Golf Release Drills

The follow are a list of golf swing release drills to work on proper release of the hands on the downswing to bring the clubface to the ball. The release can result in straight golf shots as well as hooks, pulls, slow golf swings, and more.

Here’s a video showing you the proper release as well as other tips to consider during your golf swing sequence.

Best Drills to Practice Your Golf Swing Release

#1: No Manipulation Drill

The drill improves your consistency in releasing the golf club.

How to Do No Manipulation Drill:

Place an alignment stick to the end of a 9 iron, so it acts as an extended shaft and extends under your left armpit.
Grab two more clubs or alignment sticks and place one at the golf ball and one on your feet. They must be parallel to the target.
During the backswing, keep your club aligned to the top of the alignment stick placed at your feet. Your club will be parallel to the stick at your feet. It is position number one.
On your way up, make the clubface toward the sky and the club’s end toward the green. It is position number two.
Now, rotate your club to make a shot. On the way down, keep the arms, wrists, and shoulders straight. It will keep the clubface square with no manipulation in wrists, resulting in a more consistent shot.
When you bend your right knee during the swing, keep it parallel to the ball during the downswing. Also, on follow-through, shift your most weight to the left leg to release the club correctly.

#2: One Hand Drill

The one-handed drill is for those golfers who struggle with early release. Also, it makes you feel a solid right wrist (left wrist for right-handed players).

How to Do One-Handed Drill:

Grab 5-10 golf balls and place them on the green.
Start making half swings with your left hand (for a right-hand player) slowly by taking your golf club back as far as your hips can rotate comfortably.
Keep your forearm and wrist straight throughout the swing.
Perform the drill with half of the speed, and speed it up after becoming comfortable with it.

Golf Practice Plans & Routines to Follow

#3: Move The Angle Drill

It’s a great drill to learn to release the club properly right at the moment of contact. Releasing the golf club too early results in loss of control and power. The drill will help you maintain control and power throughout the swing.

How to Do the Move the Angle Drill:

Grab a club and take your stance.
Swing back the club and form a 90-degree angle between your rear wrist and rear elbow.
Leave your wrist and elbow unwind and intact until the golf club shaft becomes parallel to the ground using your back, shoulder, and hip muscles.
It helps you to learn how to move these angles with the pivot.
Perform this several times to get a good feel of moving the angles with major muscles.
After doing a couple of pumps from the top of your golf swing to the downswing where the golf club is parallel to the green, hit the golf ball without changing your stance.

Read Article: Best Top of the Backswing Tips & Drills

#4: The Club Throw Drill

It is a fun drill that allows you to release the golf club down the fairway.

How to Do Club Throw Drill:

Hold a golf club or a stick and take your stance.
You do not need a golf ball for the drill.
Swing the club or the stick and release it.
If your golf club goes behind you or flies to the sides, it means there is a need to work on the release. Practice until you release the club down the fairway.

#5: Penny Drill

Penny drill is one of the best golf release drills to work on early release in your golf swing. Here, our goal is to hit down the golf ball first and the surface the second.

How to Do Penny Drill:

Grab a handful of pennies and a seven iron.
Align the golf ball and take your stance.
Place the pennies 4 inches behind the golf ball.
Now, try to hit down the golf ball, and during contact, shift your weight to the left (for a right-hand player).
It results in hitting the ball first, then the ground, and leaving the penny in place.

#6: Proper Arm Rotation Drill

The main cause of a golf slice is the under the rotational movement of the arms and hands near the impact position. If your hands do not rotate properly, it’ll result in an open face at the impact, resulting in a golf slice or push. This drill will train your arm for complete rotation throughout the swing.

How to Do Proper Arm Rotation Drill:

Hold your club and take your right hand to the end, so it holds just below the grip.
On the backswing, make sure to keep the left arm straight.
On your way down, make sure to keep both of your arms straight during impact.
Perform the drill a little fast so that your right arm not only keeps up to the other arm but also over-takes it. So, the right arm stays in the front position after the impact.
Perform several swings and always focus on rolling your hands.

#7: Tuck, Turn, And Roll Drill

It’s a perfect drill for those golfers who struggle with their release. Whether it is releasing early, lack of body rotation, casting, or flipping through impact, the drill will help you deliver the golf club to impact with control and more power.

How to Do Tuck, Turn Roll Drill:

Take your stance and take your club to the top of the backswing.
Hold there for a moment.
Now, keep your rear elbow and rear arm bent and unwind the shoulders. It makes the rear elbow tuck in against the leading side of the posterior hip.
Slightly open your hips as you perform this and pause right here.
Now, rotate your chest and hips to the impact position. It opens your hips and makes your shoulders square to your designed target line. Stop here for a moment.
Release the angle in the back carpus and allow your back arm to roll over the front arm releasing the face of the club. At this point, keep the arm extended.
Perform the drill by pausing at different points to help you feel the body’s acceleration and movement and various downswing parts.
Gradually increase the speed after you work the pieces in slow motion.

#8: Practice / Improve Your Grip

Fixing your grip can also make it easier for you to release the golf club properly. If we are holding the grip wrong to start it can make it more difficult to get the release part of the swing down correctly later in the swing sequence.

Here’s a quick video reviewing the golf grip: