How to RELEASE the Golf Club - Hand Release VS Body Rotation Release

[@hocheye]

The other day my swing was awful, yesterday it was the best it's ever been.I started literally pushing my club face closed to the ball on my backswing, coming back on the same plane in the downswing. My posture was usually pulling up as you demonstrated, now keeping my front shoulder down and rotating through a huge improvement. Now I believe I turn better through the ball everything I hit is straight now, and I also had some club movement before impact using a very slightly stronger grip has eliminated that. Great video!

[@TruGolfAcademy]

Great to hear. The face won’t actually be closed in the backswing but less open. Always happy to take a look if I can help. I’m offering the first online lesson free, so let me know if I can help at all. I can send info if you drop me your email address or get in touch via my website 👍🏻

[@bluedevil4120]

This was extremely informative and helpful. Your best video by far! I struggle with a cupped wrist/open face at impact. This video was the “ah-ha” moment I needed! Thanks!

[@TruGolfAcademy]

You are so welcome! Glad it helped, thanks for your comment 👍🏻

[@williamkerner]

I've worked with both techniques. I find that the "body release" causes me to be more accurate but I find that it is lacking power. You can only turn your body so fast, the benefit of the hand release is that it is easier to generate more power however at the cost for accuracy, it becomes an issue of timing. I was using the "body release" and I was frustrated that I was only hitting my 7 iron 125 yards, out of frustration I switched to the "hand release" method and I hit my next shot 155 yards. I've seen several videos on this topic but it would be nice to see a comparison that measures the speed differences. I also find that these videos are always siting the pros, Dustin Johnson..., they already generate enough club head speed but these videos need to focus on how this method impacts an average golfer, I think if that occurred it would show a decrease in club head speed.

[@TruGolfAcademy]

The speed from the hands is best when it’s Downcock the wrists and the lead wrist moving from flexed to extended. My point is to try and take out excessive rolling the forearms. 👍🏻

[@mikebeck2274]

Great stuff. Something I have been working on. Thanks

[@TruGolfAcademy]

Good stuff!

[@Puttj]

I get more power and increased repeatability with the body swing release. I was mixing the two for so long with confusing results. Thanks for the help!

[@TruGolfAcademy]

Good stuff! Thanks for the comment 👍🏻

[@williamkerner]

I found it just the opposite for me, see my comment above, I feel like the club head speed is slower but the shot is more accurate with the "body release".

[@BDS8806]

@@williamkerner 100% agree. I've found my way to a body release style swing. I've topped out at 85mph with 7i, with varying results. I was able to hit the ball cleaner, but my back paid the price. I went to a hand release and gained 10mph, just not as consistent. My back is telling me that working on timing is a better route than trying to get more distance out of a body release. I'm working on trying to find a happy medium.

[@BDS8806]

Another positive for the hand release, for me. I've been having a problem with trajectory with a body release swing. After switching to hand release, the ball towers in the air along with distance gained. me two cents.

[@henryzhang9915]

I desperately need this, great video.

[@TruGolfAcademy]

Many thanks, hope it helps

[@mynameismark25]

What's the biggest difference between modern swings vs old school swings for this to have changed? Even though the old school pattern is rarely seen on tour, it's still taught at clubs.

[@davidgray5570]

Fantastic video. Do you have any insight on which method is easier on the back? I'm a ex-PGA member that took over a decade off from the game. I learned the hand release and play a trap (due to growing up playing in high wind). My brain still thinks I'm a ~+2, but my body says, "whoa Sparky...you're a five."

[@TruGolfAcademy]

Many say the handsy release is better for those less flexible. But with this you do tend to see more rounding of spine and pressure on the lower body. The perhaps more modern look of body opening more, hands exiting more inwards, tends to help maintain spine angle.

[@jmb4172]

This is excellent stuff!

[@TruGolfAcademy]

Thank you 🙏

[@japapelili]

Good video ❤

[@derekparkinson156]

"Love " it this is just what I'm working on, going well

[@TruGolfAcademy]

Great, hope the video helps 👍🏻

[@jefferyjohnson6344]

For an older golfer like myself, I find the wrist release to be much more easy to do..

