Question on releasing the club for GregJWillis

[RikB]

"Re: Wrist hinge direction and distance

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The right answer to when they should unhinge is up to the type of shot you want to play, and your physical abilities.

A smooth early release will hit it low. Hard and late will hit it high.

The aility to release as late as you can while still getting around and square is the right answer. Sergio is about as late as you want to see it, Freddy Couples in his early days also had a very late release..."

Greg
I recently slightly thinned a 3-wood into a strong wind at a long par 4 which got far nearer the green that anyone else who got caught in the wind. I was pleased but knew that it was just luck and trying to repeat it deliberately could be disasterous!
Could your release advice be the secret to playing this shot and other speciality shots like long clean hit bunker shots?
If you release at different times, surely the direction will change? Or is that why you mention 'smooth early' release to try to get the timing right at impact?
Also, if I am winding up for the 'Big one', I like to lag the club as much as possible (late late release) which gives me the feeling of maximum power. Is this right?

[GregJWillis]

Re: Question on releasing the club for GregJWillis

Hitting it thin will get you a low tragectory with little spin, great for in the wind as you saw. But repeating it is as you expect, a fluke at best. To recreate this "type" of shot is done by:

* placing the ball back in the stance slightly (your 3W about in the middle of your stance)
* shortening your takeaway slightly. This shallows your angle of attack on the ball, hitting it lower.
* not releasing your hands at the ball as aggressivly, being smooth with a release will also reduce the angle of attack and reduces the spin on the ball.

Long bunker shots are not necessarily the same solution. The real solution to getting a long shots out of the bunker:

* Assess your lie. If it is good, then you have some good options. Otherwise, take your lumps and get it out with your SW.
* Assess the hight you get to play the shot out and not hit the front lip. Then take 1 less club (a 7I, not the 6I you think will get you out).
* Play the ball back slightly in your stance. This is the only thing that is similar to the "in-the-wind" shot. This makes it easier to hit the ball first and not the sand behind the ball causing massive decelaration at impact. (Remember we used 1 less club because we are putting the ball in our stance back slightly causing a lower tragectory)
* Put a little more weight on the front foot at address. This helps you not sway back and stay back...again helping you hit the ball first.
* Aim slightly left (for right handers), your ball tends to want to slice a little when you are doing all these things to be sure the ball is hit first.
* Now finally, your release. Release normal for the shot you want to play. Hard and late for high shots, smooth for lower in-the-wind shots.

As for maximum power:

The hands should not be used to gain more clubhead speed. This is done correctly using the body rotation (legs, hips, then shoulders). The arms and hands work to get you the shape and type of shot you want to produce. Any time you feel the need to hit the ball harder with the hands, your error rate increased dramitically. Use the big muscles for power and the small ones for accuracy and control.

[RikB]

Re: Question on releasing the club for GregJWillis

Thank you Greg.
All the tips make sense and sound like things I have heard/read in the past so are obviously sound tips.
I am just a little confused now, though, on the way I play long bunker shots.
I used to use the technique you mention when I was younger, but I used to take a club more due to the cut spin (I would aim slightly left). I can see how it should be a club less but will have to try this. Anyway, my confusion comes from having recent success at playing long bunker shots 'clean' (I got this tip from a low handicapper - although I thought it sounded a bit hit and miss at the time). With the ball slightly forward and my hands down the grip, I have been able to play good long bunker shots - although, obviously, there are times when I catch it a little fat. Last night, armed with this and your thought about a smooth early release, I hit the long bunker shot of my life (albeit a 9-iron) to about a foot at a difficult 'linksy' green. The four guys who had played us through and were right behind us were clapping to my great embarrassment (the embarrassment only lasted a few seconds!!). Anyway, I played for it and it worked and now I have a dillemma. Yours is professional advice and will be the more consistent option, but I seem to be decent at picking the ball clean...what should I do? Should I maybe use the picking the ball clean method when I have a good lie and have a chance to go for the pin (within a 100 yards or so) and your method for most other shots (e.g. not so great lies and shots from distance when you simply want to advance it as far down the fairway as possible)?
I suppose the question is, would you ever consider/recommend the shot that I describe?

[GregJWillis]

Re: Question on releasing the club for GregJWillis

Using the 1 less club was simply used to be sure you got it over the lip, not the distance issue. If you are within the green, then yes, you normally have to take 1 or 2 more clubs (4I or 5I instead of the 6I). I was assuming you were playing a long bunker that was not reachable to the green. And choaking up a little helps counter the fact that your feet sink into the sand a little while the ball rests high on it.

Congratualtions on the great 9I! Always nice to get applause from another group.