NFL Hall-of-Famer asked me to Fix his Golf Swing | Fixin's
Performance Golf coach JT Thomas works with NFL Hall of Famer Dwight Freeney to identify his 'Root Flaw': a lack of wrist hinge that makes the club too 'long.' By introducing an early hinge and keeping his posture down, Freeney immediately eliminates thin shots and pulls. The lesson concludes with short-game techniques focusing on a high-handle setup to ensure clean contact and predictable spin.
A lack of wrist hinge effectively makes the club 'longer,' forcing the brain to compensate by standing up and causing thin shots.
Early wrist hinge in the backswing improves arm structure and keeps the clubhead on a better path, reducing the tendency to pull the ball.
For chipping, raising the handle (high hands) makes the shaft more vertical and prevents the heel of the club from digging into the turf.
Use lower lofted clubs like a pitching wedge for chipping when possible; they offer much more predictable spin and bounce than a 60-degree wedge.
Distance control in the short game should be managed by swing length, not by adding 'hit' or speed through impact.
Go deeper
Thin contact — Causes, drills and coaches for this miss