Golf Swing Release

The golf swing release can be described as the releasing of power in the down swing at the right moment to get the best possible result. This power is stored in the back swing through the correct hinging of the right wrist. Let us take a look at how you can improve your release and achieve more accuracy and distance.



It all starts with your grip pressure. Most golfers grip incorrectly with their left hand too much in the palm of the hand. This forces you to hold the club tighter than needed and tension spreads to your arms. It now becomes very difficult to let the right wrist hinge naturally on the back swing and create power through the ball.



The feeling that is being created here is locking the wrists on the back swing. Subconsciously you want to be in control of the club and unfortunately you end up restricting the most important move to power and consistency. Release means to “let go,” not of the golf club, but of the stored energy you have created in the back swing.



I am a firm believer in a natural or passive release of the club through the ball. If you do certain things correctly then you will not have to “think” of how and when to release the power. It will happen automatically at the right time.



The best place to start working on achieving a natural release is to have your left hand grip holding the club across the base of the fingers, with a feeling of pressure on the last three fingers. You will discover that not much pressure is actually needed to hold the club and feel control. The feeling of pressure in the right hand is on the middle two fingers only. The role of the pressure in these middle two fingers is to simply hold the left thumb and unite the hands in order that they can work as one.



The correct grip pressure now gives you greater feel for the club head when it is set in motion, allowing the right wrist to hinge back on itself automatically in the back swing. Please understand that there is no need to consciously cock the wrists, as this will throw the club off the natural swing path you started it on.



When you left arm is about parallel to the ground half way into your back swing, your right wrist will be fully set or cocked, forming a 90 degree angle between your left arm and the shaft. Your power is now loaded and is carried to the top of the swing by the shoulder turn.



On the return back to the ball this loaded position of the club and wrist should be maintained as long as possible into the down swing. The later it can be held the more power is generated through impact.



A critical move that is necessary to delay this loaded position and deliver a more powerful blow to the ball is to make sure that the hip turn to the left initiates the down swing, and not your shoulders.



A great tip is to feel the hands and left hip work together on the down swing.



When the hands have moved past hip height on their way down to the ball they begin rotating anti clockwise into the ball squaring up the club face.



The power being generated here is through rotation and un cocking the right wrist. The familiar position of the arms crossing over halfway through impact can be seen in all good players.



I hope you understand how beneficial a good golf swing release is and how to apply it to your swing.