Achieving the correct swing release for senior golfers is absolutely crucial during the golf swing to maximize distance.

The correct release ensures maximum club head speed is reached as the club head strikes the ball and with maximum club head speed you will achieve maximum length to your golf shots. You will also find that releasing correctly improves your ball strike and connection and also improves your directional control as well.

To achieve the correct swing release, swing your golf club back away from the ball. As you do this and move to the top of your backswing, you should create a 90 degree angle between the club shaft and your left arm (for right handed golfers). As you swing down towards the ball, you need to maintain this angle, so that as your hands reach waist height, the club head is higher than your hand height. As you continue to move towards the ball, when your left arm is pointing down towards your right foot, the club shaft should be horizontal.

Release simply means that this angle between your left arm and the club shaft “releases” and becomes a straight line between your left arm and the club shaft and the correct place for this straight line to happen is in front of your left side/left leg. This movement of releasing from the angle to the straight line in front of your left leg, puts speed into the club head, so creating the straight line in the wrong place and too early on in your downswing means that by the time the club head reaches the ball, it has already reached its maximum speed and is now slowing down, reducing the distance you can hit the golf ball.

Try the following drill to improve when you are releasing the golf club. Swing the club back to only waist height on your backswing. Now work on swinging back down and creating a straight line from your left shoulder, down your left arm to your hands, then continue down the club shaft to the club head, in front of your left leg. You can then introduce a golf ball once you are feeling more confident with the movement.

Work on doing this and you will see that you are hitting the golf ball much further, striking more consistently and with more accuracy.