).

Note that the back of his lead hand continuously faces the ball-target line between P6 => P7 to roughly the same degree, and that there is minimal counterclockwise rotation of his lead humerus or lead lower forearm happening between P6 => P7 during his PA#3 release action. That's the huge advantage of using a very strong lead hand grip - that very little PA#3 release action (mainly due to lead forearm supination) is required between P6 => P7 in order to get a square clubface by impact.

I can see no evidence that DB and MF are having to use a greater degree of hand manipulation - compared to Milo Lines - between P6 =>P7 in order to get a square clubface by impact as a result of having an overtly cupped lead wrist at their P6 position.

I believe that Milo's personal predisposition to actively use a bowed lead wrist maneuver in his downswing action is a personal/idiosyncratic/optional choice that does not make his clubface-squaring action between P6 => P7 more efficient than other pro golfers, who also use a very strong lead hand grip, but who have an overtly cupped lead wrist at P6 and where lead wrist cupping is continuously present all the way between P6 => P7.

Here is Jamie Sadlowski (who uses a very strong lead hand grip) at his P6 position.

Note that his lead wrist is extended, but he does not have an open clubface.

Here is his 3D graph.

Note that his lead wrist is very extended in his early-mid downswing and that it becomes less extended in his late downswing, but it never becomes overtly flexed at any time point during his downswing or early followthrough.

In my original post, I criticized Milo's opinion that a golfer needed to have a bowed lead wrist at P6 in order to avoid having an open clubface at impact, or to avoid having to use an additional hand manipulation technique to get a square clubface by impact.

I compared pro golfers, who all use a very strong lead hand grip, and I demonstrated that some of them have a cupped lead wrist at P6 (and also throughout the P6 => P7 time period) and that there is no evidence that they have any problem squaring the clubface by impact in the absence of any additional hand manipulation technique.

One of the great advantages of using a very strong lead hand grip is that very little lead forearm supination is needed during the later downswing between P6 => P7 (= during a PA#3 release action) in order to get a square clubface by impact. If you look at pro golfers, who use a very strong lead hand grip, you will note that the back of their lead hand faces the ball-target line at P6 and also at P7 and that there has been very little counterclockwise rotation of the back of their lead hand between P6 and P7.

However, there may be a very small difference because pro golfers, who use a very strong lead hand grip, can vary in their degree of lead hand grip strength to a very small degree.

Here is a comparison between Milo Lines and Matthew Fitzpatrick at impact.

Note that they both have their hands ahead of the clubhead at impact with a similar amount of forward shaft lean.

However, note that the back of Matthew's lead hand (or his lead lower forearm's radial bone) is not rotated as much counterclockwise as Milo's and that is likely due to the fact that Milo's lead hand grip is not quite as strong as Matthew's. That means that Milo has to use slightly more lead forearm supination during his PA#3 release action than Matthew in order to get a square clubface at impact. Looking at those comparative images, I would estimate that Milo has 10-15 degrees more counterclockwise rotation of his lead lower forearm's radial bone at impact - compared to Matthew.

Note that Milo has a bowed lead wrist at impact while Matthew has cupped lead wrist. In a personal communication, Milo stated that he has to use ~30 degrees more lead wrist flexion than Matthew to get the same impact alignments as Matthew where they have a similar amount of forward shaft lean at impact and a square clubface at impact. That claim makes no sense to me because their hinging motion of lead wrist flexion/extension is happening perpendicular to the functional swingplane, and not parallel to the functional swingplane - and I believe that variations in the degree of lead wrist flexion/extension only affects their accumulator #3 angle at impact, and it does not have any clubface-closing function or clubshaft-leaning function.

To test my hypothesis, I compared two pro golfers who use a very strong lead hand grip - but who either have a flexed, or a cupped, lead wrist at P7.

Ryan Palmer has a flexed lead wrist at P6 (image 1) and at P7 (image 2) while Matthew Fitzpatrick has a cupped lead wrist at P6 (image 3) and at P7 (image 4).

I have drawn a red line down the longitudinal axis of their lead arm and a yellow line down the longitudinal axis of their clubshaft.

The angular difference between the red line and the yellow line is equal to the size of their accumulator #3 angle, and Ryan has a smaller sized accumulator #3 angle at impact. The reason for that fact is that Ryan has his lead arm extended more away from his body while Matthew has his lead arm more vertical at impact. If the lead arm is more vertical at impact, then the lead wrist (where the back of the lead hand is parallel to the ball-target line), must become more cupped and the clubshaft's angle relative to the ground will be more horizontal and less steep - thereby creating a larger-sized accumulator #3 angle.

