Awesome question and awesome video! Addressing the ball with some forward shaft lean has transformed my ball striking in ways I literally didn't think was possible.

Man, I love the way you explain things; always thorough and clear. An asset to golftube!

This tip or advise is often overlooked! I struggled with early extension and flipping for years...moved my hands forward and fixed it right away. Thx!

Exactly what I needed and wanted to know. Thank you for great and clear explanation

Chris Ryan, thanks for the work you do to post these videos, your consistently explain concepts in a way that not only make sense to me, buy they become actionable in my quest for improvement. You are one of the best on KZfaq!

What a great tip , tried this tonight on the course as I’ve suffered with a cupped wrist for years , there was a instant improvement, a great fix with a lot of things in my swing , thanks Kevin

Chris, This helps me a great deal. Went to driving range, and it completely change my iron swing and I hit all irons solidly. Thank you so much!

Thanks for this tip Chris. I struggle to flatten out the left wrist. I've noticed that I've been playing with a very vertical shaft with most clubs and even tend to drag the club back delaying my wrist set. I'll experiment a little with shaft lean now.

Great video Chris - you've explained the importance of the left wrist at impact v. just describing the hand position!

Thank you, Chris. This is one of those questions that has vexed me for years.

Great tip for the average golfer like myself,, this has stopped my slicing of the ball totally .thanks

I just wanted to say thank you for this video. It helped me tremendously. I went with the forward shaft lean and striking my irons pure now !!

Very helpful. Reinforces what I was thinking as I found it easier to press forward a bit and maintain more consistency in my striking.

Brilliant explanation! Chris, You have a gift for making the complex understand able to the common golfer. My follow up question concerns the grip. Should I take my grip with the club vertical and then lean the club forward?

Thanks for this video and great explanation Chris. Having that bowed wrist coming into impact is definitley something im working on to help compress my irons instead of the thin weak shots ive been hitting before. I prefer bowing the left wrist slightly as it hinges in the backswing instead of keeping the hands further forward at address, this video definitley helps reassure me with that. 👍

Great explanation! Turned an abstract concept into a concrete one in a few minutes.

Thanks Chris I have been looking for 1 video the last 3 days that finally makes this clear there is no one setup for everyone. Now I can work on my game.

Thanks Chris. I also lean the shaft towards the left side at address, feels more natural even in the takeaway... you lesson made complete sense. Appreciate it.

During a recent lessons with my club pro, I was told to keep my setup hand position inside my left thigh for sand shots and pitches of 50 yards or so. But I've been experimenting with that position on longer irons and have seen some success, especially in ball striking. Thanks, Chris.

Thank Chris , I am blading or topping golf ball , for me this helps me also for better impact , and hit ball with sweet spot. I place my hands inside of left leg. This works for me :) , I like your channel so much. Thanks for this work.

Thanks for the video. I always had problem with flipping wrist and seem to have a open face on strike. This seems to help me alot

I reckon Chris Ryan is the best golf tutor (if that's what you'd call it) on youtube. No nonsense, just clear questions, and clear answers.

Great video Chris, in 6 mins you have helped me understand how i sometimes deliver a open clubface. Cheers

This is exactly what I am working on at the moment. I normally address the ball with my hands similar position to yours. I put some white foot spray on the mat at the range. I noticed that I bottom out more on the ball. I tried leaning my hands much more forward toward the middle of my front thigh. I was then bottoming out about 1 or 2 inch after the ball. My ball striking improved 100%. So will definatly be taking this set up to the course. Thank you for the explanation. You certainly know your stuff.

For so long I had the hinge at address all wrong for full shots vs pitch shots. Literally had them backwards. This video was a eureka moment for me and I’m finally hitting nice draws

very, very informative. Many tks. I've struggled with this for years even into my putting. A forward press can do the same thing?

Thanks a lot for this video. I was having problems with returning to a straight wrist at impact. I now place my hands forward, and all my shots are now quite straight!!! Thanks!!!

Hey Chris, I have to give that your one of the best out there. God bless

What a brilliant explanation of how set up affects ball strike. Well done sir! thanks

Thanks Chris. Great video! Can you please also comment on the effect the hands' set-up position has on the (initial) backswing plane? I've been battling with an inside takeaway for years. Having the club vertical (i.e. not leaned forward) at address has helped me to achieve a more upright takeaway.

Just the advice I was searching for , will give it a try

That was great, best explaining I have heard

Wow. That was incredibly helpful. Thank you!

Great Explanation. One of the best Ive seen.

Thanks for the explanation!

I moved my hands forward and it has really helped with my irons. Would you say I am fine to do this on all of my irons?

