Advice I Hate: "Release the Club"

[Zesty]

Yes for the most part it's not a great term to use in golf, the vast majority of golfers already "release" it too much. Most slicers already have the face pointing left at impact and line the shaft up with their lead arm well before impact.

As it relates to putting or this thread, I think creating a little "float load" makes the release more automatic, letting the putter "fall" onto the ball. We obviously don't want to flip it and don't want to drag the handle forward. It's somewhere in between but I think it's something that has to happen, can't force it.

When I started using the pitching technique from Iacas I was introduced to the "float load." Now I feel like I control the shaft lean and therefore the height of my pitches by how long I maintain the float load. When I let the float load in my hands and wrists ease up, depending on the type of shot, is what I think of when I read the term release.

[dchoye]

I find that "releasing" the club inside 100 yards is a conscious, manual effort that requires some form of pushing, rolling or pronation etc of my forearms

However in the long game. the 'release" is automatic, I feel no conscious effort to 'release' the club at the hitting zone which for me starts at hip high.  How Im going to release the club for my longer shots is thought out at address and setup. Isnt that the whole point for a backswing is to create a 'release pattern' to be automatic rather than manual?

[mvmac]

[cupslam]

As someone who started out self taught and played my absolute best golf when I learned how to "dig it out of the dirt". Little tips like roll your wrists bring back terrible memories "in Charles Barkley voice". I didn't know the science per say of how I shaped shots but I found out from trial and error that if I opened the face at address and felt like I just held my wrist angles I would hit a push draw and so on with all shots.  It was when I first saw a PGA pro that introduced words like roll your wrists, get behind it and so on that I started regressing. But thanks to things like trackman I know the why of how I shaped shots so now its easier to be reactive on how I wanna shape the ball. I know I never played well if I "actively tried rolling my wrists over" because everything was left of my target. I also understand that some people that thought may help them just keep the face square and not actually do what they're thinking.

[GolfLug]

IMHO, release is simply the part where you back off the pressure/force  which is part  outward + part downward pressure and not application of new directional pressure to the lower part grip as many do instinctively. Many mid-high handicappers will change to mostly forward in an attempt to have the club head overtake the hands. My understanding is that that is what causes flipping or worse, scooping. Hence, you can cannot 'do' release. It will happen once low point is reached.

Now for driver their is the conscious slight new upward force past low point (for high launch - there are separate threads for that)  but that is after most of the outward and downward force has been backed off from. If you are falling back on your right side or loosing balance in doing so, chances are you are doing it too early or your ball is too far back in your stance.

[dkolo]

Learning to release the golf club was a huge deal for me because I was actively holding off letting the club overtake my hands in my swing. Thinking only about the feeling of my hands turning over helped change my path and swing plane (outward and more vertical). So in that respect it was a useful sentence for me because it got me doing things correctly. But I guess it was tailored to my problem and helped me understand the solution. As broad advice to everyone, it might not have been helpful.

[isukgolf]

I have read this thread a couple of times over the last year ... I have been told to release the cub, and I have to admit I had no clue what that meant, but I hit many terrible shots trying to rotate/release. I eventually abandon that advice. I believe I have seen Lee Trevino talk about the golf swing being easy ... "you open the door" (as he swung back) "and you close the door" as he swung it forward ... I always interpreted that as "release the club" After reading this thread it sort of freed me from that thinking of releasing, and my interpretation if it

[mvmac]

Learning to release the golf club was a huge deal for me because I was actively holding off letting the club overtake my hands in my swing. Thinking only about the feeling of my hands turning over helped change my path and swing plane (outward and more vertical). So in that respect it was a useful sentence for me because it got me doing things correctly. But I guess it was tailored to my problem and helped me understand the solution. As broad advice to everyone, it might not have been helpful.

Golfers shouldn't really need to think about the release, it just happens. Most golfers have no problem releasing it. For some reason they think they do but they typically line up the shaft with the lead arm well before impact.

[mvmac]

http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-instruction/2012-12/sean-foley-law-of-the-draw?mbid=social_twitter

Quote:

Minimize forearm rotation through impact. This idea often gives golfers pause, but excessive forearm rotation toward the target causes the face to shut prematurely. Remember, the face has to be pointing right of your target at impact. That's what starts the ball to the right and sets up the draw.

[dchoye]

I have changed my mind about how I like to use the term release.

Release can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people.

My main issue is the driver and fairway woods and I find that I need to "release the toe " in order to get the most out off my driver.

Starts slightly right of my target and then goes slightly left of the target....?pulled release?

I can "hold off the release" and it produces a feeling of a "blocked push " that goes slightly right, which is way better than a slice.

I know there are going to be different opinions about this but thats what works for me yet.

