release and release point

I have been trying to up the swing speed a bit.  Am getting pretty discouraging distance with everything (mostly driver, but still...), and have come to the conclusion that much of my loading/acceleration is coming (or would come) post-impact.  A couple of things have led me to this conclusion...a bit of a push fade, less distance than would seem reasonable, and some swing speed experiments with a "swing stick".

 

It feels as though my hands are just not coming through and releasing on time.  Any help out there?

 

Driver swing speed is ~95 (although the swing stick or whatever it was said 110).  I'm not looking for 300+...just more than the 220-230 I now hit.  I'm just a little old guy (5'5", 135lbs, 43 yrs), but I still want to believe I should be hitting it farther.

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You should be accelerating into the ball, so don't worry about that. If you are a swinger, that is, you use centrifigul force to power your swing, then release is likely the issue. If you are a hitter, that is, you use right forearm thrust to power your swing, then, then your stance/alignment may be the issue.

For a swinger, point your driver perpendicular to your body with your left hand on the grip and right hand forward, and separated from your left hand. Now pull it to your right like a backswing. Keep your left hand normally gripped, but use only your right thumb and middle finger on the shaft, letting it separate more from your left hand. Now make a slow backswing and release the right hand as you would when firing a bow and arrow, you know, the twanging tension. Let the club complete its forward motion, keeping your left wrist flat. You will feel the release as your left hand and the club turns over. Now try this same swing with your normal grip and feel that release. Remember, left hand straight, right hand bent going into the ball (no ball at this time, this swing is up in the air a bit). You should be able to feel the release (hinging) as your hands roll over. Once you feel comfortable with this, try a real swing. Do not worry about when the release should come. It will occur after you have struck the ball in an actual swing. If you try to force it to happen too soon, you will be flipping the club, with nasty results.

I like to use all three steps, the spit hands (bow and arrow swing), the hands together, club elevate swing, then a real swing in my preswing routine. Looks goofy, but I am almost always in the fairway, and can work the ball both ways or hit it dead straight at will simply by repositioning the ball or altering my stance.

As for distance, well, a good release will help you to draw the ball, and give you some more. BTW, I wouldn't trust the swing speed thing on your speed stick. That's just my opinion, though.

could be your leg action in your swing also...first thing the pro noticed when i was fitted for a driver was my right knee straightening on my back swing which caused my weight to move to my heels and my body having to compensate to get back to the ball and hitting weak fades off the tee...every once in a while, i squared one...

i've noticed the amount of resistence created by keeping my right knee flexed and i'm hitting more solid shots more consistently w/a better release...