The Release Through Impact

I think this should be a good subject for discussion "What is the best way to release the club through impact? "

I mean from the point where the hands have reached the level of the right thigh (lefties work it out) in the downswing with the wrists still loaded, through to the point past impact where the arms are extended down the line.

Opinions welcome!

sorry but I dont have much of an aswer for you, when I am swinging well and have a good pivot the release happens. when I am swinging bad I then feel myself trying to steer

Here are some points for consideration.

How do you release the angle in your wrists?
Do you use cupping in the wrists?
Do you rotate the forearms?
Are your shoulders parallel to target?
Do you use the wrists to push the ball on through impact?
Do you maintain the triangle between the arms, shoulders and hands?
How does your grip affect the release?
Are your arms straight through impact?

hi brian
i dont think of the ball as my target but a point about 5/6 inches in front of the ball and thats is where i try and have my hands the same as address, ie both arms fully extended and only then do i think my right hard starts to rotate over the left.
i find not thinking about the ball makes me swing through it and it comes off the club cleaner.
bill

hi
1. how do you mean release the wirist????
2. yes i do then i have my forward press.
3. yes when my right elbow starts to bend my left arm does rotate.
4. no i have an open stance with all shots so hips and sholders are open.
5. yes i must do but i dont think about it or try and control it.
6. yes i try and maintain a triangle on the backswing.
7. yes grip does affect release.
8. no right arm is not left is, arms not straight till after impact.
bill

Hi Bill,

For 1) I mean the lag angle in the wrists.

Good point Bill, I tend to look at the front of the ball with my irons so that I hit through it and create a shallow divot in front.

i feel like the release is a natural result of turning through the ball

Hello,

What about wrists flexibility? Specialy right hand angle with your right forearm.( for right handed )

How many degrees without pushing it backwards?

Flexibility= Joint mobility+Elasticity.

You can improve your elasticity with exercises.

Can you improve your joint mobility?

Have a look at the wrist angle in the downswing at hips height in a powerful player and you'll see the amount of that angle.

I think it is a lot to do with a powerful release.

Maybe I am wrong.

Toni.

I must admit I cant get to grips at all with this right hand drill stuff, it just makes no sense to me. I maintain that the shoulders should be fairly square to the ball target line at impact (maybe a little open) and the triangle between the arms chest and hands maintained.

This is where I generate power in my shot:

When I release the club I use the Puck method (As promoted by my Guru Nick Bradley) It's like the release an Ice Hockey player uses when he propels the puck forward. You get to the release position with your wrists fully loaded you then unwind your wrists and straighten your right arm through the ball (I don't follow this bent right arm stuff at impact) and allow your right wrist to push under your left through impact then the right forearm continues to rotate over the left after impact. This keeps the clubface square to target longer resulting in straighter and powerful ball flight.

Imagine when at address a piece of string tied tightly halfway up your right forearm then halfway down the shaft of the club, in the backswing it slackens then through the release it gets taught at impact, as your right wrists pushes under your left you want to SNAP the string just past the ball.

Try it at the range with some half 8 iron pitch type shots at first then work it into a full swing.

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Best Regards
Brian

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Funny o'l game!

Hi Brian,

Just a point that you make about no getting to grips with the right hand drill...........!!!!

The right hand drill actually creates the lag in the wrists and therefore helps your release through the ball, I agree it is very difficult to master and probably is the hardest part of the game this is why tour players have this part of their game comes as a natual move.

Like you I struggle with lag and tend to cast when the pressure is on, I had a lesson recently and discovered a drill which complements the right hand drill a treat.

Set up normally then lift your right heel off the ground and lean you weight onto your right big toe and just swing in this position, if like me you will notice something very different through the impact area and through the release, it should appear a lot quicker and easier also you hands and right hip go through the ball together.


Hope this helps you like it has helped me.


Ian.

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Once you learn the swing, your next step is mastering golf psychology................

Hi Ian,

I think you misunderstand me (It's probably that I didn't explain well enough) I have no problems with releasing the club or creating power in my swing. I didn't start this discussion thread to seek help with my swing but to promote discussion and different ideas on this important part of the golf swing.

When I said I can't get to grips with this right hand drill I meant that I just don't understand the concept of keeping your right wrist cocked and the shoulders rotated way past level at impact (As promoted in Greg's right hand drill) I am not suggesting it is wrong just that I don't get it. I have explained how I create head speed, power and accuracy through the release in my previous post.

Hope this explains.

__________________
Best Regards
Brian

________________________________
Funny o'l game!

Hi, Ian and Brian.

I agree with you, Ian, because sometime a Pro put a ball under my right heel and I felt a easy and powerful swing in this position but I don't think you are swinging everytime on the course like that and I don't have a ball stuck down my shoe.

My question is

What this simple set up change (right hip height per example) encourages to do and what is the physical explanation of this effect-cause?

I think nothing to do directly with your wrists but with a proper weight transfer...

If you don't properly weight transfer (backswing and downswing), you will have to manipulate the club in the downswing making so difficult a good hands position at the impact, casting, etc...

I don't want to stick a ball up down my heel, Ian. Let us search.

Excuse my poor English.


Toni.

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To feel fear is also beautiful. -Curro Romero- (bullfighter)

Hi Toni,

You are right, the drill does encourage the weight to be kept on the front foot but as far as I can see does nothing much for the release.

Regarding your English, I think it's better than some of us that speak it as a first language.

I am getting the advise from Andrew Mowatt on this topic.

The 1st objective of the swing is to strike the ball....this can only be achieved with the use of the clubhead! The golf swing when performed smoothly is metronomic by nature meaning whether you swing a putter back 6 inches or a driver back to full load the time taken to get to impact takes the same time. Now with this in mind imagine picking up a small hammer and striking a nail, your primary target is the head of the nail and you imagine only swinging the hammer head to the nail.Take a fishing rod which has a much longer lever length and think of what you do with the tip of the rod.In both cases your only concern is to unload the tip at the target.
In golf right from the top of the swing we unload the club head directly at/up through the ball, thereare no positions on the way to the ball that we consciously perform.The reason being when you commence your primary movement from the back swing to the ball you have less than 1/4 second before you strike impact.This fundamental is confused when watching high speed photography.However the need to swing the club head like swinging a hammer or a tennis racquet etc is fundamental in human movement.
People often discuss the ulna/radius deviation as some movement we have to perfect for golf, yet throwing a ball, playing tennis it is something that occurs reactively to the forces of the swing, not something we do conciously.