How to Release the Club after Impact

In the previous lesson we looked at the impact position. Immediately after impact, golf coaches will talk about correct extension and forearm rotation through the golf ball.

In this lesson, we’ll look at what proper extension and rotation is, why it’s important and how you can achieve it in your own golf swing.

Even though I’ve added this lesson after the impact lesson, rotation of your forearms and hands begins just before you make contact with the golf ball and doesn’t finish until sometime after impact. This dynamic rotation through the ball generates a lot of extra power – power that many club-level players are missing out on.

Lack of extension in the arms (a feeling of throwing the club down the target line) is also something that I see in many amateur golfers. Lack of extension can cause you to pull-hook shots to the left (for the right handed golfer) or start the ball left, carving across it (also known as a wicked slice!).

Watch the extension and rotation video or read the video summary below:

Extension & Rotation – Video Summary

Immediately after impact with the golf ball, you should feel as though the golf club extends right down the line of your target. Imagine the club is very heavy and how that would straighten and extend your arms away rather than them buckling and wrapping around your body.

As your body continues its turn through and beyond the impact position, maintain your spine angle to avoid lifting out of the shot too early (a common cause of slice shots). To help with this, focus on your chest – keeping it pointing down towards where the ball was for as long as possible.

As you extend your arms, there will also be a natural rolling or rotation of the forearms and hands. You should feel your forearms starting to rotate at around the hip level on the downswing and they should continue to rotate through to the hip level of your follow through. At this point you should see the right hand is on top of your left (vice versa for left-handed golfers) and the badge on your glove should be facing the ground.