Ketchup Bottle Phenomenon
Golf Early Release Drill Using a Ketchup Bottle
This golf early release drill uses a ketchup bottle to show how posture affects your downswing. Learn to maintain upper body flexion longer for a cleaner, more controlled release and better contact.
After this video, you'll be able to:
- Understand how upper body posture affects your swing transition
- Practice maintaining flexion to avoid early arm release
- Recognize the connection between posture and consistent ball striking
Tyler Ferrell. Golf Digest Best Teachers in California, 2026-27. The only person named to both Golf Digest's Best Young Teachers in America and Best Golf Fitness Professionals lists. Author of The Stock Tour Swing.
Video Transcript
WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.760
This loss of posture drill is called the catch-up bottle phenomenon and it can
2
00:00:04.760 --> 00:00:09.320
also work in the release section as well. I call it the catch-up bottle
3
00:00:09.320 --> 00:00:13.760
phenomenon which is basically when you slow something down other things can
4
00:00:13.760 --> 00:00:17.440
speed up, right? Imagine I've got a catch-up bottle and I'm trying to get the
5
00:00:17.440 --> 00:00:21.320
catch-up from the end of the bottle down to the top. I'm gonna speed it up and
6
00:00:21.320 --> 00:00:24.680
then I'm gonna stop my hand and all the catch-up is gonna go flying. Same thing
7
00:00:24.680 --> 00:00:28.440
as if you're in a car and then you were to hit collide into something your body
8
00:00:28.440 --> 00:00:34.440
goes flying. Well it's a little less of a dramatic impact but if I'm swinging a
9
00:00:34.440 --> 00:00:39.840
golf club and my upper body starts to stand up essentially this shoulder just
10
00:00:39.840 --> 00:00:44.000
hit a wall and so what'll happen is when this shoulder hits a wall now my arms
11
00:00:44.000 --> 00:00:48.520
and my hands are gonna go. So that's why it's important during this transition
12
00:00:48.520 --> 00:00:49.280
to
13
00:00:49.280 --> 00:00:54.000
make sure that the upper body continues to flex down all the way through until
14
00:00:54.000 --> 00:00:58.000
you get into the release which is when the upper body starts to really stand up
15
00:00:58.000 --> 00:00:58.000
.
16
00:00:58.000 --> 00:01:04.240
On the 3D wherever you set up as you start down we'll tend to see more
17
00:01:04.240 --> 00:01:09.080
flexion until you get the club about parallel to the ground then when you go
18
00:01:09.080 --> 00:01:13.160
through the release your spine will start to extend even though it won't
19
00:01:13.160 --> 00:01:18.600
look like it because that right shoulder is gonna stay low. If as soon as
20
00:01:18.600 --> 00:01:22.680
you start down that body stands up it's gonna always cause those arms to
21
00:01:22.680 --> 00:01:23.120
release
22
00:01:23.120 --> 00:01:28.800
too soon. Same thing if my elbow gets hit if my shoulder gets hit anything
23
00:01:28.800 --> 00:01:29.000
along
24
00:01:29.000 --> 00:01:34.960
the side if it stops or goes in reverse that's gonna cause the catch up to come
25
00:01:34.960 --> 00:01:38.160
out of the bottle and that's gonna cause an early release which is gonna mess
26
00:01:38.160 --> 00:01:38.300
up
27
00:01:38.300 --> 00:01:43.160
my contact. So there's more of a concept type drill just something to think
28
00:01:43.160 --> 00:01:43.360
about
29
00:01:43.360 --> 00:01:50.160
and you can apply it with say the delivery and go the upper body down any
30
00:01:50.160 --> 00:01:55.240
of the other drills that focus on transition and the upper body kind of the
31
00:01:55.240 --> 00:01:59.880
Jackson 5 the left shoulder down all those things will help support keeping the
32
00:01:59.880 --> 00:02:03.280
catch up in the bottle until the last second which gives you much more of a
33
00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:07.240
whip-through impact which gives you a lot more power. So focus on that for a
34
00:02:07.240 --> 00:02:12.040
good transition and don't spill your catch up.
1
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.760
This loss of posture drill is called the catch-up bottle phenomenon and it can
2
00:00:04.760 --> 00:00:09.320
also work in the release section as well. I call it the catch-up bottle
3
00:00:09.320 --> 00:00:13.760
phenomenon which is basically when you slow something down other things can
4
00:00:13.760 --> 00:00:17.440
speed up, right? Imagine I've got a catch-up bottle and I'm trying to get the
5
00:00:17.440 --> 00:00:21.320
catch-up from the end of the bottle down to the top. I'm gonna speed it up and
6
00:00:21.320 --> 00:00:24.680
then I'm gonna stop my hand and all the catch-up is gonna go flying. Same thing
7
00:00:24.680 --> 00:00:28.440
as if you're in a car and then you were to hit collide into something your body
8
00:00:28.440 --> 00:00:34.440
goes flying. Well it's a little less of a dramatic impact but if I'm swinging a
9
00:00:34.440 --> 00:00:39.840
golf club and my upper body starts to stand up essentially this shoulder just
10
00:00:39.840 --> 00:00:44.000
hit a wall and so what'll happen is when this shoulder hits a wall now my arms
11
00:00:44.000 --> 00:00:48.520
and my hands are gonna go. So that's why it's important during this transition
12
00:00:48.520 --> 00:00:49.280
to
13
00:00:49.280 --> 00:00:54.000
make sure that the upper body continues to flex down all the way through until
14
00:00:54.000 --> 00:00:58.000
you get into the release which is when the upper body starts to really stand up
15
00:00:58.000 --> 00:00:58.000
.