Very clear explanation why some players do that for their set up. Before I watched this video I wasn't sure why I have mine lead hand a bit more forward to set up, I tends to do that from mid irons to wedge shots. I find very difficult to aim to the target esp with more loft clubs, even I tried yours method. Hopefully you can do a video help us solve it

Hi Chris, love your videos. Can you make a video about the angle of the wrists at impact? If the right wrist full extension is 90 degrees to your forearm, at impact is the wrist stay at 90 degrees, 45 or back to neutral?

Another very helpful video! Thank you

Great explanation. Thank you

you're the best, Chris. This really helped

Good info. Exactly what I was looking for.

Very good advice from Chris...if you're a golfer who is trying to "time-up" the flattening of the left wrist at impact, that can be very dangerous. By setting the hands forward at address, you have eliminated the need to "time" the flattening of the wrist at impact. You can swing through the impact zone freely, knowing your hands are where they need to be at impact.

Cracking explanation & video, tks!

Excellent explanation, the best I've seen.

THANK YOU CHRIS THAT WAS A REALLY GOOD TIP ABOUT HAND POSITION

EXACTLY!! The answer I was looking for!!!!! Legend!!

Many thanks for the explanation. A pro recommended a forward press to address my right ball flight but now I understand why😭!

Wow very helpful

Chris has very clear answers to the golf question. My go golf instructor if i need answers

Chris, Thanks - very helpful! My swing has gone in the crapper and I need a swing thought to avoid coming way over the top and as a result, coming outside in and shanking it off the hosel...please help!

Great help - thanks

Really great explanation!!!

Great videos Chris. Seen a lot of stuff recently about the role of the right arm/wrist for a rt-handed golfer. Some say this is really where the power resides? News to me. I know a long distance driver and he agrees. I just can't imaging getting much power from "pushing" with the right arm/wrist. Any comments?Bruce, Toronto, Can.

So even with the forward press the club face should be square to the target since you essentially make impact with the ball in the forward press position? That makes sense. I will have to work on it. I have been making solid contact lately. I think my swing plane is good so it must be a closed club face at impact. The flight of the ball seems to indicate a closed face. I was told years ago not to have a forward press. I will try this. Thank you.

Great video. Answered my question very well. Wondering if you could give mw a reason why all my irons seem to go the same distance. Puzzled.

I've always had a problem of hitting the ground before the ball with irons, or in compensating for that, thinning the ball. I tried this setup advice and suddenly iron shots are solid, reliable, straight and longer. Not what the video is particularly aimed at, I know, but it turns out to be an incredibly effective tip. It appears that I'd been trying to hit the ball on the upswing, so either having to hit the ground first or hitting with the base of the club turned up and the blade edge hitting the ball first. Moving hands forward at address (and returning to that position during the swing) seems to make me hit the ball with the clubhead behind the hands, thus striking the ball with the club face, then striking the turf. Which, no doubt, is second nature to many, but I suspect that I'm not the only golfer who's never worked out how to manage this basic action! So thanks for helping.

It is a wonderful tip. It has changed my golf

I’ve noticed that having the handle too far forward makes it hard to bring the club around my body and stay compact. I tried keeping the shaft more vertical with my 5 iron and noticed my swing felt a lot more natural with better ball contact.

just had a lesson and asked/talked to the pro about forward shaft lean. we did it and it feels so much better, stops me flipping.

Good video Chris ,could you discuss bunker shots. I see some players open club face and swing across the ball the club face is open wide.. I also see some player's who don't have club face open wide and they don't come across the ball the swing fairly square at the ball. What's the correct way I struggle with bunker shots.

Thanks I will be trying this on Wednesday

Incredibly helpful video

Another great review thanks Chris I struggle with this

Hi sir, been struggling with pulls, blocks and over draws. Draws that are high start on target but can hook 20 yards. Thought it was most to do with path, but am finding it maybe overactive hands. I.e too active hands in take away causing club head inside hands which means way into out path, very active hands releasing causing the draw or not causing the block. I think the pull is less active then overactive at release closing the club face. Any tips on taking the hands out of the swing?

Can’t wait to try this Sunday

hi Chris - great video on hand position for irons. I will also check out your driver one. My question is on long irons, where the ball is more forward in your stance. Do you still have the handle come back to your zipper/belt buckle position, or is it forward as much as the ball is so as to remain perpendicular to the target line? I tend to have my wrist pretty flat at impact usually, so don't feel I need to start with a big forward press of the shaft. Thanks!

Yeah i need the forward lean one as open to much cheers bro

I’ll try it. Thanks.

Very helpful!

Great explanation !