[@tobybarker6808]

I was JUST about to type that when I saw your comment....couldn't agree more. Ive tried the body release but I get a load of back problems, so I'm going back to the wrist release

[@jw2par]

😂😂 I'm 55 and I was about to type the same thing

[@mynameismark25]

why do you think that is?

[@Robert-ts2ef]

Been trying the body swing Jon but I am not getting any height, all the shots are lower than the expected loft. Am I getting the hands too far ahead on impact thereby delofting the club face too much? IShould the club shaft and club face be in line at impact or should the hands be ahead for compression? Thanks

[@TruGolfAcademy]

Hi Robert, hard to say without seeing some swings. I’m going to make a video offering everyone a free online lesson, maybe of interest? Drop me an email to [e-mail] and I’ll send info. The amount of shaft lean (hands ahead of the club would depend on the club, ball position and shot your trying to hit but as a general rule if you could have your hands ahead with a mid iron by around 5 degrees (Tour average more 10) with a mid iron but around level with the clubhead with a driver.

[@mikemiotto]

Confused….Why wouldn’t you take a stronger grip to create the affect? Or should you use neutral grip and turn the left wrist down?

[@TruGolfAcademy]

A stronger grip would create more wrist hinge (rotation) for the hand to return to its neutral position. This will help close the clubface but create a higher rate of clubface closure (often less consistent) changing the wrist angle instead should mean more clubface control (a slower rate of clubface closure at impact) Does that make sense?

[@Jsizzle6809]

Freddy Couples prefers the hands release.

[@TruGolfAcademy]

A blend of the two as he does open body well through impact too!

[@2dolphins980]

Hand released just before impact has two virtues at once. 1. the club path is switched from down and through to up and in. 2. Additional club head speed exactly where you need it.

[@skfgspdp]

in the last 10 years which pga pro win more? a hand release pattern or a body release?

[@TruGolfAcademy]

Body! Although I’m not suggesting there isn’t Downcock of wrists, and lead wrist moving from flexion to extension just a slower rate of closure with most consistent players

[@Robert-ts2ef]

Isn’t the body release more of a strain on the back for a senior golfer (73)?

[@TruGolfAcademy]

Potential, depending on flexibility. I’m not suggesting there isn’t hands in the release just that you want the body to keep rotating also. Many senior golfers limit this by keeping their head down to long, not flairing their lead foot out at set up and often starting with too much pressure into their heels at set up.

[@Jsizzle6809]

Yes Robert. Jason day will not be able to swing in his senior years like he is now but Phil mickleson and Freddie couples will be able to swing well into their senior years relatively the same. But with a hands release you can miss left or right. Body release you can just aim down the left side of the fairway and hit a fade all day

[@Puttj]

@@TruGolfAcademy I am finding the body release to be less stressful. Less effort more power.

[@Ben59910]

I find body release to be less flippy and helps me finish with a good posture

[@Pjkoko]

Creating an either or is artificial. Both are needed. Pure body release is quite contrived and artifical.

[@JaseNorth]

Wonder who you was talking about with the good wrists but bad posture 👀😂

[@TruGolfAcademy]

I don’t know 🤷🏻‍♂️ what your talking about 😂

[@stephenjones9840]

You'll hit it further with a hands release, you should only bother with a bodybrelease if you your hitting some shots way too far and your draw is becoming more of a hook. If you're a slicer learn to draw the ball then reign it back in later with the body.

[@frankielambardo9268]

Absolutely not, you couldn't be more wrong.

[@TruGolfAcademy]

We absolutely need our hand speed but personally I would like this to be down cocking the wrists and moving from flexion to extension of the lead wrist. Time that with body rotation and we have something great!

[@stephenjones9840]

@@TruGolfAcademy I just imagine the clubhead is attached to the handle by a piece of string and swing the blubhead backwards and forward around my body. As long as I maintain the feel of swinging I hit it straight every time. Absolutely no need to think of anything else other than the feeling in my hands of swinging the weight of the clubhead.

[@Puttj]

@@stephenjones9840 I think the swing is more technical than that.