Club release

Hello..
I have just had my first lesson for quite some while, and have been told that I am not releasing the club at all - but I cant just picture what I need to do ..
(despite being told! )

I have seen some tips on internet that say its like using a hammer action, but im not sure with which hand !
its my left hand I am really confused with (being right handed).
Should my left wrist remain bowed or change to flat or cupped even?

I have suffered in the past with the hooks, due to my backing off the ball and
flipping my wrists , after a lot of work in reducing my wrist action I have preety much
removed this. So I am very reticent in introducing any kind of unnecessary wrist action !

Does anyone know of a good youtube link that explains this in detail -

tips very much appreciated .

Release is something that's difficult to coach and should come as a natural part of impact and follow through. It's also a phrase that people use when they don't know how to explain what you're doing wrong or not doing properly.

I'm assuming you're right handed so you need your left wrist flat or slightly bowed at impact. If your left wrist is at all cupped at impact you'll have no end of ball striking problems.

I would under no circumstances use any conscious wrist action - there's no way on Earth you can time it correctly when, say, swinging a driver with a clubhead speed which may be over 100mph.

Check your grip pressure. Are you gripping the club in a death grip i.e. far too hard? If your grip is overly tight your wrists won't release through impact properly.

Finally, you've been told you're not 'releasing' - what's your shot shape? What's your current 'miss'?

Thanks for that..
What Im currently doing is swinging very steeply , with the clubface very shut - and really just hitting down on the ball and turning through -
so the clubface is pretty square all the way through.
This is fine with my wedges ! getting quite a low ball flight and slight draw - so long as i really turn throught it.
Doesnt work at all for long irons though - and is very hard on the wrists !

So basically I should always be keeping my left wrist at least flat.
- is the release more of a 'vertical' hinge , or just a rotation of the arms ?
otherwise I can only see my wrist cupping.

Hmmm. First thing to say is....forums like this are the last place to take lessons!

However (and don't take this the wrong way) it sounds a bit like there's some other things to attend to before worrying about release or lack thereof.

(Almost) everyone will have a bowed wrist as they start a downswing and as you approach impact your wrist man sausage etc unwinds. It should happen as part of a natural swing. If you're finding yourself 'flipping' at the ball with cupped wrists at impact I'd wager you're either trying to help the ball in the air and/or leaving too much weight on your right side. If you get a proper weight transfer it's hard to flip at the ball with cupped wrists.

Ever thought of posting a video or two on YouTube, one taken down-the-line and another face on?

Can I be blunt?

busted wrote:...but I cant just picture what I need to do...

Whomever gave you this 'lesson' should be able to tell you what it is you're being expected to do/correct and how to visualise going about it. That's part of what you're paying for. Alternatively, they ought to be giving you some drills to work on - did they suggest anything?
As I said earlier, I think it sounds like there are some other things that should take priority over a supposed lack of 'release' and would, in fact, take care of a 'release' issue if they were addressed.

Got to love the profanity filter here! Where the above reads "man sausage" (), it should say c o c k.

I've always had too much of a wristy/handsy swing. Anyway, have been getting a series of lessons since early April. A few weeks ago I was told that the hands/wrists should only ever hinge UP and DOWN in a golf swing ... and NEVER LEFT and RIGHT. News to me, after several decades! Was shown the action holding the club straight out in front of me, then moving the clubhead up and down ... no waggling of the wrists left and right. Taking some getting used to, but I'm working on it!

Dave The Jackal wrote:I've always had too much of a wristy/handsy swing. Anyway, have been getting a series of lessons since early April. A few weeks ago I was told that the hands/wrists should only ever hinge UP and DOWN in a golf swing ... and NEVER LEFT and RIGHT. News to me, after several decades! Was shown the action holding the club straight out in front of me, then moving the clubhead up and down ... no waggling of the wrists left and right. Taking some getting used to, but I'm working on it!

im no pro... but that sounds a bit suspect to me!

Hi - im not really after a lesson from the general public - was more after a recomendation of a good explanation of it on youtube or such-like.
Yes I do have a lot of issues with my swing, but mostly to do with cocking my wrists - causing mis-transfer of weight etc on backswing, and now apparently no release of the club through impact.

Was very dissappointed with my lesson - but having won them , and not being able currently to afford to go to see the guy I used to see (for several years) I am trying to get the best from it.