Pro golfers, who use a very strong lead hand grip, have the optional stylistic choice of either having their lead arm extended outwards away from their body at impact or they can have their lead arm more vertically aligned at impact. That optional choice creates the size of their accumulator #3 angle at impact and their lead wrist's degree of flexion-or-extension must change to accommodate their choice.

Here is a capture image of Daniel Berger at P6 (image 1) and P7 (image 2).

Note that DG has a large accummulator #3 angle at impact.

Note that his lead wrist is cupped at P6 and P7.

Here is a capture image of Milo Lines at P6 and P7 using a short iron (images 1 and 2) and a driver (images 3 and 4).

Note that Milo has a much smaller accumulator #3 angle at impact - especially in his driver swing - because he optionally chooses to have his lead arm more outstretched away from his torso at impact. To acquire a very small accumulator #3 angle at impact, he needs to have his lead wrist more flexed (more bowed) at P6 and P7.

In other words, the reason that Milo Lines manifests a bowed lead wrist at P6 has everything to do with his personal choice to have a small accumulator #3 angle at impact, and nothing to do with his very limited clubface-closing need to only use a small amount of lead forearm supination during his PA#3 release action.

In a future post, I will discuss what golfers, who use a weak-or-neutral lead hand grip, have to do differently with respect to having, or not having, a bowed lead wrist at their P6 position.

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Milo Lines recommended a bowing lead wrist maneuver at P6 (in the BBG video) in order to close the clubface (relative to the clubhead path) and thereby avoid the scenario of an open clubface at impact, or to avoid having to use an additional hand manipulation technique in order to square the clubface by impact. Pro golfers do not really use a hand manipulation technique to square the clubface by impact and they routinely use a PA#3 release action (which is primarily due to lead forearm supination).

In my previous post, I demonstrated that a bowing lead wrist maneuver between P6 => P7 does not have any benefit from a clubface-closing perspective in pro golfers who use a very strong lead hand grip, and it mainly affects the magnitude of the accumulator #3 angle that the golfer will manifest at impact.

In this post, I will discuss the value of the bowed lead wrist technique in a pro golfer who uses a weak-or-neutral lead hand grip.

It is my experience that pro golfers (who use a weak-or-neutral lead hand grip) either use a neutral lead hand grip alignment in their downswing (GFLW) or they use the bowed lead wrist technique. I have not seen a modern-day pro golfer (who uses a weak-or-neutral lead hand grip) have a significantly cupped lead wrist at P6.

A neutral lead wrist (GFLW) at P6, and between P6 => P7, is seen in pro golfers who use the intact LFFW swing technique and a GFLW (geometrically flat lead wrist).

Here is an example - featuring Henrik Stenson (who uses a neutral lead hand grip).

Note that HS has a GFLW and intact LFFW at P4 and also throughout his entire downswing - where the clubshaft is continuously straight-line-aligned with his lead lower forearm's radial bone (from an angular rotational perspective). When his lead wrist is radially deviated, his GFLW will appear to be dorsiflexed and when his lead wrist moves towards ulnar-deviation, his GFLW will appear to be flat (slightly palmar flexed).

Also, note that HS's clubshaft is continuously on-plane between P4 => P7 which means that the back of his GFLW (and his intact LFFW) is always parallel to the swingplane between P4 => P5.5. Under those conditions, the clubface can never be too open at any time point between P4 => P5.5. At P5.5/P6 his clubface will be minimally closed relative to the back of his GFLW, because he uses a neutral lead hand grip. At P6, his clubface will be near-vertical and the toe of his club will point straight upwards, which means that his clubface is open relative to his clubhead path. To get his clubface to become square relative to his clubhead path by impact, he needs to perform a PA#3 release action (which is mainly due to lead forearm supination) and there is no other substitute hand manipulation technique that can be substituted for a PA#3 release action in a pro golfer's P6 => P7 time period.

Here are capture images of HS's PA#3 release action.

At P6.5 (image 1) the back of his GFLW is still mainly facing the ball-target line, and it rotates counterclockwise to roughly face the target by P7 (image 4) secondary to his execution of a PA#3 release action. The amount that his lead lower forearm's radial bone (and therefore GFLW and clubface) rotate counterclockwise during his PA#3 release action is inversely proportional to the strength of the lead hand grip.

Justin Thomas uses a weak lead hand grip and the intact LFFW/GFLW technique, and he therefore undergoes more counterclockwise of his GFLW/clubface during his PA#3 release action.

Capture images of Justin Thomas's PA#3 release action.

Note how much his GFLW rotates counterclockwise between P6.5 (image 2) and impact (image 3) due to his execution of a PA#3 release action. Note that his lead hand's glove logo is facing the target at impact, and it is more rotated counterclockwise - compared to HS's lead hand's glove logo.

