How Senior Golfers can Hit Further by Keeping their Thumbs Up for a Late Release (Video) - by Dean Butler
How Senior Golfers can Hit Further by Keeping their Thumbs Up for a Late Release (Video) - by Dean Butler

The key to hitting the ball sometimes further and more consistently is all about getting good release. And this is what a lot of golfers fail to achieve, so sort of basically let's describe what release actually means. Release is all about keeping the angle, so when you take the club back, you are going to push away and hinge your wrists to get into this position here and then continue the shoulder turn. As the club comes back down, the longer that you can keep this angle, this right angle is coming back into the ball, the more you will be able to release that club at the bottom.

So one way to work is these thumbs, these thumbs are very, very important here, when they face the sky, so let me show you what I mean. So from here, take the club back and on the way down, as the hands come down towards the right sort of trouser pocket, you see my thumbs are here, facing the sky. Now so look at the angle that the club created right down, I am trying to maintain that position as long as I can. And that’s the thumbs up technique there, keep that there and then from that position here, the hands will release. So, let me demonstrate in the swing, so you can actually see it, but what we are looking for here. On the way down, we are trying to keep this position, and here is a bad position by the way. Thumbs pointing here, we have got to try and keep this position as long as possible. And from there, we will get a good release. So let me set up to the ball from here, swing the club back and hold that position. Now that was a good golf shot and that was keeping those thumbs in a good position, coming down, maintaining that lovely position and from there, I can release that club through the ball. A simple tip, go away and work on it and it’s all about position, so think about the position, rather than hip. And once you have got the position, go and hit some golf balls and see what it can do for you. 2013-10-30

The key to hitting the ball sometimes further and more consistently is all about getting good release. And this is what a lot of golfers fail to achieve, so sort of basically let's describe what release actually means. Release is all about keeping the angle, so when you take the club back, you are going to push away and hinge your wrists to get into this position here and then continue the shoulder turn. As the club comes back down, the longer that you can keep this angle, this right angle is coming back into the ball, the more you will be able to release that club at the bottom.

So one way to work is these thumbs, these thumbs are very, very important here, when they face the sky, so let me show you what I mean. So from here, take the club back and on the way down, as the hands come down towards the right sort of trouser pocket, you see my thumbs are here, facing the sky. Now so look at the angle that the club created right down, I am trying to maintain that position as long as I can. And that’s the thumbs up technique there, keep that there and then from that position here, the hands will release. So, let me demonstrate in the swing, so you can actually see it, but what we are looking for here.

On the way down, we are trying to keep this position, and here is a bad position by the way. Thumbs pointing here, we have got to try and keep this position as long as possible. And from there, we will get a good release. So let me set up to the ball from here, swing the club back and hold that position. Now that was a good golf shot and that was keeping those thumbs in a good position, coming down, maintaining that lovely position and from there, I can release that club through the ball. A simple tip, go away and work on it and it’s all about position, so think about the position, rather than hip. And once you have got the position, go and hit some golf balls and see what it can do for you.