Why don't you type man sausage wrists into you tube and look at some of the results?

upload a video and we can all have a look!

hend085

Pro was basically trying to correct my tendency to break my wrists too early and on the inside on the takeaway. On the backswing he was saying the wrists would only hinge UPWARDS through the turn, and not break RIGHT ... if that makes sense? Would hinge back DOWNWARDS to ball contact, then UP again on the follow through (rather than hinge to the LEFT).

ah yes that makes a bit more sense. presume you were turning the odd one over and had the odd duck hook?

busted wrote:Hi - im not really after a lesson from the general public - was more after a recomendation of a good explanation of it on youtube or such-like.
Yes I do have a lot of issues with my swing, but mostly to do with cocking my wrists - causing mis-transfer of weight etc on backswing, and now apparently no release of the club through impact.

Was very dissappointed with my lesson - but having won them , and not being able currently to afford to go to see the guy I used to see (for several years) I am trying to get the best from it.

Trouble is a good explanation is not that easy. I'm not sure how you can fail to release properly unless you're hitting a punch shot with a short follow through, deliberately holding off to prevent a hook etc. Does the guy who gave the lesson think you're failing to release as a function of the fact you're hitting down too steeply and the deep contact with the turf is preventing release of the clubhead? If so, whats he talking about release for as that's an effect and not a cause.

heres a drive of mine from last week!
be gentle!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6teLH-GF2g&feature=plcp#t=1m01s

hend085 wrote:ah yes that makes a bit more sense. presume you were turning the odd one over and had the odd duck hook?

Yes, exactly ... I was prone to more than the odd one pulled/hooked left though.

Working on fading the ball on the range now, to try to get that shot out of my system. Hard work though, after swinging one way for several decades!

[quote="navyblueshorts"]

busted wrote:Hi - im not really after a lesson from the general public - was more after a recomendation of a good explanation of it on youtube or such-like.
Yes I do have a lot of issues with my swing, but mostly to do with cocking my wrists - causing mis-transfer of weight etc on backswing, and now apparently no release of the club through impact.

Yes - thats it - Im just punching them really, with a cut off, held off follow through -
works fine with wedges .. but nothing else

hend085 wrote:heres a drive of mine from last week!

Looks fine to me !
where did it go ?

busted wrote:

hend085 wrote:heres a drive of mine from last week!

Looks fine to me !
where did it go ?

think it missed FW left by about 5 yards!

oh jeas - please dont even think about realising the club at a starting level. its just about set up and swing. Gonna be honest i think the pro should be telling you what to do in a different way.

he should be telling you get the swing correct from the start rather than concentrating on realse at impact. becuase if you get things right before impact you will relase ok.

there was a time when i was aiming to try and get alot of load on my swing and get the power realease- basically when you shaft whips back on the downsing to do it at the perfect time to maiximse the smash factor. but it is something that is very tough to get correct

mystiroakey wrote:oh jeas - please dont even think about realising the club at a starting level. its just about set up and swing. Gonna be honest i think the pro should be telling you what to do in a different way.

he should be telling you get the swing correct from the start rather than concentrating on realse at impact. becuase if you get things right before impact you will relase ok.

there was a time when i was aiming to try and get alot of load on my swing and get the power realease- basically when you shaft whips back on the downsing to do it at the perfect time to maiximse the smash factor. but it is something that is very tough to get correct

been playing for 30 years ! so not exactly 'starting'

If your start up and weight transfer is good then you should naturally man sausage your wrists relatively well - if you are over cocking to start with or 'laying' the club off then your going to naturally have to do more to square the club at impact

busted wrote:Thanks for that..
What Im currently doing is swinging very steeply , with the clubface very shut - and really just hitting down on the ball and turning through -
so the clubface is pretty square all the way through.
This is fine with my wedges ! getting quite a low ball flight and slight draw - so long as i really turn throught it.
Doesnt work at all for long irons though - and is very hard on the wrists !

So basically I should always be keeping my left wrist at least flat.
- is the release more of a 'vertical' hinge , or just a rotation of the arms ?
otherwise I can only see my wrist cupping.

I would forget about the wrists. The release should stem from your forearms turning anti clockwise (for RH'er) through impact. Left forearm supinating (turning up) and right forearm pronation (turning down). This action is a result of the rotation and timing of your swing that ultimately squares then closes the club head through impact. The big muscles of the body should drive this action. BUT if you have been actively holding off this action due to swing path/direction then you will need to initially exaggerate this action.

Ball flight is influenced by club path and club head only. Understand the relationships between these two things. My guess is that you are not releasing because you are compensating for a club path issue. The pro most probably wants to sort your club head first which then should highlight the path issue then move to fix that.

Or not...