How To Release The Golf Club: Improve With One Simple Drill

John Jacobs demonstrating the common mistake that stops amateurs releasing the golf club effectively, with an inset image of his step-back drill that helps to fix that problem — John Jacobs has a great drill to teach you how to release the golf club effectively

(Image credit: Matt Lincoln)

When trying to improve our golf game, amateurs tend to get fixated on common pain points, like the position at the top of the backswing or the correct setup position, which means that learning how to release the golf club can be a bit of an afterthought.

Considering how crucial this skill is in helping you to ensure a centred strike and ward off the biggest driver distance killer in the amateur game, it's totally counterproductive to ignore it if you want to see progress.

How To Release The Golf Club

Tips by...

John Jacobs

John has been Head Professional at Cumberwell Park in Wiltshire since it opened in 1994. He gets as much pleasure teaching beginners as he does county players, although being Wiltshire's Head Coach, Boys Coach and Girls Coach means he's always in demand. He also works with England Golf, and was England Coach Of The Year in 2020. He's had the pleasure of working with many top players over the years, and has fond memories coaching the likes of Tommy Fleetwood, Matthew Fitzpatrick and Tom Lewis before they made the leap into professional golf. John specialises in swing analysis and short game development.

Many golfers, in an effort to keep the clubface square through impact, find themselves in a poor post-impact position.

The idea that the club needs to stay square, looking at the target through impact, typically leads to the face being held open. That’s when we see big blocks and pushes.

Improving your release will have a big impact on accuracy and improve your ability to achieve a centred strike with irons.

John Jacobs demonstrating a poor post-impact position where the golf club has been released ineffectively and is still pointing at the target — This poor post-impact position is a problem for many amateur golfers who struggle release the golf club effectively

The image below demonstrates what we want to see: beautiful extension, a straight right forearm and the club moving away from the body with the arms connected.

We’re trying to increase the space between the butt of the club and your belt buckle.

That mental image can help you release your hands better. Note how I’ve thrown my hands at the target line here.

John Jacobs demonstrating the correct release position from down the line, with the hands rolling through and the club and chest rotating around past impact — We are looking for extension and a straight right forearm to create an effective release of the golf club past-impact

If you pull your trail leg back a foot or so at set-up, as I've done in the image below, and try to hit the ball, you will find it becomes difficult for your body to turn.

This is what makes this drill so effective and one you should definitely try as it will help you learn how to stop slicing the ball.

John Jacobs demonstrating the step-back drill to encourage the hands to follow a better path and release the golf club more effectively through impact — This step-back drill is a super easy way for amateurs to practice this key skill on the driving range or on the golf course

By intentionally closing off your stance like this, you’re going to teach yourself how to release the hands, as it forces you to learn how the hands and arms should pass the body through impact.

Play a few holes, a whole round even, with your trail foot back like this, hitting nice smooth swings.

Heading to practice without a plan is one of the seven things never to do at the driving range, so have this drill in your head this next time you grab a bucket of balls.

Your timing will improve and you might surprise yourself at just how sweetly and how far you can strike it.

How Can I Use The Off-Season To Improve My Game?

Over the winter, many amateur golfers will be putting in the hours to improve their game in time for the 2026 season.

Golf Monthly's own Instruction Lead, Baz Plummer, is one example - after spending the last eight weeks completing a winter golf rebuild that has helped him to boost clubhead speed, improve his fitness and hit drives over 240 yards (as a 22-handicapper).

By partnering fitness work with swing changes, like the 5 fitness exercises that helped him to become a better golfer and the 5 gym exercises that can rapidly improve your golf swing, amateurs can create the perfect foundation for a strong season.

Location: Cumberwell Park

He's had the pleasure of working with many top players over the years, and has fond memories coaching the likes of Tommy Fleetwood, Matthew Fitzpatrick and Tom Lewis before they made the leap into professional golf. John specialises in swing analysis and short game development.

With contributions from

Michael WestonContributing editor

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