Release Thoughts

There are two images of Ernie Els I see on one of the pages on the site you refered to:
http://jeffmann.net/Els-postimpact1.jpg
http://jeffmann.net/Els-postimpact.jpg

I take it you are referring to the second picture. I think that is a very decieving picture. We are neither observing from the target line, nor face on. The perspective we are presented with is from a very off angle. It presents an illusion of the arms crossing over. Perhaps that is why the author of that article selected it.
I believe he enlarged two frames of the swing sequence you can find on redgoats website of Ernie Els hitting a driver in 2002.
http://redgoat.smugmug.com/gallery/79626#2831664
(If you look at the address position in that swing sequence Els target is clearing not us, and the angle can be misrepresented to try to make incorrect assumptions. I belive it is a good direction from which to observe body angles, arms and body synch, and x-factor. Any conclusions drawn from that perspecitve by Jeff Mann should be taken with a grain of salt).

Hello Avid Golfer:

The second photo you have linked of Els is the exact photo I was refering to in my last post. Just to clarify, Jeff Mann agrees wth you that there is no crossover of the hands or wrists. I only use the photo from his tutorial as evidence of what I still believe is an actual crossing over of the hands.

As I review that photo, I actually drew a line extending through the butt of the shaft as an axis point and the hands are crossed. The right hand is clearly on top of the left. This is about a 90 degree rotation happening during the recocking phase of the follow through. This is just a split second in time and that crossover does go away as the follow through progresses and the hands come back behind the head. In fact in Jeff Manns article, it shows Aron Baddely in a shot from down the line and as the hands appear over his left shoulder in the follow through, the crossover is no longer evident. I know I am hard headed but I still believe for many players, including the pros, there is a slight crossover for a very breif period of time as the right hand covers the left in the release. This is more pronounced for some (I assume when hitting draws) and less for others but I see the crossover too often to believe it is not occuring. I am taking into account the position of the torso relative to the hands but the right hand is on top of the left wich is not the case at set-up. Thats my story and I'm sticking to it! LOL

Another feeling that I strive for to achieve a full release is to have the inside portion of my wrists touch in the follow through. At set up, obviously the wrists are separated somewhat but as I swing I want that inside wrist area to contact past impact which puts my right hand covering my left. I have to suppinate my left hand somewhat to achieve this. Again, this may all be perception on my part as far as concept, feel and execution but I have to say my ballstriking is much more solid and consistent using this method or swing key. My left wrist is flat at impact with my hands leading the shaft just slighty. The sensation is that I'm hitting the ball with topspin as with a tennis racket? Crazy maybe but it;s working.....for now.

Thanks again for your feedback.

Tim.

The attached link to a PDf gives an explanation by David Blair on the important role the wrists and hands play in the golf swing. There is a part showing his take on wrist rotation.

http://www.nationalclubgolfer.com/we...aboutspeed.pdf

3sk's has simplified the swing for me. i try to unhinge the wrists as late as possible , and my arms cross over as pics show.
not easy to get right every time , but 4 months in and getting the hang of it.
release thought?..... unhinge late .

Practice the full swing and stopping at impact, this will show many errors or if you are a pro maybe just the odd hint of an error!

For a right handed player, try and focus on the back of the left hand being square at impact, practice this say six times and then hit a full shot with the same feeling of having a square back of the left hand at impact. The release of the hands will work automatically through impact, especially if what went before is balanced and in sync.

You often read about ways to retain angles in the wrists while making a golf swing, but in doing so you loose sight of what you are trying to achieve, namely hitting the ball straight down the middle.

Learn to hit it straight, then you can learn to hit it hard, but gracefully like the big EE.

Ernie Els Square back of left hand at impact.(Good photo that)

http://jeffmann.net/Els-postimpact1.jpg

Moe rotated his wrists and was considered a pretty good striker of the ball.