Quote:
Originally Posted by SilverUberXeno  I've added 15+ yards to my iron game by incorporating a proper release, which I thought I already had.
I think the term "release" is misleading, because you shouldn't be holding the club in any restrictive way that you would have to make an effort to "release" it.
First of all, make sure you are rotating in your swing. It's entirely possible to hit the ball straight and fairly far with an arm swing, but your hands will NOT turn over naturally if you do this. Make sure you are turning around your spine, and that your left shoulder ends up in front of you, AND that your right shoulder ends up behind you. Rotate!
Secondly, stop trying to use your hands. When you first adopt a true rotational swing, you will probably hit make hooks. This is because your hands are still too active. When you rotate, AND you're handsy, you will turn the club over twice, technically.
When you are at address, the club should be square to your target line without any effort in manipulating the club. So if you swing around yourself and don't overuse your hands, you will return you this position; that is, the position if your left hand facing the target, and the clubface being square.
LOOSEN YOUR GRIP. When you turn back, have the toe of the club facing the sky at hip height (did PaJayhawk post this recently? Someone did.). After that, just let things happen. Your wrists will hinge naturally at the top of the downswing. Start your swing with your hips as you should, letting your shoulders and arms follow, NATURALLY. Your hands and clubhead should be the last thing through, and if you keep your rotation going, the clubface will be close to, if not square, at impact.
Problems you may find when you start ingraining this feel are:
a) The hook. Take some slow practice swings and get a feel for how softly to hold the club. All you want to do is hold it, not manipulate it. You will turn the club over with your body rotation.
b) The push. This occurs when your hands are appropriately quiet, but you do not rotate fully. Ideally, you will come from the inside, to square, then back to the inside. If you fail to rotate through impact, you will go inside, almost square, outside. This pushes the ball out to the right.
If these are your only two real mistakes, you're on the right track. Just use 3-4 continuous rotations in the form of practice swings to get the groove in before a swing. Think "Gentle grip, no hands, full rotation." You'll find that your finishing position becomes picturesque by accident- as it should be. |
This is an excellent analysis - really nails it. It's what I'm just now starting to understand and incorporate into my swing. It has helped a lot that I've been working on shortening my backswing by 1/2, while increasing my shoulder rotation by the same amount. Hard to explain, but once you feel it, and see the ball rocketing downrange with what feels like no effort at all, it's the next level. Release almost becomes a non-issue.