Releasing the golf club allows you to hit straight shots. However, most amateur golfers struggle with when and how to release a club. In fact, when you first start playing golf, the release is challenging to figure out.
If you are looking for information on how to release a golf club and do it consistently, we have everything you need. The perfect golf club release is attainable, and I’ve helped hundreds of students achieve it.
What Is The Release In The Golf Swing?
The release is the part of the golf swing where players can take all of the potential or stored energy in the backswing and release it into the ball. Part of becoming a great golfer is learning how to coil and create tension and resistance in the backswing. When you can let that go and apply it to the golf ball, it’s called the release.
For most players, the release of the golf club feels as though the toe of the club is turning over and the face is squaring up. Releasing the golf club is a bit easier if your timing is correct, and this happens all at the right moment to maximize distance and increase accuracy.
Most golfers that struggle with the release in the golf swing are those that release too late. Players end up having their face open at impact, and they often hit a slice.
Some golfers will overdo the motion it takes to release the golf club and end up hitting a shot that goes well left of the target.
I have always felt the release as a rotation of my forearms. For some players, it is felt more in the hands. The key is to understand what the release is, how it feels, and the best way to ensure you time it correctly.
How to Release a Golf Club
Now that you understand what a release in golf is, you have to learn how to release the golf club. This is something that you will have to feel to do it properly. However, there are some key fundamentals that you need to have in place if you want to release a golf club properly and consistently.
Get A Great Setup
The setup in golf is so important, and if you don’t have it correct, it will impact your ability to release the golf club. One of the most common mistakes we see players make is setting up with their stance open.
If your stance is open to the target, it can often cause issues with having enough room to get the club to release on the proper path. Having a great setup makes sure you have room to let your swing do what it needs.
In addition to setting up correctly, the grip is also essential.
To release the club properly, you will want a neutral grip and light grip pressure. The light pressure increases the ability of your hands and arms to rotate and eventually make square contact with the ball.
Proper Rotation
Rotation can be challenging to figure out in the golf swing. Many golfers feel like they get power by sliding from the right foot to the left foot. The hips will move quite a bit horizontally. This move is actually not that powerful and can result in issues with releasing the golf club.
Instead of sliding, make sure that you are doing an excellent job of pivoting and rotating in the golf swing. If you can get these down, the timing of the release becomes much easier.
In addition, for golfers that slide through impact, the negative results of not releasing will be amplified. Instead of maybe seeing a fade-type ball flight, it could turn into a real slice.
When you have the rotation concept down, it becomes easier to work on the next steps of releasing the golf club.
My favorite drill for improving rotation is to put alignment sticks into the ground on either side of my hips at setup. When I swing back, I want to rotate around this stick, and when I swing through, I want to rotate around the stick on the other side.
This feeling of keeping the swing more centered and improving rotation is a great benefit.
Check out this article by Skilled Golf on what clubs should I have in my bag.
Give It Your Full Speed
So many of the golf students I have worked with found that the key to the proper release in their golf swing was to go after the ball at full speed. If you are holding back for any reason, it’s time to give it your full effort.
One of the thoughts that help me release the golf club is being aggressive at impact. This aggressive impact increases the ability to turn the club over at the right time. When you try to slow things down and think more about position than speed, it can be hard to time the release properly.
Speed is a good thing, and if you have it, you should learn to use it! After you have learned the proper release positioning and feel, make sure that when you get out to the golf course, you are still going after the ball.
There is no sense in holding back if you have put the time in to improve.
Feeling The Turn Over
Although golfers need to be careful not to exaggerate the shots they hit, they must also learn to turn over the ball. Feeling the turnover is when you notice a rotation in your forearms that takes the clubface from being open to being square to the target.
This should happen right before impact as the golf club is on the proper path. If you feel the turn over properly, you should also notice that you get much more power in your golf shots.
Finding The Equipment That Matches Your Game
Last but not least, when learning to release a golf club, you also need to ensure you have the proper equipment. Many golfers struggle with the release because they are not able to turn the club over when it is too stiff.
When a golf club is very stiff, it makes it hard to release it. You would need to have your swing speed tested during a custom fitting to be able to determine the exact equipment match for your golf game.
For golfers that struggle to release the club, chances are the shaft you are playing with is too stiff for your abilities. The results should be considerably improved if you go to something a little less stiff.
FAQs
Here are a few of the most commonly asked questions about releasing a golf club. This is one of the more difficult concepts in golf to understand. However, if you practice and study the concept, you should be able to get this figured out.
Conclusion
At this point, you should feel more confident in your ability to release the golf club. A release is something that the best players in the game have mastered, but all golfers need to learn to release. When you release the golf club correctly, you will notice higher ball flight, more distance, and better overall control of the ball. Once you have these things down, your scores should reflect the differences in performance.
