Release the Golf Club like a Pro: Golf Lesson by Herman Williams, PGA Pro Raleigh NC

[cousinjuniorsamples]

Herman, slap, roll or in some way hit with the hands or just let them be passive? Some people say if you just relax the hands the club will square up on its own.

[hermanwilliamsgolf]

@cousinjuniorsamples In my world I don't see much stuff just happen on its own. When a Tour Player has done it correctly for 2 decades it often feels that way, but an amateur changing to something better for the first time will likely have to actively & consciously engage. Initially I don't even care if they overdo it as long as the change starts. So I say in your words go ahead and "slap, roll or hit." What would you do with a hammer? Your hand would guide & do the hitting.

[jeannortier]

Herman, what's nice about being Hermanised is that you actually understand what is happening to your own swing! Well done on your excellent tutorials. Questions from South Africa - how does the release change for the driver (not hitting down on the ball) and also, I presume that your forearms or hands work harder the longer you keep the lag in your swing going. What is the interplay between keeping the lag longer and the amount/pace that the hands/forearms work in the release? Tx!

[hermanwilliamsgolf]

@jeannortier Thanks for watching and commenting. No short answer for that one but I'll try. Ball position for driver will prevent too much downward attack. I like to build an aggressive release for my players until they can routinely hook the ball. Then I try to steadily increase their lag to negate the hook. It's definitely a learned process and can take some time, but it's not a mystery if you just apply steady practice time to it. Good luck. - Herman

[theciskokidd]

If yu tense your upper body muscles, arms, forearms, wrists you cannot properly release the club and you will lock the club from doing its job. Passive hands and wrists and just the let the whip of the club do its job. The only thing you have to do is put it into the slot and whip the club at the ball. "release" is really important to hit the ball with any distance, rotating is for control.

[johnsteelersfan]

thanks soo much very helpful!

[silowhore]

there's only one problem here, i can't stand any grip but the interlock and my fingers aren't quite long enough to overlap properly anyway. jack nicklaus, tiger, rory......all interlock, I don't see the problem here?

[hermanwilliamsgolf]

@silowhore Interlock works fine as long as you know the general pitfalls. Agreed, the players you listed are all very successful with this grip. However, most amateurs do not interlock as well as these great pros. As long as you can avoid the typical weak left hand and strong right hand with the right pinky buried all the way in the gap, you'll be fine. Additionally many interlock players eventually complain of joint pain in the interlocking knuckles. If you're happy, stay with what you've got.

[silowhore]

@hermanwilliamsgolf thanks for the reply, yeah im having a bit of trouble coming into the ball with a slightly open clubface at the moment, hence my viewing your video, so im trying to make a more conscious effort to turn the club over as i think that may be part of the problem. cheers herman

[hermanwilliamsgolf]

@silowhore You're working on the right stuff. Check my video on "how to stop blocking the ball" and also part 3 of my recent series on distance "impact & finish in golf swing part 3..."

[EverythingGolf]

@silowhore It all grips are fine, it depends on what you are comfortable with.

[slow50000]

I have watched hundreds of videos and for some reason this seemed to finally click. Great piece of information. Thanks

[senorchipotle]

thank you for your responses mr. williams. and like i said before, i apologize for my prior tone. i tend to get frustrated at certain golf teachings i've seen online, but clearly you've done the research and judging by your comments your lessons have allowed people to play better golf, which is ultimately what we're all shooting for. all the best.

[hermanwilliamsgolf]

@senorchipotle No apology necessary ... I'm sure others were thinking the same thing but wouldn't chime in. The conversation has likely helped someone out there. Healthy debate will advance all of us. Hopefully the takeaway from the discussion is that players get a good grasp of their current style patterns and swing behaviors so they can target the instruction that will help and avoid that which won't. Good luck with your game.

Herman

[senorchipotle]

with all due respect, this is terrible advice, unless of course you are trying to teach people to hit pulls and pull hooks. no decent ball striker consciously rotates their forearms in an attempt to time the impact. the golf swing happens entirely too quickly to be able to do this accurately, plus you lose clubhead speed and distance along with the pulls and hooks. 

[hermanwilliamsgolf]

@senorchipotle Thanks for your comment but I'll respectfully disagree based on the 1000's of people I've watched do it & the 40+ comments and more that have followed this video and my blog. The audience for this particular video is not "decent ball strikers" - it is for slicers who will need to exaggerate a change in this direction until they are finally able to experience a hook - training beyond perfect to achieve it. Granted this sounds "handsy" & won't be necessary for a better player.

