How many of you release driver like Crossfield says in this video?

[GungHoGolf]

Just curious if some of you better players are releasing your driver swing like Mark Crossfield is recommending in this video. I've been struggling with squaring up my driver lately, and plan to give this a try. Have been trying to square it with lead wrist flexion only, but I feel like I'm dragging the handle too much through impact...

 

 

[Elkhair]

I would agree with what he is saying. I got so used to doing slicefixer 9-3 swings holding off the release and only using the body to turn. I could never square up the clubface.

 

I have been doing a lot of slow speed half shots with driver trying to implement this release that Crossfield is suggesting. Hitting the ball very straight. I feels like the club is passing the hands and feels very flippy, but is is not on camera. This is something you would never try on your own as the concept just seems wrong, but it is not.

 

My go to feel is an old David Duval lesson from SwingFix years ago. He said he feels like he throws the club behind him from the top. So if your target is 12 o'clock, feel like you throw the driver head to 9 o'clock.  A lof of wrist flexion is involved. Not as much pronation. 

 

 

[GungHoGolf]

24 minutes ago, Elkhair said:

My go to feel is an old David Duval lesson from SwingFix years ago. He said he feels like he throws the club behind him from the top. So if your target is 12 o'clock, feel like you throw the driver head to 9 o'clock.  A lof of wrist flexion is involved. Not as much pronation. 

 

Yeah, I saw that video recently. Just found it again:

 

 

Here's a decent analysis of Duval's swing and release:

 

And you're right, this seems really non-intuitive and "flippy/slappy" to me. But if it helps me hit driver straighter or even get back to my old baby draw with driver (back before I "cured" my early release), I'll be thrilled. All this work on rotation and shaft lean with irons has been counter-productive to my driver swing.

Edited April 4, 2023 by GungHoGolf

[Elkhair]

shaft lean and "hold the lag" may be the most destructive terms in golf. That or "x-factor."

 

I know we know a lot more now scientifically, but so many golfers got destroyed by these thoughts. 

[bladehunter]

4 hours ago, GungHoGolf said:

Just curious if some of you better players are releasing your driver swing like Mark Crossfield is recommending in this video. I've been struggling with squaring up my driver lately, and plan to give this a try. Have been trying to square it with lead wrist flexion only, but I feel like I'm dragging the handle too much through impact...

 

 

I’d say that’s pretty much me.    My feel or thought is hitting the ball with my right palm .But caveat. I also have a very neutral grip.   Similar to Sheffler or spieths old grip.  Right palm hits the ball.  so it maybe a duck hook with a strong grip.  I don’t know.  
 

I practice the feel of right hand down and back from the top.  To keep width.  Then right hand to the ball with left leg posting up.  This allows the clubhead to catch ( relatively ) up to  the hands. 
 

if I pull down , drag the handle or push the hands forward toward the ball ahead of the clubhead , it’s right of right stuck. 
 

 

[dmeeksDC]

5 hours ago, Elkhair said:

I would agree with what he is saying. I got so used to doing slicefixer 9-3 swings holding off the release and only using the body to turn. I could never square up the clubface.

 

I have been doing a lot of slow speed half shots with driver trying to implement this release that Crossfield is suggesting. Hitting the ball very straight. I feels like the club is passing the hands and feels very flippy, but is is not on camera. This is something you would never try on your own as the concept just seems wrong, but it is not.

 

My go to feel is an old David Duval lesson from SwingFix years ago. He said he feels like he throws the club behind him from the top. So if your target is 12 o'clock, feel like you throw the driver head to 9 o'clock.  A lof of wrist flexion is involved. Not as much pronation. 

 

 

That is a good feel and fundamentally what Monte Scheinblum teaches in his “No Turn Cast” series (and by the way Monte and Duval talked about this when they were together at an event), with the only adjustments being his clock is different. Monte has the target at noon and ball at 3, but he wants you to take your hands back to 7 o’clock and throw the club to 8 o’clock. It is a great video series with many useful drills and it is cheap on Rebellion Golf if you want to check it out.
 

He says casting is actually the correct motion that most golfers do in the wrong direction, as in out and over the top. Do it behind you and you increase your arc and give yourself time to get your low point forward by moving pressure correctly. I’ve gotten great results with it, picked up easy distance and better compression with an easier swing that is more forward than I was. 

