Draw/Fade via 'Release' Thoughts

[Travtex]

I've been doing some slow-motion swing tinkering.

One thing (Of many) that's struck a dissonant chord with me since my Way Back Only Lesson I've Ever Had was the idea of hitting a fade and/or a draw via the "Release". The pro I had at the time was basically going with the old, 'Hold off on the release for a fade // turn it over for a draw' method.

After a good bit of reading and learning I had been stuck wondering how the hell it ever worked. The key problem for me was... that it technically DID work.

Slow mo pondering has me... well, at least, I think, stumbling upon the answer.

Anticipation.

When I think about where I have to end up for a 'Held Off' finish.... I HAVE to come a bit over the top to get there. Likewise with the exaggerated 'Early Release', I have to dip along the way and come further from the inside. From what I'm feeling/seeing going slow and analyzing things is that mentally I'm already trying to square up the club without thinking about it... My brain is just forcing the few feet before impact into a position that gets that desired foot or so AFTER impact in place.

None of which has anything to do with a 'Release' which I don't think I could coordinate regardless of HOW many performance-enhancing drugs are in my system.

(Just a random observation... I could also just be ignorant and sleep-depraved.)

[iacas]

Yes, that's often the case - you know you're going to do one thing so your body compensates.

That's why people like Nick Faldo believe that you aim the clubface at the target and swing along your stance line to escape trouble or to shape shots, when in reality they can't possibly be doing that and their body is compensating (without them knowing).

The problem, of course, is that it isn't a consistent way to play golf for most people, and it's disappointing that you were taught that way.

[Travtex]

This year I've bailed on my limited teaching. I think the addictive part of instruction like that is that you're given a band-aid compensation... and for a bit of time it works, then your body adjusts to THAT weirdness and things go to crap and you're back for another band-aid, ad infinitum.

I've progressed dramatically sans instruction just being aware how the physics actually work. (Though it's a bit disappointing at times to have to just reject EVERY instructor out of hand because they don't pass the 'Old Ball Flight Laws' or the 'Video?' tests.)

Still, figuring out WHY it was working at that time helps. The other Swing Fix Type Thoughts are, come to think of it, placebos. Ways to trick yourself into doing something right. Heh, at one point last year I was making excellent contact with a swing thought of "Hook the crap out of it" because it forced me to come from the inside AND get good extension.

[senorchipotle]

i use my right hand to determine how much/little i want to draw/fade the ball. for a draw, i'll rotate my right hand about a half inch and line up to the right cause my right hand will close my clubface ever so slightly with respect to my swing plane, producing that draw with a low finish. for a fade, i put my right hand back to neutral and hold off rotation of the clubface and finish high. i never try to release the club.

[iacas]

This year I've bailed on my limited teaching. I think the addictive part of instruction like that is that you're given a band-aid compensation... and for a bit of time it works, then your body adjusts to THAT weirdness and things go to crap and you're back for another band-aid, ad infinitum.

I suspect you know that, but that's not actually "instruction" or "teaching."

[Travtex]

I suspect you know that, but that's not actually "instruction" or "teaching."

Exactly. It's mostly "pointless" and "expensive".

[CalBoomer]

I personally found "release thoughts" to be the least reliable method of dealing with draw/fade. Moving the ball a bit forward promotes draw and backward promotes fade because of the change in when the clubhead contacts the ball. Opening the clubface at address promote fade, closing it promotes draw. I find these more reliable ways of getting what I want as opposed to fiddling with release. Of course, you cannot totally hold your release if you want to totally block the shot right, but I presume we are talking about something more subtle.