Refreshing to here a golf pro say its down to ur preference. Iv been for lessons in the past with a top 25 teaching pro and he took my shaft lean out at address saying it not the way to set up. Iv just ordered the DST compressor training club. Whats your thoughts on it? Thanks

I discovered that having a bit of shaft lean at address has helped me stop flipping the club at impact!! 👍

Thanks for the video Chris, your videos help me tremendously. I have a really important question that would really help me out. I have the same extension on my lead wrist at address. It helps me put leverage on the club handle during my backswing “hope that’s ok to do?” But at impact my club face is open. So what do u recommend I do? Should I have a Flat leading wrist at address ? I really like to extend my wrist at address so I have that Leverage and that “pushing the heel down so there’s pressure down on the heel so at impact I can compress” please advise it would be greatly appreciative. Btw: i score a consistent 42-45 on a 9hole. Just Incase that matters. Thanks again Chris!!

Best piece of information . Now I know that shaft lean is important but at the same time not that important pending if you can achieve a flat wrist at the top

Wow, this made a huge difference in my golf game.

I've noticed that Stenson has a very pronounced forward press prior to his backswing, which adds to his take away trigger. When I've had lessons I've been told to have the handle forward which produces more sideways tilt at address

I do have an issue with getting my wrist so definitely going to try that tomorrow thank you

Chris, how would you answer the same question when chipping and pitching and with driver?

What about focusing on the right wrist position at address and on impact, I've been trying to focus on that, to keep them the same

No one has made a video about where the wrists should be in relation to eachother and in relation to the grip. For example I have the tendancy to have my right wrist on top of my left wrist causing the right shoulder to move more towards the targetline and also creating a reverse spine tilt towards the target. Also should the left wrist be high over the grip or low more over the left edge of the grip.

Which arm does the most work on the up and down swing and what is the most important position they both need to be in?

My clubs have a big offset (super game improvement) can you do a video on setting up with these type of clubs

Hi Chris, great video as usual, thank you. I am struggling with my iron game at the moment, as in I believe that setting my hands at vertical at address is causing me to flip the clubface at the ball causing me inconsistent ball striking? As sometimes i hit it thin and other times fat? I think that there are to many moving parts going on with my wrists. And thought that setting my hands at address in a straight line with my left arm, (as per your vid) to help alleviate this movement? Thoughts please? Kind regards, Graham

Good job.

Great video

Excellent

I shoot so well when using hands first starting position. It also reminds me to put the pressure for ball.

That was a great explanation. Never heard it presented that way. However my problem at least visually to me is that to align the club head (iron) I find that I am moving my hands forward because if I try and take the handle back to neutral as you show in the video the club appears to me to be dead left. Especially with the wedges. I know I must be missing something becasue I have never heard or seen this issue addressed.

QUERY： I tend to have a flat swing plane and an prone to pulling my wedges. The pull seens more severe with higher lofted wedges. What is the cause and is there a fix?

Does the same apply with a driver? I see many players in a position where it looks like the shaft is tilted backward instead of forward with the driver setup.

Ive experimented with this a lot and have mostly played with hands more forward.....putting the shaft more vertical at times I CAN gain more distance and a better ball flight but I seem to gravitate eventually toward coming into the ball way too open up to the point of occasional shanks. (yea..ouch)…. Thing is with hands forward I feel..this is hard to explain....but less room and Im more limited in taking the club back....Id like to get more confident with the vertical position....

Hi Chris. Do you have a video on the routine for setting up to hit your irons. For example. Do you take your grip first then align your feet and posture. Would you take up your posture first and align your club face behind the ball with your left hand then complete your grip with your right hand? What it the correct routine?

THANKS CHRIS, Will the player's height be also effect this hand position ? always thank you for your invaluable videos.

Hi Chris, I thought the design of Irons required a progressive forward Shaft Lean at Address, with the 7 Iron about 1 inch forward and Wedge about 2/3 inches forward. Your Video suggests vertical is OK if you can handle the Cupping to the correct flat wrist at impact. Love your work.

If you lean it a little it also promotes a little more inside the line takeaway, which doesn't hurt either........this guy does a really good job in helping people. The struggle is you have to commit to it and not revert back to old hand positions the first time you squirt one off to the right. Committing to changes in your golf swing requires patience, and most of us don't have a lot when it comes to golf.

Hi, Chris. Does, this apply to wedges, irons, hybrids, woods and Driver?

Would this also apply to driver?

Is there a difference in how far one show bend forward over the ball between the driver and iron? How how should one be forward?

Hi Chris, i really like your videos! I am a PGA teaching professional from Austria and i like to start a youtube channel, can you give me some tips what´s very important and what´s not? Greets from Austria!