[PracticeSwinger]

7 hours ago, GungHoGolf said:

Just curious if some of you better players are releasing your driver swing like Mark Crossfield is recommending in this video. I've been struggling with squaring up my driver lately, and plan to give this a try. Have been trying to square it with lead wrist flexion only, but I feel like I'm dragging the handle too much through impact...

 

Not really one of the better players you are asking to, but still... unless you have a real strong lead hand grip (ala Fitzpatrick) and can square it just by dragging the handle, there has to be a release move - and personally it's not a 'dangerously whipping action that brings the lovely snap hook into play' but just the thought that the clubhead 'has to catch up down there', 'the toe must go' - obvisouly only with driver and positive/neutral AoA - guessing a lot of the 'better'/single cap have that in their swing : combo of coming from the inside, wanting to lessen rate of closure, pivot driven swing thought, shaft lean with irons -> leaves the driver face open at impact... takes time to get confortable with and you'll think it'll snap on range, but it's a nice penetrating flight - now, real step is to trust it on course with trouble left (assuming you're a righty); ask me how I know haha

[MPStrat]

The majority of amateur golfers don’t need to force the lead wrist into extension early or worse, the trail wrist into flexion. This is an intent for handle draggers. I wouldn’t consider excessive shaft lean with driver an epidemic in amateur golf but it certainly does exist. If that’s your issue this video might be of value.

 

 

[Ri_Redneck]

Strong grip player here and NO, that is NOT my release. The clubhead catches up with my hands about a foot past the ball.

 

BT

[b.mattay]

Absolutely. That is my release feel on everything but an extreme punch out. 

[MonteScheinblum]

12 hours ago, GungHoGolf said:

Just curious if some of you better players are releasing your driver swing like Mark Crossfield is recommending in this video. I've been struggling with squaring up my driver lately, and plan to give this a try. Have been trying to square it with lead wrist flexion only, but I feel like I'm dragging the handle too much through impact...

 

 

Every tour player but Berger measured a few years ago essentially do what he’s saying.

[MPStrat]

The video above is in line with what is commonly seen in amateur golfers. JR Smith has a scoopy release where the lead wrist goes into extension too soon. In the video above, Chris Como teaches JR Smith an exaggeration to clean up his release mechanics. If JR were to do the Crossfield move, his release would be even more scoopy.

 

However, unless you are a handle dragger with too much shaft lean, which is less common in amateur golf, you don’t need to try to force the lead wrist into extension. It will happen automatically other than in some extremely rare cases. You might need to feel the opposite. 

 

It’s very important to know which golfer you are. There are other factors and the release is just one piece of the puzzle. 

 

[MonteScheinblum]

A very important variable is you actually understand what someone is saying.

[hartman29]

1 hour ago, MonteScheinblum said:

Every tour player but Berger measured a few years ago essentially do what he’s saying.

I’ll be that guy: What is Berger doing?

[MonteScheinblum]

Just now, hartman29 said:

I’ll be that guy: What is Berger doing?

He flexes his lead wrist from p6-p8

Everyone else begins to extend independent of ground interaction 

[MPStrat]

11 minutes ago, MonteScheinblum said:

A very important variable is you actually understand what someone is saying.

What is it that was misunderstood? 

[MonteScheinblum]

14 hours ago, GungHoGolf said:

Just curious if some of you better players are releasing your driver swing like Mark Crossfield is recommending in this video. I've been struggling with squaring up my driver lately, and plan to give this a try. Have been trying to square it with lead wrist flexion only, but I feel like I'm dragging the handle too much through impact...

 

 

 

[MonteScheinblum]

14 hours ago, GungHoGolf said:

Just curious if some of you better players are releasing your driver swing like Mark Crossfield is recommending in this video. I've been struggling with squaring up my driver lately, and plan to give this a try. Have been trying to square it with lead wrist flexion only, but I feel like I'm dragging the handle too much through impact...

 

 

https://www.golfsmartacademy.com/golf-instruction/jack-nicklaus-cant-release-too-soon/

[MPStrat]

Neither of those are referring to intentionally throwing the lead wrist into extension or the trail wrist into flexion. Those are awful for anyone other than handle draggers with too much shaft lean. I’m not suggesting there aren’t handle draggers because god knows they exist, they just aren’t anywhere near the majority.

 

if you watch Chris Como’s video with JR Smith, you will see a good example of someone who isn’t a handle dragger and needs to educate his levers on how to behave through the bottom of the swing. Como mentions that using the body is another part of this. 

