Clubhead Release

[augafan48]

I struggle to release the club head and tend to swing on an in to out path, so i get pushes and weak fades normally. any drills i can do to fix this?

[fusioncal]

Ask yourself this, "Am I trying to hard to hit the ball?" The answer is, you shouldn't.

The concept of hitting a golf ball is like opening and closing of a door. You just need to time the impact at the center between the transition. In other words, roll your hand and make sure it's natural. The clubface will naturally be in open-square-close position during the whole swing and finish. Don't try to hit the ball, just focus on your swing. Keep in your mind that there's no ball and you're just doing your swing. The ball is only an object that happens to be in the path of your swing. That way you'll roll your hand, because you're not trying to hit the ball or anything.

Another thing is to make a "hand-shake" with your right hand (assuming you're RH golfer) just before the impact. Here's an online video from Steve Bishop which I find very helpful.

I used to be like you. I tried to hit the ball as hard as I could somehow I made the clubface open. The result is I pushed a lot of shots to the right of the target just because I didn't roll my hand. I didn't have problem with impact at all (pure hits), but surely it was way open club face. After I had watched the video above somehow it made me realize the mistake I had. About a couple months of practices and getting used to, I've managed not to hit any pushed shots since.

Well, I wish you good luck with the new drill.

[augafan48]

i have been trying to switch from a strong grip i had to a more neutral grip. could this be doing anything? also, i noticed that my swig plane is getting awfully flat. my arm is almost horizontal across my body on the back swing. when i get it up higher, it feels like a 2-plane swing. any help here?

[Guest]

Hi,
I`m a newbie. I would like to throw my 2 cents worth into this. Listen to
what fusioncal wrote. I did EXACTLY what he described and manage to
correct my ball flight path since. I used to try to hit the ball rather than
focast on the swing. Made the change, back on track.

[Ringer]

This thread brought a tear to my eye.

[fusioncal]

This thread brought a tear to my eye.

LOL! Nice to have you back here, Ringer.

Care to help augafan48's question below? I can see a new instruction video coming.

i have been trying to switch from a strong grip i had to a more neutral grip. could this be doing anything? also, i noticed that my swig plane is getting awfully flat. my arm is almost horizontal across my body on the back swing. when i get it up higher, it feels like a 2-plane swing. any help here?

[Ringer]

Oh my.. that is a question.

Undoubtedly a stronger grip tends to flatten a BACKSWING.

[fusioncal]

Oh my.. that is a question.

Errr...isn't he doing the opposite way?

I think he's saying that he's changed to neutral grip, but now the swing is horizontal (flatter?).

[Ringer]

Yeah, he is saying the opposite is happening but it's difficult to say why. I would say it's probably just what he THINKS is happening. I'm sure if he saw it on video he's have quite a different impression.

There is a possibility that he is not comfortable with the grip so he's doing something extraordinary to make it happen.

[CodeRed657]

some and advice from someone who had the same problem; best way to get rid of fades and slices is to learn to hit a hook. best advice i can give is not to grip the club to hard (this restricts your release), and to strengthen your right wrist (left if you're a lefty). in one week i went from hitting nothing but slices to hitting nothing but draws.

[neudi]

I will put a tee in the ground 18 inches behind the ball and I always make sure I take the club directly over that tee...it helps me keep my swing straight.

[GolferX]

grip position has little to no bearing on the relative steepness of the arc. Look at Furyk: upright swing plane, strong grip. Duval in his prime: Flat Swing plane, strong grip. Hogan: extremely weak grip, extremely flat plane. Daly: very strong grip, uprightish plane, questionable mind= 2 majors and a number of tour victories. These guys all hit it pretty good. lol. Swing plane is a function of a few other variables, mainly how you are built, your height ect.
If you are concerned about the rolling of the hands having a function in the shape of the shot, I can guarantee you that there are other variables in your swing that are not working as they should. You shouldn't need the grip to produce a "rolling" effect in your downswing. The plane of the swing and path of the golf club is enough to determine ball flight. Even Leadbetter (in one of his recent golf tomes he addresses this question)amended his opinion on the necessity of having the "ideal grip". i.e. there isn't one. Sorry to all the Hogan followers!