The Power Release Types
IN: Golf Instruction | by Paul Hart | 07 Jan 2008
The Release is a term thrown around in the media and more often than not it is assumed that the reader knows what it actually is. Simply put, Release is the application of the force that has been loaded and stored up in a golf swing. To know how it functions makes this one of the most productive studies you can make.
Let’s look at four angles within a golf swing that can be used to store energy and how it can be released.
These angles are:
#1 - The right elbow
#2 - The left wrist
#3 - The hand/shaft turning angle
#4 - The left shoulder joint
They are numbered for ease of use in discussion.
Let’s examine three different swings with different release types.
Sweep Release
First we’ll look at a sweep release. From the top loading point as shown in Fig 1, slowly and evenly let all the angles open throughout the downswing. This will have the look of an early uncocking action as shown in Fig.2. They will all come into line after impact at the follow-through point where both arms are straight as in Fig.6. Tom Watson made a good living using this release type.
Random Release
The second swing shows a random release, illustrated in Fig. 3. Hold the angles to a point of your choosing about halfway through the downswing. Jack Nicklaus used this release type, and most golfers do, so you are in great company.
Snap Release
The third example shows a snap release. Retain the angles until
the hands have gone past the ball, as shown in Fig. 4. Tiger and
Ben Hogan use the snap release. Here you can see that the club
head will accelerate the fastest to the ball in the shortest
amount of time.
It is somewhat more difficult to master.
Float Loading
One further release pattern to throw into the mix is used with a loading method called Float Loading, which is achieved on the downswing as shown in Fig 5. In float loading, more wrist cock angle is added in the downswing to the angle at the top of the swing.
Its release is similar to the snap release, but it has a lazy rhythm. Sergio Garcia is a great example using this loading and release.
All swings are aimed through to both arms straight, Fig 6 , and the finish swivel, Fig.7, carries it all the way to the finish, Fig. 8.
These four swings are the basic possibilities. Of course there is a variation best suited for each of us. Each has high value to some one with some club at some time. One release may well fit short clubs better and another fit longer clubs better.
The next thing worth doing is to experiment with letting the angles go in a wider or tighter sequence. You can spread the releases from the start of the downswing with the arms and let the wrists and hands go later, or save the angles for the bottom of the swing so they are all released almost at once.
As you can imagine, the concentrated release is a more advanced method. It is worthwhile knowing about in case you stumble across it. Many good moves are dismissed because they feel funny or are thought of as unorthodox. If it makes sense in theory keep it for later development.
The normal procedure is a half sweep or random release triggered at your point of choosing. You might like a thigh-level release with your seven iron and a shoulder-level release with the driver. This is termed “non-automatic”.
The automatic release type drives the hands at a point on the ground designed to give the club the necessary alignments for the “moment of truth”, impact.
So you see there is a lifetime of fun in this area. And with age our abilities change. Fortunately you gain some to compensate for those you lose and it is very useful to be able to adjust your release type to suit your abilities.
Like every thing else these things are best learned simply and easily, not forcing the rate of progress. Take one angle and watch it closely as it moves around its circle overtaking its preceding part at the time you deem to be correct for your purpose.
Ignore cheerfully the “conventional wisdom” – if you are going to have a golf swing you may as well know how it was built and by whom, and how it can adjusted or rearranged.
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