Many golf instructors teach golfers to bow their lead wrist before/at P4, or between P4 => P6, because they believe that it closes the clubface (relative to the clubhead path). Their assumption is true, but their associated assumption that it will decrease the amount of PA#3 release action that is needed in their late downswing is false.

If a pro golfer uses a weak lead hand grip, and also uses the bowed lead wrist technique, during his downswing action, then it will increase the amount of counterclockwise rotation of his lead lower forearm's radial bone and the amount of counterclockwise rotation of his bowed lead wrist needed during his PA#3 release action.

Here is the proof - featuring Collin Morikawa, who uses a weak lead hand grip and the bowed lead wrist technique.

Image 1 is at address. Note that CM's uses a weak lead hand grip, and that his clubface and his lead hand's glove logo both face the target at P1. Note that his clubface is roughly straight-line-aligned with the watchface area of his lead lower forearm at address.

Image 2 is at P4. Note that CM has a markedly bowed lead wrist, which causes his clubface to be partially closed (= less open) relative to his clubhead path and also relative to the watchface area of his lead lower forearm.

Image 2 is at P5 and image 4 is at P6 - Note that CM still has a markedly bowed lead wrist, which causes his clubface to be partially closed (less open) relative to his clubhead path and also relative to the watchface area of his lead lower forearm between P4 => P6.

Many golf instructors, and many golfers, believe that if CM's clubface is partially closed (= less open) at P6, then he will need less counterclockwise rotation of his lead lower forearm's radial bone during his PA#3 release action that mainly happens between P6.5 => P7. That "belief" is false and he will actually need to use more counterclockwise rotation of his lead lower forearm's radial bone during his PA#3 release action that mainly happens between P6.5 => P7.

Here are capture images of CM's P6 => P7 time period.

Image 1 is at address. Note that his lead hand's glove logo and his clubface is facing the target.

Image 4 is at impact. Note that his lead hand's glove logo and his clubface is facing the target - as it was at address.

Note that his markedly bowed lead wrist is facing the ball-target line at P6 (image 2), partially facing the ball-target line at P6.7 (image 3) and then facing the target at impact (image 4).

Note how much his lead lower forearm's radial bone has rotated counterclockwise between P6 => P7 and note that his lead lower forearm's radial bone is rotated slightly more counterclockwise at P7 - compared to P1. In other words, to get the back of his lead hand's glove logo to face the target at impact, he needs more (not less) counterclockwise rotation of his lead lower forearm's radial bone - compared to Justin Thomas, who uses an equally weak lead hand grip, but who does not have a bowed lead wrist at impact (which causes a large degree of forward shaft lean at impact).

Here is further proof - featuring Milo Lines mimicking Collin Morikawa's bowed lead wrist technique at impact.

Image 1 shows Milo holding an iron at address where the clubhead is situated in the middle of his foot stance.

Note that Milo has adopted a weak lead hand grip and that his lead hand's glove logo and his clubface is facing the target at address.

Image 2 shows Milo pulling his hands forward to a position that is just ahead of the outer border of his lead thigh so that his lead wrist becomes markedly bowed, thereby creating a condition of forward shaft lean. Note that his lead hand's glove logo and his clubface is facing the target at the simulated impact position - where he is mimicking the markedly bowed lead wrist, and consequent large degree of forward shaft lean, seen in CM's impact position.

Now, you need to make a critical observation - look at the Milo's lead antecubital fossa and his lead lower forearm's radial bone in image 2 (compared to image 1) and you will note that they are rotated slightly more counterclockwise.

Milo may not be consciously aware that he is rotating his lead humerus/lower forearm counterclockwise to a small degree between image 1 and image 2, but it has to happen in order to keep the clubface square.

Try a simple experiment - repeat Milo's lead wrist bowing maneuver where the lead wrist moves from a position just inside the lead thigh at address to a position just outside the lead thigh (simulating a CM-impact position) and where the lead wrist is markedly bowed creating a large degree of forward shaft lean - but grasp your lead lower forearm with your trail hand to prevent any counterclockwise rotation of the lead lower forearm's radial bone.

You will then note that the clubface is slightly open at simulated impact and the lead hand's glove logo is facing slightly to the right of the target.

In other words, to get the weak lead hand's glove logo and the clubface to be facing the target at impact using the bowed lead wrist technique - where the lead wrist is markedly bowed at impact thereby creating a large degree of forward shaft lean (like CM) - a small amount of additional counterclockwise rotation of the lead lower forearm's radial bone is needed during the PA#3 release action.

Jeffrey Mann.

https://newtongolfinstitute.proboards.com/thread/1045/analysing-opinions-milo-lines-video