Jordan Spieth’s left wrist injury dates back to May 2023, when he injured it while playing with his son. He initially opted for rest and rehabilitation rather than surgery, but the issue persisted and became extremely problematic during the 2024 RBC Heritage. While playing a greenside bunker shot, Spieth said a tendon in his wrist “popped out” of place. The incident ultimately led to surgery in 2024 to address the ulnar-tendon issues and other damage in his wrist.

Before making his comeback at the 2025 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the American professional admitted he had changed his grip and swing to reduce pressure on his wrist. However, veteran coach Jimmy Ballard feels he is repeating the same flaws that could increase his risk of further injury.

The veteran coach raised the issue while speaking on the Cart Barn Podcast: “Jordan Spieth, like I mentioned a while ago. They said when Jordan came out, ‘Yeah, we know Jordan blocks. We’re gonna fix it.’ Well, they never fixed it. And now he comes back doing the same thing that tore his wrist up. He’s doing the same thing again. Saw a picture of him the other day. And it makes no sense.

“I don’t think they understand it. But I think Jordan’s going to get worse and worse. Plus, I heard he’s now trying to turn that right hip to take it away. And that’s just a reverse pivot when you turn your right hip to start the golf swing. All your weight goes left.”

Ballard is not wrong to point out that Spieth’s swing has affected his performance. A Golf.com analysis found that the American gained 1.14 strokes per round on approach during his standout 2017 season. Since then, however, he hasn’t surpassed 0.58 strokes gained on approach in any full season. His numbers dipped further in 2024, when he posted -0.07 strokes gained on approach, the second-worst mark of his professional career. Even after his comeback, the trend has remained mostly unchanged, with Spieth recording 0.230 strokes gained: approach the green in 2025 and 0.145 this year.

Ballard’s criticism centers on the relationship between Spieth’s wrist and arm action and his body’s rotation through impact. For a right-handed golfer, an open clubface or a club delivered too far from the inside without enough rotation can produce a block—a shot that misses to the right. Ballard believes Spieth compensates for this issue by relying more heavily on his hands late in the swing.

According to Ballard, Spieth’s body and arms become delayed through impact, causing his lead arm to straighten as he approaches the ball. To compensate, Spieth then relies on a late wrist flip to square the clubface. Ballard believes this compensation can lead to inconsistent contact while placing additional stress on the wrist. That mechanical issue has often shown in Spieth’s performance throughout the 2026 campaign.

However, Ballard’s criticism isn’t limited to Jordan Spieth. The veteran coach also pointed to several other professionals whose swings he believes have become problematic. Russell Henley is one of them. Ballard once admired Henley’s swing, but he has since become critical of the changes the golfer has made to his mechanics.

Besides Henley, Ballard also singled out Matt Fitzpatrick, criticizing his tendency to twist his right hip during the swing. The veteran coach warned that Fitzpatrick could eventually regret continuing to make that movement. Ballard also pointed to Tiger Woods as an example of how trying to generate additional power without maintaining proper structure can contribute to injuries.

“I remember Tiger [Woods] years ago. You remember when he said that when you get to the top of your swing, snap your left knee for power. That was one of his tips. Well, let me tell you, snapping your left knee for power. Six months later, he was having knee surgery, and nobody could figure it out,” Ballard said.

Jordan Spieth has already dealt with a series of injuries throughout his career. In 2021, he revealed that he had been playing with a bone chip in his left hand dating back to 2018. Although he continued competing that season, he acknowledged that the injury affected his grip. He later dealt with right hip and lower-back problems in 2019 before suffering the wrist issue that ultimately required surgery in 2024.

Whether Jimmy Ballard’s concerns ultimately prove accurate remains to be seen, but Jordan Spieth’s injury history makes the criticism worth considering. Although Spieth and his team identified the issue and addressed it surgically, problems have persisted, suggesting underlying mechanical concerns needing to be addressed. Moving forward, the American professional needs to develop a swing that produces consistent results without placing unnecessary stress on his surgically repaired wrist.