[senorchipotle]

@hermanwilliamsgolf... i understand where you're coming from, i've known plenty who suffered from a slice. i apologize for the tone of previous comment. however, do you not feel that it would be just as easy to get them to swing without any conscious wrist/forearm action? they may be hitting a hook after this vid, but they'll still be using their wrists and forearms to guide the club. i have a cup at the top, but i never slice the ball and i don't give my wrists or forearms a second thought.

[hermanwilliamsgolf]

@senorchipotle I'd say it's unfortunate that some players will require conscious manipulation but nevertheless it is often necessary to retrain a bad habit they've internalized. Your assessment of your individual situation is perfect, however. I would not talk you out of cupping or passive wrists at all; your style is working. This is the main reason I don't teach a "method." In private 1-on-1 lessons we have cupped, bowed & flat players succeed. Youtube audience is too broad for 1 way to do it.

[senorchipotle]

@hermanwilliamsgolf ... what i'm trying to say is, why not skip that step and teach them about having passive wrists and forearms and let their body dictate the ball? that way they don't have to think about releasing the club or any of the other stuff that goes along with it.

[hermanwilliamsgolf]

@senorchipotle I'll tell you it simply doesn't work when you try to apply that thinking to the masses. You can get their body to do all you want, but a player with a chronic slice, frozen hands, etc. will have to deal with the thing that is directly connected to that club and clubface, and it's the hands. I love passive hands once a player has more awareness and experience and definitely would work a Tour player in that direction. Most amateurs outrun the clubface with their body action.

[julien69282]

@hermanwilliamsgolf

Herman,

Where can I purchase the oversized iron you use in the release video?

Win Byers

[hermanwilliamsgolf]

@julien69282 Got mine at Target years ago. Don't know if they still exist ... it's called the Monster wedge.

[TheSeer101]

@hermanwilliamsgolf I dont think you are telling someone to be handsy with this advice. As long as the golfer keeps extending the club after impact and keeping the club head low they should have a nice little draw

[jhaley12]

please help! I usually draw the ball but lately i've been pulling the grip end through first ahead of the clubhead causing either a heel hit (slice, cut) or a shank. I"ve tried everything and can't seem to get rid of this. Please help me on this. thanks.

[hermanwilliamsgolf]

@jhaley12 When you pull the butt of club through first, you need to be careful not to let it run away from you toward 1st base too much. The centrifugal force will continue to build and the clubhead will simply fly farther away from you at impact and shank the ball on an in to out path. Be sure to pull the handle along your toeline and then exit left after impact ... I'm assuming you are right-handed. Also make sure you are not underhanded-scooping with right hand - see my stop shanking video.

[saijinkai]

Hi, just wondering, I notice that I'm starting to understand my swing and this as well as the lag is what I'm working on. I usually finish high and my hands don't cross like that until after very late.

So does this swing work for a 2 plane-swinger like me? I tend to bring the club back a little more upwards than a 1 plane swinger.

Thank you

[hermanwilliamsgolf]

@saijinkai 2-planers need it even more than 1-planers, so definitely keep working on it. Lag will delay your release so you may block it or slice it while trying to lag. Follow that with work on your release and the "knuckles down" move from my video on how to stop blocking. Good luck and thanks for commenting and watching.

[Tuck1030]

This guy is good!! Working on this and it has really helped!!

[birdienfool]

Thanks Herman,

Your videos are very good. I think keeping my hands "quiet" thru the ball is a good way to put it. I feel like I'm pulling with hips, shoulder then get going, then its almost as if I'm just turning and doing noting at all with the handa except holding on tight. I know many advocate a soft grip, but I'm actually holding on pretty hard to keep the hands from turning over, and its working as long as I keep my hips turning hard thru the shot. If I get lazy with it, it hooks!

[hermanwilliamsgolf]

@birdienfool The key thing for me about what you are describing here is that everything you are doing fits together in terms of style ... no conflicts. An example of a mismatch would be a strong grip player trying to aggressively release the hands. So once all your style elements match, it's just a matter of being able to repeat it consistently and produce a desirable ball flight.

[birdienfool]

Thanks for the video. I've been plagued with hooking this year and I've discovered that if I dont keep my hips turning through the swing, the hands seem to release earlier, or too early, and the club turns over too soon. Also have been concentrating on continuing the "pull" from the left side all the way past impact. That seems to have done the trick. I'm now experimenting with almost a block release, where I am making an effort to hold on harder to the the club thru impact. Any thoughts?

[hermanwilliamsgolf]

@birdienfool The situation you describe is how a lot of Tour players feel. Once you have figured out how to get strong, aggressive, active hands you will often need to get the body more active to outrun them or learn to keep the hands "quiet" thru the ball. The typical amateur rarely gets to that place in his development without a lot of work. You may be perfectly ok to play like you have described it, but double check to be sure you don't have face closed in backswing or casting in downswing.