16
00:00:58.000 --> 00:01:04.240
On the 3D wherever you set up as you start down we'll tend to see more
17
00:01:04.240 --> 00:01:09.080
flexion until you get the club about parallel to the ground then when you go
18
00:01:09.080 --> 00:01:13.160
through the release your spine will start to extend even though it won't
19
00:01:13.160 --> 00:01:18.600
look like it because that right shoulder is gonna stay low. If as soon as
20
00:01:18.600 --> 00:01:22.680
you start down that body stands up it's gonna always cause those arms to
21
00:01:22.680 --> 00:01:23.120
release
22
00:01:23.120 --> 00:01:28.800
too soon. Same thing if my elbow gets hit if my shoulder gets hit anything
23
00:01:28.800 --> 00:01:29.000
along
24
00:01:29.000 --> 00:01:34.960
the side if it stops or goes in reverse that's gonna cause the catch up to come
25
00:01:34.960 --> 00:01:38.160
out of the bottle and that's gonna cause an early release which is gonna mess
26
00:01:38.160 --> 00:01:38.300
up
27
00:01:38.300 --> 00:01:43.160
my contact. So there's more of a concept type drill just something to think
28
00:01:43.160 --> 00:01:43.360
about
29
00:01:43.360 --> 00:01:50.160
and you can apply it with say the delivery and go the upper body down any
30
00:01:50.160 --> 00:01:55.240
of the other drills that focus on transition and the upper body kind of the
31
00:01:55.240 --> 00:01:59.880
Jackson 5 the left shoulder down all those things will help support keeping the
32
00:01:59.880 --> 00:02:03.280
catch up in the bottle until the last second which gives you much more of a
33
00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:07.240
whip-through impact which gives you a lot more power. So focus on that for a
34
00:02:07.240 --> 00:02:12.040
good transition and don't spill your catch up.
Tyler Ferrell. Golf Digest Best Teachers in California, 2026-27. The only person named to both Golf Digest's Best Young Teachers in America and Best Golf Fitness Professionals lists. Author of The Stock Tour Swing.
Ketchup Bottle Phenomenon
Golf Early Release Drill Using a Ketchup Bottle
This golf early release drill uses a ketchup bottle to show how posture affects your downswing. Learn to maintain upper body flexion longer for a cleaner, more controlled release and better contact.
After this video, you'll be able to:
- Understand how upper body posture affects your swing transition
- Practice maintaining flexion to avoid early arm release
- Recognize the connection between posture and consistent ball striking
Video Transcript
WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.760
This loss of posture drill is called the catch-up bottle phenomenon and it can
2
00:00:04.760 --> 00:00:09.320
also work in the release section as well. I call it the catch-up bottle
3
00:00:09.320 --> 00:00:13.760
phenomenon which is basically when you slow something down other things can
4
00:00:13.760 --> 00:00:17.440
speed up, right? Imagine I've got a catch-up bottle and I'm trying to get the
5
00:00:17.440 --> 00:00:21.320
catch-up from the end of the bottle down to the top. I'm gonna speed it up and
6
00:00:21.320 --> 00:00:24.680
then I'm gonna stop my hand and all the catch-up is gonna go flying. Same thing
7
00:00:24.680 --> 00:00:28.440
as if you're in a car and then you were to hit collide into something your body
8
00:00:28.440 --> 00:00:34.440
goes flying. Well it's a little less of a dramatic impact but if I'm swinging a
9
00:00:34.440 --> 00:00:39.840
golf club and my upper body starts to stand up essentially this shoulder just
10
00:00:39.840 --> 00:00:44.000
hit a wall and so what'll happen is when this shoulder hits a wall now my arms
11
00:00:44.000 --> 00:00:48.520
and my hands are gonna go. So that's why it's important during this transition
12
00:00:48.520 --> 00:00:49.280
to
13
00:00:49.280 --> 00:00:54.000
make sure that the upper body continues to flex down all the way through until
14
00:00:54.000 --> 00:00:58.000
you get into the release which is when the upper body starts to really stand up
15
00:00:58.000 --> 00:00:58.000
.
