Jackson Reid
Early release, or casting, is a common problem in golf, especially among amateur golfers. It occurs when the arms straighten too early in the downswing, resulting in very little lag. This can lead to a loss of power and inconsistent contact with the ball, causing thin and fat shots and a lack of distance. To prevent early release, golfers can try various drills, such as the motorcycle drill, the squat move, and the alignment stick drill. Additionally, focusing on the wrist position and ensuring a closed clubface can help delay the release and improve ball striking.
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What You'll Learn
- Drills to fix early release: the motorcycle drill, the penny drill, the credit card drill, and the squat move
- The role of the wrists: the importance of wrist position, and how to avoid hinging too early
- The role of the clubface: how an open clubface can cause early release
- The role of the lower body: how the sequence of the lower body and hips affects the swing
- The role of the arms: how arm position can cause early release
Drills to fix early release: the motorcycle drill, the penny drill, the credit card drill, and the squat move
The Motorcycle Drill
This drill gets its name from twisting a motorcycle throttle. Imagine gripping a motorcycle throttle with your lead hand (the left hand for right-handed golfers) and feel the knuckles of your lead hand rotate counter-clockwise (toward the ground) at the start of your downswing. This rotation helps “close” the clubface earlier.
The Motorcycle Drill is one of the best wrist action drills you can practice to fix that position. It helps you learn the proper wrist position in the golf swing and promotes a flatter (or slightly bowed) lead wrist, helping you square the face earlier in your downswing.
The Penny Drill
Place a penny down and try to hit it so that it soars high through the air. This will help you adjust your swing so you aren't striking the ball too high. Once you get a feel for hitting pennies, place a golf ball on top of one.
The Credit Card Drill
This drill is important for wrist angles and ensuring you deliver the club to the ball as efficiently as possible.
The Squat Move
This drill is not explicitly mentioned, but a similar drill exists. The "box drill" involves placing a cardboard box on its side behind a hole, with the open top of the box facing you, and practicing putting from various distances. If you sink the ball into the hole, give yourself two points; if you miss but the ball ends up in the box, give yourself one point.
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The role of the wrists: the importance of wrist position, and how to avoid hinging too early
The wrists play a vital role in golf and are capable of three sets of distinct movements: flexion and extension, supination and pronation, and ulnar and radial deviation. The wrists control the clubface, and the right wrist mechanics can help you take control of your game.
The wrists should be in a neutral or flat position at the setup, with the club gripped in the fingers of your hand rather than the palm, to allow for the correct wrist angles to generate the most power. The wrists then move through extension to flexion in the backswing to close the clubface.
To avoid hinging too early, it is important to understand the situation of your wrists and the clubface at the top of your swing. The clubface must be squared early in the downswing, and this is achieved by moving from a bowed wrist with a neutral grip (which will give a closed clubface) to a cupped wrist (which will give an open clubface). An open clubface at the top of the swing will cause an early release, so it is important to work on your wrist position to avoid this.
Drills such as the headcover drill and the motorcycle drill can help you to improve your wrist action and get into a more flexed position. The HackMotion wrist sensor can also be used to monitor your wrist movement and ensure you are staying in a consistent, repeatable position.
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The role of the clubface: how an open clubface can cause early release
The clubface plays a crucial role in the golf swing, and an open clubface at the top of the backswing is a common cause of early release. This occurs when the clubface is not square to the target line at impact, leading to a slice or a hook. To avoid this, golfers must control the clubface angle by managing their grip, wrist angle, forward shaft lean, and proper rotation.
An open clubface at the top of the golf swing forces an early release as the clubface has to move towards square during the downswing. This early release can be exacerbated by golfers who try to manipulate the clubface during the swing to keep it square. This can lead to inconsistent contact with the ball and a loss of distance. Therefore, it is essential to focus on achieving a square clubface early in the swing, which provides time to accelerate through impact and increase clubhead speed.