[supahbob94]

Herman, i have a question. Does the interlock grip in any way cause you to block your shots creating a slice? would it be better for me not to use that grip or should i just try and practice with a 10 finger grip and while playing use the interlock?

[hermanwilliamsgolf]

@supahbob94 The interlock grip itself wouldn't necessarily cause blocks or slices but the way you apply the interlock might be the problem. In my opinion most people struggle to place the hands correctly using the interlock & therefore can't use the hands and wrists very well elsewhere in the swing. Caveat - I've seen plenty of good amateurs and pros alike with interlock style & it works great. But in the trenches everyday teaching, I see way too many mistakes using it. I'd overlap & release.

[dennis4g1]

First let me say great stuff Herman. I'm working daily on your 3 techniques( grip,flat wrist, release) I'm battling 25 years of bad habits in all 3 areas. Right now I'm winning at the range but losing on the course. Wedges doing OK but long irons are fading or slicing left with loss of distance. (I'm a lefty). I have always battled week high fades and at worse bad slices. Driver is really bad. Have to say had the same problem with driver before new techniques but was always comfortable with low

[hermanwilliamsgolf]

@dennis4g1 Thanks for commenting. Those 3 areas alone account for most of the problems we see on the lesson tee in terms of shot direction. Make sure you are starting out with your right arm on top of your right chest as a lefty. See my setup video for tips. With the arm on top it's easier to get on path and release with less "chicken-winging" going thru the ball.

[MrSky57]

after taking your advice on thumb position in the netural grip I have to say that was a great tip for me a former strong gripper. One other thing that I do ( call it a waggle or what ever) is a very slight back press to start my back swing, I get full rotation but most important I hold the wrist lag right up until impact then Fire thru the ball finish balanced the important thing is those thumbs straight down the middle works better for me then the v to the armpit deal thanks your thoughts

[hermanwilliamsgolf]

@MrSky57 Thanks, glad those tips worked. I find that that the strong grip players, at least the amateur players that try it, are often a little loose & "cuppy"at top of backswing and may generate more wrist hinge than they can deal with. Tour players usually handle it ok, but they are in a different league. The neutral grip and neutral thumb position will support the club more firmly at the top especially with flat left wrist. Think "Steve Stricker" - hands are quiet and solid at the top.

[caloyjp]

What woull one need to do to properly time the release? Seems like the rotation will only leave a very small window for the clubface to hit the ball square. Any later or earlier and it would either be a slice or a hook. How do you time the relase or rotation of the forearms properly and consistently?

[hermanwilliamsgolf]

@caloyjp I'm not sure I would overthink the concept. Go at it like a 5-year old & just do it. Watch the result - the ball flight will let you know how you're doing on the timing. I can tell you that most amateurs that show up on my lesson tee are casting prior to impact and hanging on to the club through impact. I don't mind having them over-release it for a week hitting hooks so I can come back in afterward and delay that rollover with more lag. Just know your habits before you start on this.

[SKIWING69]

Great tips to improve your golf swing. Only one negative comment: he dosen't mention hips rotation at any times of his explanation, whereas hips rotation remain a primary issue for a good or a poor swing sequence..

[hermanwilliamsgolf]

@SKIWING69 Thanks for comments. Hips were not mentioned specifically because our target audience normally has fast hips and slow hands or no hips and no hands. Depending on where the golfer is on the learning curve, we want fast hands without worrying about legs until the player advances and can routinely hook the ball. Then we will bring in more active release of the hips to blend with and neutralize the aggressive hand and forearm action.

[hermanwilliamsgolf]

Exactly, concave at setup then hinges up and bends back during mid portion of backswing. Left forearm rotation also occurs which helps set the plane going back. You can check the article on my blog for more info on flat left wrist at hermanwilliamsgolf.

[davidstevan]

Great videos. At address the left wrist is slightly concave. I find it difficult to mix the upward cock of the left wrist with move that also makes the wrist flat. Does a backward hinge of the right wrist help?

[TigerWoodsWorld]

Thank you so much!

[mjb4385]

Herman - Awesome video as always. I was wondering, how might a stronger grip affect the release that you've outlined in this video? Would it be the same, or does a stronger grip essentially lead to less rotation of the left forearm before impact? if so, would this mean that the back of the left hand wouldn't necessarily be square to the target at impact with a stronger grip?

[hermanwilliamsgolf]

@mjb4385 You said it perfectly. If using a stronger grip you want to "hold off" the release and not have the hands rotate all the way over until well after impact. You will need more "body release" by keeping the core moving thru the shot.