Since you linked his site, you should watch some of Tyler Ferrell’s videos on the release. Some of what Como is teaching JR is similar to what Tyler teaches. 

[Zitlow]

@MPStrat They look for validation to support their garbage ideas. Confirmation bias. 

 

 

[KMeloney]

Handle-dragger here, and am focusing on releasing the club head into the ball (from what feels like club-parallel and down). The idea of "whipping the bb out of the shaft" that AMG has discussed in a video has been really helpful.

[RoyalTroon]

With what little is known about this relationship, it appears Como is wasting the student's time and his, especially with the student being a good athlete.  It's important for instructors to quickly key into how far along the skill set line a new player is situated and proceed from there.  Working long instead of short is generally the long and wrong way home and may point to instructor incompetence more than anything. 

 

Here's how I would proceed.  Have him start with flighting no higher than the flag, and on successive shots bounce it into the bunker on the right on one bounce, then 2 bounces, and then three bounces, on successive shots.    That will start to tell one all they need to know about their ability near the ball.   

 

 

 

Edited April 5, 2023 by BALLYBUNION

[MPStrat]

13 minutes ago, BALLYBUNION said:

With what little is known about this relationship, it appears Como is wasting the student's time and his, especially with the student being a good athlete.  It's important for instructors to quickly key into how far along the skill set line a new player is situated and proceed from there.  Working long instead of short is generally the long and wrong way home and may point to instructor incompetence more than anything. 

 

Here's how I would proceed.  Have him start with flighting no higher than the flag, and on successive shots bounce it into the bunker on the right on one bounce, then 2 bounces, and then three bounces, on successive shots.    That will start to tell one all they need to know about their ability near the ball.   

 

 

 

This is probably not a popular opinion, but I believe many golfers, particularly those who took up the game of golf later in life have a misunderstanding of how to use the golf club as a tool. Yes JR is an elite athlete, but this is a prime example of how a misunderstanding has limited his natural ability. 

[MK7Golf21]

Watched that Como lesson, seems like JR was losing lag early and then handle dragging with a cupped wrist through impact according to Como. Idea was more lead wrist flexion into impact and more release because he actually has something to release.

[Elkhair]

The JR Smith lesson is clearly made for TV. There is no way you would have someone learning a new swing concept with full swings. I feel JR needs more awareness of the clubface and where it is spatially. Full swings will not make him better.

[naval2006]

That vid is the way to whack it through with all your might naturally. With the ball on the tee, most other ways are fabricated and you’ll lose speed. 

[Zitlow]

I don't think it's a good idea to control the club through impact. The club is in full release by the time it gets to the ball. It happens so fast if you try to keep up with the shaft you'll slow the clubhead down. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Zitlow]

42 minutes ago, naval2006 said:

That vid is the way to whack it through with all your might naturally. With the ball on the tee, most other ways are fabricated and you’ll lose speed. 

You want to whack it with a free wheeling clubhead. 

[argee1977]

Yeah, another handle dragger, i have this feel to try and cut down on blocks, but the more important part is having the wrist angles to allow it to flex like this before and through impact.

[MPStrat]

1 hour ago, Zitlow said:

I don't think it's a good idea to control the club through impact. The club is in full release by the time it gets to the ball. It happens so fast if you try to keep up with the shaft you'll slow the clubhead down. 

By no means am I anti-free wheel release.

Quite the opposite. But if someone is adding loft at the bottom of the swing they might benefit from what Cono is teaching. 
 

The other thing is that if you intend to swing with speed, good luck with trying to prevent the lead wrist from going into extension. It’s going to happen automatically whether you want it to or not. You don’t need to intentionally try and cup the left wrist or flex the right wrist through impact. Although, like I’ve said, that could be helpful if you have too much shaft lean for your swing speed. A less common issue in golf. In that case this Crossfield video could be for you. 

 

Been on record time and again about manipulation not being a long term strategy. You have to learn how the forces in the swing influence responsive wrists. But at some point you either do it naturally or have to learn how to do it. Foley talks about it here too: 
 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CoFq4_5js82/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

“For a lot of players we’ve worked with this on who are amateurs, being able to feel that they maintain the right wrist angle or keep their wrist on it, will help keep the face square and the clubhead trailing so we actually have incentive to rotate.”