And what you might actually be able to learn from it.
Most of us amateurs spend years trying to square the clubface at impact. Collin Morikawa? He’s built an entire career on it.
He’s not the flashiest guy on Tour, but when it comes to hitting irons flush—and doing it again and again—few can match him. His clubface control is so precise that instructors compare him to Ben Hogan. That’s not hyperbole. It’s the result of a grip that breaks a few rules, wrist positions that stay put through the entire swing, and a body that rotates like it’s been rehearsing the same move since kindergarten.
Let’s dig into the weird little details that make his swing so repeatable—and so annoyingly effective.
It Starts With an Unusual Grip
Morikawa’s grip isn’t what you’d call textbook. In fact, it’s the kind of grip that would probably get changed at your next lesson. But that’s the thing—he’s not you. His hands sit more on top of the club (what instructors call a “weak grip”), which minimizes face rotation. That means fewer surprise hooks and a lot more control.
One detail that really stands out? His left thumb. It rides so far down the shaft that it practically aligns with his right thumb. It’s not pretty, but it works.
And here’s the kicker: both hands stay connected—really connected. It’s like one unit moving together instead of two hands battling for dominance. For Morikawa, that connection is the launchpad for consistency.
The Bowed Wrist That Never Bails
Here’s where things get spicy: that grip sets the stage, but Morikawa’s wrist angles are where the real magic happens.
At the top of his backswing, his lead wrist is noticeably bowed (flexed), which helps keep the clubface strong. Most amateurs? They flatten or extend that wrist on the way down—and that’s where timing issues creep in. Morikawa? He keeps that bowed wrist through the downswing and all the way to impact.
That consistency eliminates the need for last-second manipulations. No flipping, no praying, just a square face through the hitting zone.
And yes—there’s research to back this up. Millions of swing analyses show that maintaining the right wrist angles makes it way easier to square the face at impact. Morikawa lives this principle.
Rotation That Starts From the Ground
Grip and wrists are only part of the picture. What really ties everything together is how Morikawa sequences his swing.
His downswing kicks off from the ground up—literally. His lower body starts rotating before his upper body even thinks about moving. That proper sequencing transfers energy more efficiently and keeps the face stable.
Watch his lead knee: it moves to the outer edge of his lead foot and pivots around that point. This clears space for his arms to swing freely, without rerouting the club mid-swing.
It’s all insanely efficient. And yes, he’s been doing it this way since he was a kid.
Fade-Friendly Mechanics (on Purpose)
Morikawa’s swing is built for control—and that’s why he favors a fade. The slightly weak grip, the bowed wrist, and that open body rotation? They’re all working together to leave the face a touch open relative to the path.
Could he hit a draw if he wanted to? Probably. But his coach once said it best: “He might find a little more distance by switching back to a draw, but why mess with what has made you great?”
Fair point.
The Coach’s Philosophy: Match, Don’t Mimic
This is where most golfers go wrong.
They see a swing like Morikawa’s and think, “Okay, I’ll just do that.” But his coach offers better advice: create a system that matches you. Don’t just pick one piece (like the bowed wrist) and bolt it onto your existing swing. That’s asking for chaos.
Morikawa’s grip, wrist angle, and body rotation all complement each other. It’s not about copying his moves—it’s about building a version of that kind of cohesion into your own game.
His coach used drills like 40-yard chip shots with passive hands and active bodies to build “face awareness.” That’s a fancy way of saying he learned to feel what the clubface was doing at all times. It’s how you develop real control—not by cranking out 300-yard drives, but by chipping with discipline.
So, What Can You Actually Take Away?
Let’s be honest—you’re not going to overhaul your grip to match Morikawa’s. You probably shouldn’t. But what you can do is start thinking in systems. Your grip, wrist position, and body movement need to work together—not against each other.
You don’t need a swing that looks perfect. You need one that matches your motion and is repeatable under pressure. That’s what Morikawa has built.
And maybe that’s the real takeaway: clubface control isn’t about having one perfect move. It’s about building a repeatable pattern that fits your body, your tempo, and your goals.