Anybody have any tips/drills to help release the club?

[svchiefs19]

As of late, im having trouble releasing the club and rolling my wrists. I can feel myself holding off the release and keeping the face open, but for whatever reason, I cant get myself to release the club. And to make matters worse, when I consciencely try to release the club, I end up releasing too much and I hit the ball 30 yards left. Any ideas or drills?

Any and all help is greatly appreciated!

[uttexas]

Do the brush the grass back and forth drill with a seven iron. Just little 30% swings 9 o'clock to 3 o'clock swings. Brush the grass on the forward and back swing.

[JGulkCG]

if your having trouble. try and hook the crap outta the ball. No joke.

[svchiefs19]

if your having trouble. try and hook the crap outta the ball. No joke.

well thats what i am doing right now........ and i hook the ball.

[JGulkCG]

got any video of your swing?

[sdped1]

well thats what i am doing right now........ and i hook the ball.

I think what is being suggested is by trying to intentionally hooking the ball you will become aware of your club head at impact and it your body and mind will figure out how to hit it straight then. You can do just the opposite too by intentionally hitting a slice. This is such a head game, I played my first 7 rounds hitting my drive pure. Then I go out one day and nothing but hooks(just the driver), next round same thing. So today I swing by the golf course and sign up for a lesson on Monday. I decided to work on my chipping and sand game and was quickly very happy with that so I figure what the heck I'll buy a bucket and work on my driver, everything pure!!!! Straight and long down the middle. Go figure. One thing my instructor told me once is if your hitting it right(slice) then when you swing feel like your hitting to the right. It forces you to get on the inside path. Same thing can work for the hook too sometimes. good luck. - Steve

[squaddie]

Perhaps you are gripping the club too tightly? If you grip the club too tight or try to steer the club with your arms then that may interfere with the proper release.

You may also be freezing up your wrist at top of the backswing, which may prevent the wrists from hinging. If the wrists aren't hinged then no release is really possible during the downswing.

Perhaps relax and try really low powered swings or pitch shots until you hit it straight and have a good release. The slowly ratchet up the power, but continue to keep your grip relaxed but firm.

[microcrayfish]

I had a lesson and I wasn't releasing the club and my pro told me to swing with my legs together. If you don't release the club properly and follow through you'll end up off balance.

[BigBoy]

Is it possible that you've developed an over the top move/outside in swing recently? If thats the case, your hands may be holding on out of athletic instinct because your body knows if they roll over you will pull/hook the ball like crazy. That would explain why when you really force it you are pull hooking it -

We often don't give ourselves enough credit athletically. I often try to correct something that I'm doing that is actually a reaction to another flaw that has crept up on me -

[Zeph]

Don't try to release. Feel like your wrists and arms are out of your control. Just let them follow your body rotation and release naturally.
Do you happen to come over the top by the way? Does the ball start out left of your target line? You could also be opening the clubface on the takeaway or downswing. I've got that problem myself. I open it on the way back and need great timing to get it right on the way down. On your forearms you have two bones stacked on top of eachother at adress. Try feeling like they never roll over eachother, that's when the wrist turn and leave the clubface way open. Makes it very difficult to get a proper release. Also make sure your arms stays in front of your torso, don't let them wrap around and hang back, that will also contribute to twisting the clubface open.

[svchiefs19]

Do you happen to come over the top by the way? Does the ball start out left of your target line?

I did film my swing and im not coming over the top, which is puzzling. when i hit full shots with my short irons i tend to just push the ball way right. it doesnt slice or anything, it just goes right. as i get into the less lofted clubs, a fade starts to develop, and by the time i get to driver, its a slice. its really puzzing me and i have no idea what im doing.

[Bauer]

Post the video, get a lot of eyes looking at it.

[billm408]

Your hands don't release the clubhead- the clubhead releases your hands.

My all time favorite swing drill- grip the club using only your thumbs and index fingers. This removes your forearms and hands from the motion. Now take full swings (slowly).

First thing you'll notice is that you have to use your shoulders/upper arms to initiate the swing, You'll feel the club set your hands at the top. You also have to initiate your downswing using your body (weight shift & rotation) and you'll feel the club naturally release your hands through the impact zone.

If you do this just going half back and through, you'll be able to see the club automatically square itself back up. You can hit balls like this too (off of a tee) and you'll hit 'em dead straight all day. Trying to control the clubhead with your hands is where you lose accuracy.

[Cesar]

I did film my swing and im not coming over the top, which is puzzling. when i hit full shots with my short irons i tend to just push the ball way right. it doesnt slice or anything, it just goes right. as i get into the less lofted clubs, a fade starts to develop, and by the time i get to driver, its a slice. its really puzzing me and i have no idea what im doing.

If you're not coming over the top, you maybe taking coming in too much from the inside and getting "stuck" which will cause a block to the right.

Tiger calls it "ole'ing" it and it's the exact same problem I've been trying to correct from my junior days. (see clip below)

[JackLee]

Swing could be too upright.
Your upper body could be moving too much toward your target before impact.
You could have an independent arm swing that gets ahead of your body movements.

[svchiefs19]

If you're not coming over the top, you maybe taking coming in too much from the inside and getting "stuck" which will cause a block to the right.

That "ole' " swing Tiger was talking about is EXACTLY what i was doing. if you pause the youtube video when he does that (2:10) and then pause my swing video at that point, they're almost identical. I think Tiger's swing is slightly more exaggerated than my, but its the same general principal.

Swing could be too upright.

Thats also what the youtube video was saying, and I think Im guilty of that as well. Im firing my hips was to early and my hands are getting "stuck" behind my body, thus causing a block.

Wow, while watching that video a light bulb went off in my head. Thank you very much for that!

[Zeph]

I haven't watched the video, but I would think that using too much arms and not rotating the shoulders enough would give somewhat the same effect. The arms will run first and stay behind the shoulders. Even with a good turn, the arms will have to accellerate to catch up with the shoulders. Shoulders wont wait and keep turning, and the arms get stuck. I'm struggling with the same from time to time myself. I try to focus on keeping the arms in front of my body and turning the shoulders only.

[HSip]

I had a lesson and I wasn't releasing the club and my pro told me to swing with my legs together. If you don't release the club properly and follow through you'll end up off balance.

Your hands don't release the clubhead- the clubhead releases your hands.

The two above and one arm swings will help with release. Good luck