The wrist position is a key factor in controlling the clubface angle. Excessive wrist hinge or flexion during the swing can cause an open clubface. Drills such as the motorcycle drill can help golfers learn to flex their lead wrist, closing the clubface. Additionally, maintaining a slight forward shaft lean at setup, combined with proper weight transfer, helps deliver a square clubface at impact.
To summarise, an open clubface at the top of the golf swing is a significant contributor to early release. Golfers can improve their clubface angle by focusing on wrist position, forward shaft lean, and weight transfer, ultimately improving their ball striking and overall golf performance.
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The role of the lower body: how the sequence of the lower body and hips affects the swing
The lower body and hips play a crucial role in the golf swing, affecting both power and accuracy. Properly engaging the legs, hips, and core can significantly enhance swing mechanics, resulting in improved distance and precision.
The lower body acts as the foundation of the swing, providing the necessary force to generate clubhead speed. The rotational power from the hips and legs transfers through the core to the upper body, resulting in a powerful swing. This is known as the kinematic sequence, which refers to the sequential movement and timing of body segments during an athletic motion, creating a whiplash effect. The hips are the first segment to move, beginning the downswing phase, followed by the shoulders, arms/hands, and finally, the club head.
To improve your swing, focus on drills that emphasize lower body engagement. For example, practice swinging with your feet together to encourage proper hip rotation and balance. The correct sequence of the lower body and hips should feel like a separation, with the left hip initiating the downswing after the backswing is completed through the shoulder turn. This creates torque, resulting in arm speed through the ball. While the upper body provides most of the movement as it controls the golf club, the lower body and hips provide stability and balance, ensuring a consistent swing.
Additionally, an open clubface at the top of the golf swing can cause an early release, as the clubface has to move towards square, leading to an early release attempt. This can be influenced by the wrist position, with too much hinge early in the swing making an early release worse. Drills such as the motorcycle drill can help get your lead wrist into a more flexed position, reducing the chances of an early release.
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The role of the arms: how arm position can cause early release
The positioning of the arms and wrists is crucial in the golf swing, and can often be the cause of an early release. An early release is when the arms straighten too early in the downswing, resulting in very little lag. This can cause a loss of distance and accuracy, and can make it difficult to compress the ball.
At the start of the swing, the hands should be in a neutral position, with the club shaft aligned with the lead forearm. The back of the lead hand should mirror the angle of the clubface. It is important not to start with an overly cupped or bowed lead hand and wrist position, as this can cause the clubface to turn incorrectly. The wrists should be stable, and the lead wrist should be flat or slightly flexed.
As the swing moves towards the transition, the lead wrist should be flexed, not extended. This is a crucial point, as the downswing is initiated with the lower body turn, and the hands will naturally fall into place and release towards the target. The hands should stay ahead of the clubhead, with the lead hand firm at impact.
After impact, the wrists will naturally release, with the lead wrist moving from slightly bowed to neutral or extended. This is the only time during the swing when both arms are straight, and it is a checkpoint to determine the quality of the swing. The arms should be fully extended, with the elbows the same distance apart as they were at the start.
To work on improving the arm position, golfers can try drills such as the motorcycle drill, the Rob Cheney drill, and the Hit Hard, Stop Quick Drill.
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Frequently asked questions
An early release in golf, also known as "casting the club", is when the arms straighten too early in the downswing, resulting in very little lag.
An early release can lead to a lot of thin and fat shots, making it hard to hit a lot of greens in regulation and score your best. It can also make it difficult to compress the golf ball and result in a loss of power and distance.
An early release can be caused by a variety of factors, including a weak grip, poor sequencing of the downswing, and an open clubface at the top of the swing.
There are several drills and techniques you can use to stop an early release. One method is to focus on continuously adding flexion to your lead wrist until the club reaches parallel, then smoothly complete your swing. Another drill involves using an alignment stick to limit your backswing and focus on proper wrist movement. Additionally, you can try hitting half shots with only your lead arm to improve the position of your wrist through impact. You can also try the penny drill, the credit card drill, or the Hit Hard, Stop Quick Drill.
