How to Perform Late Release in the Golf Swing
The "late release," also known as a "delayed uncocking of the wrists," "holding the wrist angle," and "creating lag," is one of the most misunderstood aspects of the golf swing. When the club is swung properly, the late release happens naturally, without any interference by the golfer. Ironically, attempts to "hold the angle" often have the exact opposite effect, causing the golfer's wrists to uncock early.
Performing a late release of the wrists is a simple matter of timing, and is based on two principles: Gripping the club lightly and feeling the end of the backswing.
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Instructions
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Take your normal stance over the ball, gripping the club lightly. Tension in the wrists and forearms prevents them from hinging freely during the swing.
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Begin your backswing. Because the wrists are not tense, they will not begin to cock until the club is around waist-high and parallel to the ground. This is sometimes referred to as a "one-piece takeaway"; it happens without any special effort from you.
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Continue to swing to the top of the backswing. When your arms have traveled as far around as they will easily go, the momentum of the club will cause your relaxed wrists to continue cocking. To prevent the club from being wrenched from your hands, your grip will need to tighten somewhat. Recognizing this increased tension in your grip is often referred to as "feeling the change of direction" or "feeling the club drop into the slot." Some people feel this tension as a stretching from the wrist to the little finger; others feel it as pressure in the wrist beneath the thumb.
So far we haven't mentioned the hips and legs because their movement has been primarily a reaction to the turning of the upper body. At the top of the backswing, just before starting the downswing, the hips have turned slightly away from the ball and the heel of the left foot (for a right-handed player) may have lifted slightly from the ground. -
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Start the downswing as soon as you feel this tension in your wrists and hands.
The downswing is started by replanting the heel of the left foot on the ground and turning the hips back slightly toward their address position; this movement causes the hands and arms to feel as if they are dropping downward a little. (Actually, the hands and arms are moving downward and forward, toward the ball, but most players will feel the movement primarily as a downward motion.) The wrists should remain as relaxed as possible during this movement; the club's momentum is pushing the wrists in the opposite direction of the downswing, and the slight downward motion of the hands allows the club's momentum to continue holding the wrists in that cocked position. -
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Finish the downswing and strike the ball. Unless you tighten your grip on the club--which will cause you to straighten your wrists and uncock them early--the wrists should hold their cocked position until they are at waist-level or a little lower.
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Tips & Warnings
When some players hear the phrase "one-piece takeaway," they immediately begin extending their arms unnaturally in an attempt to create a larger swing arc. This is both unnecessary and counterproductive. Make the widest comfortable swing you can; that will be sufficient.