[MrSky57]

herman.... your the best teacher I've seen on any youtube video simple to understand, and a step by step cause and effect of how and what happens in the swing outstanding!!

[hermanwilliamsgolf]

@MrSky57 Thank you so much. I appreciate all the praise you guys are giving out there. I guess after 21 years and close to 17,000 lessons I ought to have it figured out well enough to simplify it a little bit.

[jsquires55]

Push or push slice. Never understood the proper forearm rotation or release. All makes sense now. Why is there so little emphasis on this important aspect of the swing by teaching pros??? Thanks a lot for this important video!!!

[jsquires55]

Awesome lesson. Have fiddled with my grip for years because a neutral grip always resulted in a

[55clk]

Been playing golf for 10+ years and never really understood how "release" works, only know that occasionally it all comes together in a round of golf. There's hardly a mention in magazines, golf instruction books etc.. Thanks Herman! Your instructions are simple and easy to follow. Thank you!!

[hermanwilliamsgolf]

@55clk Hey thanks for compliment. The release is one of the biggest problems I see in my day to day teaching - generally arms are shortening thru impact as wrists scoop. The technique in this video could be construed as a little "handsy" for some players, but most amateurs I run into can barely get the face squared at all. I like to get them hooking it and then show them how to counteract it later. I'll do more videos on this subject and analyze some pro swings for you guys as time permits

[gwatson4612]

Just want to share this with you, used all your principals on the course and wow, hit the ball so much better, short irons to driver. It was so amazing how rotating your left forearm while turning your body through the shot how crisp ball contact was, couldn't even feel the ball come off the face. Thanks Herman for your videos, were do I send the $65.00

[hermanwilliamsgolf]

@gwatson4612 Hey glad to hear things are clicking. I've got a paypal account all you generous souls could donate to, but that's not what I was chasing after in making these vids. Demand for my teaching time is ever-increasing, so in response I'm starting to look into adding a members section to the website and dedicating to online training for you guys that can't make it out for private lessons. Stay tuned at hermanwilliamsgolf. Headed to Masters tomorrow for more video. - Herman

[gwatson4612]

Great video, is the left arm leading the rotation. I can do it with my right it fills different when I use my left and let the right ride along, just wanted to make sure I was doing it correctly

[hermanwilliamsgolf]

@gwatson4612 Great question. I find like you have that most golfers easily release the right hand allowing it to crossover moving thru impact. Before people accuse me of teaching a "handsy" swing, I'm just referring to what most amateurs do poorly. Pros often have hands that are too fast. Anyway you should probably be conscious about rotating the left forearm for at least a few weeks as you figure this out. Make sure your hips and torso are "releasing" as well by turning thru the impact zone.

[imsuprised]

@hermanwilliamsgolf Someone pointed out I was casting and that my left hand was coming off the club. I was told the correction for this was to hang on to the club tighter with my left hand. At the end of the lesson I could hardly swing; in fact it was more like hitting at the ball than swinging the club. Looked at your three videos...made a minor correction to my grip, cocking angle looks good, but I was uncocking way too soon. I'm going to hold the angle and do a forearm roll-over. Thanks.

[jkpassage]

Not one pro on YouTube has ever explained the release and crossover like you have. So, thank you for clearing that up for me. Maybe it's instinctive for everyone else, but I needed explained just as you did. Thanks, Jeff P.

[TigerWoodsWorld]

thank you so much!! every video i had no understanding of there point but this one here made me feel like a pro thank you so much and keep uploading thanks!

[TigerWoodsWorld]

thank you so much!! every video i had no understanding of there point but this one here made me feel like a pro thank you so much and keep uploading god bless

[hardyhardhor]

brilliant vid. cheers mate!

[maddogmoloney72]

great stuff !

[hermanwilliamsgolf]

@maddogmoloney72 thanx ... I appreciate you guys checking out my channel and watching the vids.

[MBGC14]

i've never hit the ball so well!!!!

please make more videos?

[hermanwilliamsgolf]

@MBGC14 thanks - they're coming.

[emribella]

Can you demonstrate or give guidance with the realease on the Driver? I push and slice my Driver consistantly. Your video with the Irons make sense to me with your hands forward ahead of the ball, but when I do that with the Driver I get no loft and block or slice the ball.

[hermanwilliamsgolf]

emribella The driver is tough. Ideally you are playing the ball forward of your normal iron ball placement by up to 2" so your hands are almost even with the ball at impact. If you're right-handed, try swinging the club slowly (no ball) for 30 seconds left hand only & really turn the hand over right at to your belt buckle. Get the back of your left hand facing your left thigh just after the impact area. This will "wake up" your left forearm. Try this & let me know how you do. Thanks - Herman