16
00:00:58.000 --> 00:01:04.240
On the 3D wherever you set up as you start down we'll tend to see more
17
00:01:04.240 --> 00:01:09.080
flexion until you get the club about parallel to the ground then when you go
18
00:01:09.080 --> 00:01:13.160
through the release your spine will start to extend even though it won't
19
00:01:13.160 --> 00:01:18.600
look like it because that right shoulder is gonna stay low. If as soon as
20
00:01:18.600 --> 00:01:22.680
you start down that body stands up it's gonna always cause those arms to
21
00:01:22.680 --> 00:01:23.120
release
22
00:01:23.120 --> 00:01:28.800
too soon. Same thing if my elbow gets hit if my shoulder gets hit anything
23
00:01:28.800 --> 00:01:29.000
along
24
00:01:29.000 --> 00:01:34.960
the side if it stops or goes in reverse that's gonna cause the catch up to come
25
00:01:34.960 --> 00:01:38.160
out of the bottle and that's gonna cause an early release which is gonna mess
26
00:01:38.160 --> 00:01:38.300
up
27
00:01:38.300 --> 00:01:43.160
my contact. So there's more of a concept type drill just something to think
28
00:01:43.160 --> 00:01:43.360
about
29
00:01:43.360 --> 00:01:50.160
and you can apply it with say the delivery and go the upper body down any
30
00:01:50.160 --> 00:01:55.240
of the other drills that focus on transition and the upper body kind of the
31
00:01:55.240 --> 00:01:59.880
Jackson 5 the left shoulder down all those things will help support keeping the
32
00:01:59.880 --> 00:02:03.280
catch up in the bottle until the last second which gives you much more of a
33
00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:07.240
whip-through impact which gives you a lot more power. So focus on that for a
34
00:02:07.240 --> 00:02:12.040
good transition and don't spill your catch up.
1
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.760
This loss of posture drill is called the catch-up bottle phenomenon and it can
2
00:00:04.760 --> 00:00:09.320
also work in the release section as well. I call it the catch-up bottle
3
00:00:09.320 --> 00:00:13.760
phenomenon which is basically when you slow something down other things can
4
00:00:13.760 --> 00:00:17.440
speed up, right? Imagine I've got a catch-up bottle and I'm trying to get the
5
00:00:17.440 --> 00:00:21.320
catch-up from the end of the bottle down to the top. I'm gonna speed it up and
6
00:00:21.320 --> 00:00:24.680
then I'm gonna stop my hand and all the catch-up is gonna go flying. Same thing
7
00:00:24.680 --> 00:00:28.440
as if you're in a car and then you were to hit collide into something your body
8
00:00:28.440 --> 00:00:34.440
goes flying. Well it's a little less of a dramatic impact but if I'm swinging a
9
00:00:34.440 --> 00:00:39.840
golf club and my upper body starts to stand up essentially this shoulder just
10
00:00:39.840 --> 00:00:44.000
hit a wall and so what'll happen is when this shoulder hits a wall now my arms
11
00:00:44.000 --> 00:00:48.520
and my hands are gonna go. So that's why it's important during this transition
12
00:00:48.520 --> 00:00:49.280
to
13
00:00:49.280 --> 00:00:54.000
make sure that the upper body continues to flex down all the way through until
14
00:00:54.000 --> 00:00:58.000
you get into the release which is when the upper body starts to really stand up
15
00:00:58.000 --> 00:00:58.000
.
16
00:00:58.000 --> 00:01:04.240
On the 3D wherever you set up as you start down we'll tend to see more
17
00:01:04.240 --> 00:01:09.080
flexion until you get the club about parallel to the ground then when you go
18
00:01:09.080 --> 00:01:13.160
through the release your spine will start to extend even though it won't
19
00:01:13.160 --> 00:01:18.600
look like it because that right shoulder is gonna stay low. If as soon as
20
00:01:18.600 --> 00:01:22.680
you start down that body stands up it's gonna always cause those arms to
21
00:01:22.680 --> 00:01:23.120
release
22
00:01:23.120 --> 00:01:28.800
too soon. Same thing if my elbow gets hit if my shoulder gets hit anything
23
00:01:28.800 --> 00:01:29.000
along
24
00:01:29.000 --> 00:01:34.960
the side if it stops or goes in reverse that's gonna cause the catch up to come
25
00:01:34.960 --> 00:01:38.160
out of the bottle and that's gonna cause an early release which is gonna mess
26
00:01:38.160 --> 00:01:38.300
up
27
00:01:38.300 --> 00:01:43.160
my contact. So there's more of a concept type drill just something to think
28
00:01:43.160 --> 00:01:43.360
about
29
00:01:43.360 --> 00:01:50.160
and you can apply it with say the delivery and go the upper body down any
30
00:01:50.160 --> 00:01:55.240
of the other drills that focus on transition and the upper body kind of the
31
00:01:55.240 --> 00:01:59.880
Jackson 5 the left shoulder down all those things will help support keeping the
32
00:01:59.880 --> 00:02:03.280
catch up in the bottle until the last second which gives you much more of a
33
00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:07.240
whip-through impact which gives you a lot more power. So focus on that for a
34
00:02:07.240 --> 00:02:12.040
good transition and don't spill your catch up.
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