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Rhythm and TempoSwing and Swing Plane All clubs Beginner / Intermediate ⏱ 9 min 🇫🇷 Video in French

Wrist Hinge in Golf: Edouard Montaz's Two Pendulums

When you reach the top of your backswing, do you regain control and push the club forward? Edouard Montaz explains the two key points of the swing—the sternum and the wrists—and demonstrates how to observe these two “pendulums” to achieve an effortless swing.

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Edouard Montaz
Edouard Montaz · his YouTube channelFree lesson selected by Fred P.

To be continued

11 minSame problemGolf Tempo: The Pause-at-the-Top DrillJean-Baptiste Gonnet · Beginner / Intermediate12 minSame problemSame speed on the upswing and downswing: slow down your swingSimon Camirand · Beginner / Intermediate5 minFrom the same proPredicting Ball Contact: Edouard Montaz’s DrillEdouard Montaz · Intermediate / Expert

What the lesson shows

For Edouard Montaz, problems often start at the top of the backswing: you feel the clubhead far behind you and end up pushing on it to bring it back. He points out that the swing has two armament stations. The first is the sternum, more specifically the middle of the collarbones: basic putting and chipping revolve around this area, without using the hands. When more distance is needed, The wrists come into play, using the image of a hammer: they naturally cock themselves in the anatomical chambers. You should not cock them intentionally right from the start, as that would cut the bow.

He creates a wide arc over the ball and lets the club cock his wrists when it prompts him to: the arm-club unit rises on its own, like an axe. It’s about letting go of control, and the sensation of losing it is precisely what he’s looking for. He becomes observer of two clocks: arms around the sternum, then the wrists tense and relax. On the return stroke, the arm-club unit drops around the sternum—without moving the hands—then the club releases around the wrists and cuts through the grass. It counts “1, 2” and lets itself be carried along by inertia, gravity, and centrifugal force.

The Exercise, Step by Step

  1. Make a small chip around your sternum—without using your wrists—to feel the first pendulum.
  2. Mimic a blow with a hammer or an axe to feel the natural strength in your wrists.
  3. When pitching, spread your legs slightly and form a wide circle over the ball.
  4. Let your wrists cock when the club calls for it, bending your right arm.
  5. Let your arms and club hang down around your sternum, without moving your hands.
  6. Let the club swing freely around your wrists, cut through the grass, and swing back on the other side.
  7. Repeat to the “1, 2” count, first at a slower pace and then at normal speed.

Key Takeaways

Two attachment points: the sternum (between the collarbones) and the wrists.
Basic putting and chipping involve rotating around the sternum, without using your hands.
The wrists are braced against the anatomical slits, just as with a hammer.
Don't pull the string all the way back right from the start: you'll snap the bow.
Let the club restrain your wrists when it asks you to: that means giving up control.
On the return stroke, keep your hands still: let your arms hang down around your sternum, then relax your wrists.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Push down on the club at the top of the backswing to bring it back toward the ball.
  • Draw the bowstring all the way back from the start, which cuts the bow.
  • Secure the wrists along an axis different from that of the anatomical slits.
  • Regain control as soon as you feel like you're losing it.
  • Place the club at the top yourself, even if it means it might end up hidden behind you.

Driving Range Mode

Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.

  1. 10-yard chips around the sternum, without wristbands
  2. Pitches where you let your wrists snap back on their own
  3. Practice swings to a “1, 2” rhythm, watching where the club cuts through the grass
  4. Balls thrown at reduced speed, then at full speed

Your Questions

What are the two points of the swing?

According to Edouard Montaz, the sternum—between the collarbones—and the wrists. The small swings focus on the sternum; the wrists come into play when more backswing and distance are needed.

Should you cock your wrists early in the backswing?

No. He advises against cocking them from the start, whether chipping or hitting long shots, because that cuts off the arc. He creates a wide arc and lets the club cock his wrists when it’s time.

How can you strengthen your wrists naturally?

Using the image of a hammer or an axe: to drive a nail, the wrist instinctively braces itself against the anatomical ridges. That is the movement he is looking for.

Why do I feel like I'm losing control?

That's the point: he wants to let the club, inertia, and gravity take control. He advises against trying to stop it and suggests simply watching the two pendulums.

Learn More

All “Rhythm and Tempo” videos →Find the lesson that's right for youAll “Swing and Swing Plane” videos →Find the lesson that's right for you Adam Scott's Swing: Simple Rhythm, Fade, and DrawAdam Scott checks everything before taking his swing, focuses on a single rhythm, and produces a fade or a draw either by intention or simply by shifting his body. Golf Tempo: The Pause-at-the-Top DrillThree tempo drills for the "club snatch" and the "over-the-top" swing: feet together, a true pause at the top of the backswing, and starting the swing as if pushing a water bottle. Same speed on the upswing and downswing: slow down your swingMove up and down at what feels like the same speed, then hold the finish position for three seconds: an imbalance at the finish indicates that your body is moving too fast. Edouard MontazAll of his lessons

Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Edouard Montaz). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons, without hosting them.

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