Dan Grieve - 3 releases

[Inexorable_Fate]

I just finished Dan Grieve's book and tried his techniques in practice for a couple weeks.

 

One of the main aspects of his lessons is that setup creates outcomes. He has different setups for each of his three releases, as well as uses setup to determine shot length for partial distance wedges.

 

For partial wedges, the use of setup to determine distance is a huge improvement on the Pelz clock method. Adding this has made my partial wedges more consistent.

 

It's too bad this thread started with some clearly misinterpreted views of Dan's concepts. His book is very clearly written and worth the time because no single video or post here is going to capture all his ideas.

 

[Doppelganger]

I watched some Grieve videos but I just feel like the long backswing + low gear swing is going to stall my hands and cause problems.

[nitram]

11 hours ago, Doppelganger said:

I watched some Grieve videos but I just feel like the long backswing + low gear swing is going to stall my hands and cause problems.

 

You'll never know until you try it . . .

[Hawkeye77]

23 hours ago, Doppelganger said:

I watched some Grieve videos but I just feel like the long backswing + low gear swing is going to stall my hands and cause problems.

Long backswing?

[Laaandry]

Was finally able to get out on the golf course, though pretty weird turf conditions right now in the northern midwest.

 

I had been practicing specifically pitching distances using the A1-3 system on a simulator with fantastic results. On the course, not so much, but I do blame the slightly wet, grippy grass for that. That being said, I think it highlights the need to practice pitching on actual grass and not a mat.

 

Chips have been great. I've gone from being an almost exclusively 60* player around the greens to more so using a gap wedge that somehow generates more spin on release 1 chips. Very happy with that part of the game. Pitching I need to get some real outside time with.

[Rearviewmirror]

22 hours ago, Laaandry said:

I had been practicing specifically pitching distances using the A1-3 system on a simulator with fantastic results. On the course, not so much, but I do blame the slightly wet, grippy grass for that. That being said, I think it highlights the need to practice pitching on actual grass and not a mat.

 

I think Dan's release 1 (and the augmented back in stance or toe up versions for weird lies) are really A++.

 

My challenge is that I've currently fallen off the wagon with release 2. When I first got the book it was a revelation and I was pitching everything close from 40 yards and in. Now it's the opposite - chunks, thin shots, everything in between...

 

Has anyone used Dan's online coaching to get advice? I know the technique works as I managed it in the past, but right now I feel a bit lost...

[joemcsorleypreswickGC]

On 3/16/2024 at 12:42 PM, Rearviewmirror said:

 

I think Dan's release 1 (and the augmented back in stance or toe up versions for weird lies) are really A++.

 

My challenge is that I've currently fallen off the wagon with release 2. When I first got the book it was a revelation and I was pitching everything close from 40 yards and in. Now it's the opposite - chunks, thin shots, everything in between...

 

Has anyone used Dan's online coaching to get advice? I know the technique works as I managed it in the past, but right now I feel a bit lost...

I agree with you view on Release 2 for longer pitch shots, think he tries to engage the bounce a bit too much from this far out, i`ve had major problems with high floaty shots with no spin and often pull the daylights out of them due to the hand dominant release.

 

Watch TW or Spieth hit pitch shots from 50-100 yards and its handle leading compression based shot.

[Rearviewmirror]

1 hour ago, joemcsorleypreswickGC said:

I agree with you view on Release 2 for longer pitch shots, think he tries to engage the bounce a bit too much from this far out, i`ve had major problems with high floaty shots with no spin and often pull the daylights out of them due to the hand dominant release.

 

I actually realized this may be a club fit issue for me and I'm getting my 54 and 58 lengthened to be the same length as my PW/UW. I think the clubs were just too short for me!

[MattC555]

2 hours ago, joemcsorleypreswickGC said:

I agree with you view on Release 2 for longer pitch shots, think he tries to engage the bounce a bit too much from this far out, i`ve had major problems with high floaty shots with no spin and often pull the daylights out of them due to the hand dominant release.

 

Watch TW or Spieth hit pitch shots from 50-100 yards and its handle leading compression based shot.

 

High floaty shots are a result of the ball riding up the face with grass in between it and the club face.  Basically, you're getting underneath it.  You shouldn't be engaging the bounce much, if at all, prior to ball contact on the longer pitch shots.  This is especially true on fluffy lies.  In these cases, the bounce is there to help you if your a bit fat and to keep the club from digging.  Hard pulls are club face and path issues.   

 

This is also not a 100 yard technique.  Dan applies it from 30-90 yards and says in the book that the max yardage is going to be based on your swing speed.  I'd say this technique runs out closer to 60-70 yards for the average player.  I'm a higher swing speed player and I abandon the release 2 at about 50 yards.  I'll use release 1 up to 90 yards, as at these longer distances I'm spinning the ball enough with release 1.  If I need more height I'll go to a higher lofted wedge, which Dan recommends.  This is more aligned with the TW/Spieth shots you're referencing.     

[Hawkeye77]

2 hours ago, joemcsorleypreswickGC said:

I agree with you view on Release 2 for longer pitch shots, think he tries to engage the bounce a bit too much from this far out, i`ve had major problems with high floaty shots with no spin and often pull the daylights out of them due to the hand dominant release.

 

Watch TW or Spieth hit pitch shots from 50-100 yards and its handle leading compression based shot.

 

Tiger can hit all sorts of shots and situations/variables make a big difference, but IMO you'll see a lot more 9-3 shallow and releasing looking shots than some sort of handle leading as you describe from shorter yardages and plenty of release on longer shots, in general.  

 

I guess I wouldn't call his release 2 a hand dominant release at all, but maybe that's what it feels like because of your normal swing? Maybe injecting more of a flip? Maybe I'm so far off base I'm at the concession stand?

 

 

[joemcsorleypreswickGC]

11 minutes ago, Hawkeye77 said:

 

Tiger can hit all sorts of shots and situations/variables make a big difference, but IMO you'll see a lot more 9-3 shallow and releasing looking shots than some sort of handle leading as you describe from shorter yardages and plenty of release on longer shots, in general.  

 

I guess I wouldn't call his release 2 a hand dominant release at all, but maybe that's what it feels like because of your normal swing? Maybe injecting more of a flip? Maybe I'm so far off base I'm at the concession stand?

 

 

I do love a 70 yard snipe hook off the tee every so often so i could easily be in the wrong here! 

[Hawkeye77]

1 hour ago, joemcsorleypreswickGC said:

I do love a 70 yard snipe hook off the tee every so often so i could easily be in the wrong here! 

I don’t think “wrong” - sometimes I think I’m implementing something and I’m not, often going to an extreme, lol, not saying that’s your situation. 

[Golf_Goof]

Haven't read the book yet but watched a few of his videos. It's unreal how flippy release 2 feels to me. Release 3 is all leading edge for me so far,,,

 

R3 reminds me of this:

 

 

[Laaandry]

Well timed new video from Dan about pitching:

 

Interestingly he addresses some of the questions around a stock release 2 for pitching and notes that there's a subtle difference when using it for pitching, primarily rotating the face a bit more through impact. This seems to align with some of the experiences mentioned in this thread. He also goes on to say that you can interchange the release type depending on lie conditions and ball flight, which he has touched on before.

 

 

Edited March 22 by Laaandry