[mvmac]

I have changed my mind about how I like to use the term release.

Release can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people.

My main issue is the driver and fairway woods and I find that I need to "release the toe " in order to get the most out off my driver.

Starts slightly right of my target and then goes slightly left of the target....?pulled release?

I can "hold off the release" and it produces a feeling of a "blocked push " that goes slightly right, which is way better than a slice.

I know there are going to be different opinions about this but thats what works for me yet.

Good chance it's something else that's causing the face issues and the "release the toe" is just a timing/compensation move.

[WUTiger]

Not sure why I never noticed this tread before... it came out about three months after I joined TST.

Let's deal with the two pieces of advice addressed under this title:

• Rotate the forearms. I've been hearing this since my first golf lesson in 1974. But, no one really explained what they meant. I've seen some people with very short, armsy swings roll over the forearms on followthrough, but it takes excellent timing to make it work.

Recently I had a tune-up lesson, and the pro talked about rotating the forearms rearward on the backswing, and coming back square at impact. When I do this, I come up to the left ear at the top of my backswing, with a properly hinged right elbow and good coil. The resulting downswing then comes through without the nagging over- the-top move which creeps in from time to time.

• Release the club. Again, I've heard for years, and finally figured out on my own what it means to me. Probably the advice should be, "don't fight the release." Fighting the release results from overdoing the old law of the universe, "Keep thy left arm straight!"

I sometimes have overdone this. I tend to ride the straight left arm too long, rather than letting it release naturally and bend on the followthrough as the right arm straightens. If I ride the left arm with a 7i, the ball often ends up pin high about 5 yard left of the green. If I do it with a driver, it can end up in the trees or worse.

So I would suggest the clarification might be, "Don't fight the release." (Some people refer to this with the equally scary phrase, "Swing for right field." But, I would suggest that if you "Don't fight the release. " you will end up with a high, balanced followthrough that briefly salutes right field, rather than a spin-out left.)

[mvmac]

One thing came to mind today. Most golfers understand or complain that they cast or flip the club on the downswing. Yet they think they also need to release it more. Doesn't make sense.

Not sure why I never noticed this tread before... it came out about three months after I joined TST.

Let's deal with the two pieces of advice addressed under this title:

Rotate the forearms. I've been hearing this since my first golf lesson in 1974. But, no one really explained what they meant. I've seen some people with very short, armsy swings roll over the forearms on followthrough, but it takes excellent timing to make it work.

Recently I had a tune-up lesson, and the pro talked about rotating the forearms rearward on the backswing, and coming back square at impact. When I do this, I come up to the left ear at the top of my backswing, with a properly hinged right elbow and good coil. The resulting downswing then comes through without the nagging over- the-top move which creeps in from time to time.

Release the club. Again, I've heard for years, and finally figured out on my own what it means to me. Probably the advice should be, "don't fight the release." Fighting the release results from overdoing the old law of the universe, "Keep thy left arm straight!"

I sometimes have overdone this. I tend to ride the straight left arm too long, rather than letting it release naturally and bend on the followthrough as the right arm straightens. If I ride the left arm with a 7i, the ball often ends up pin high about 5 yard left of the green. If I do it with a driver, it can end up in the trees or worse.

So I would suggest the clarification might be, "Don't fight the release." (Some people refer to this with the equally scary phrase, "Swing for right field." But, I would suggest that if you "Don't fight the release. " you will end up with a high, balanced followthrough that briefly salutes right field, rather than a spin-out left.)

Most golfers struggle with Key #3, they line up the shaft with the lead arm well before impact (opposite of the pics below). They rotate the forearms too much and release the club too early. This will rotate the face left and contribute to shifting the path left.

[dchoye]

Good chance it's something else that's causing the face issues and the "release the toe" is just a timing/compensation move.

Yes may be right. I was trying this "release the toe " with my driver and didn't like the feeling I got However I do notice for putting I do " release the toe" and feel confident with that feeling What is the main difference for me between putting and chipping stroke is that with chipping I don't release the toe and keep my face as square as I can

[mvmac]

Yes may be right. I was trying this "release the toe " with my driver and didn't like the feeling I got

Point is, you shouldn't need to actively "release" anything.

[vangator]

I mentioned in another thread about how Ian Woosnam generates his power. He uses his right arm and wrist for his power. I would call this releasing the club. Most think of the left arm. Ian does it with his right. I'm going to try this on the range this weekend.

[mvmac]

He uses his right arm and wrist for his power. Ian does it with his right. I'm going to try this on the range this weekend.

Did you read the OP or any of my posts just above yours?

Releasing that right wrist bend isn't something you need to thing about.

[saevel25]

Flip for power

*disclaimer, only if you have good keys 1-3 such that the flip is not caused by keys 1-3