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Single Arm Releases With A Club

Drills to Release Your Hands in the Golf Swing

These drills to release your hands in the golf swing use one-arm shots to sharpen wrist action through impact. Learn how each hand transfers energy to the club for a cleaner, more powerful strike.

After this video, you'll be able to:

  • Feel the proper wrist mechanics for a clean strike at impact
  • Practice single arm movements to improve energy transfer in your swing
  • Understand how to adjust your grip for stronger left and right wrist positions
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 --> 00:00:04.740
Okay, so now we're gonna train the single arm release drills while striking a

2
00:00:04.740 --> 00:00:05.280
golf ball.

3
00:00:05.280 --> 00:00:09.190
So this is a great one to do at the driving range as part of your mechanical

4
00:00:09.190 --> 00:00:09.820
practice

5
00:00:09.820 --> 00:00:15.350
for working on how the hands are gonna transfer energy after the transition

6
00:00:15.350 --> 00:00:16.840
phase to impact.

7
00:00:16.840 --> 00:00:20.840
So it's gonna be exactly the same movements that we've trained with the ping p

8
00:00:20.840 --> 00:00:21.520
ong paddle

9
00:00:21.520 --> 00:00:25.910
and either the speedball or the impact bag, but now we're using the golf club

10
00:00:25.910 --> 00:00:26.520
and letting

11
00:00:26.520 --> 00:00:29.840
the golf ball getting in the way of these movements.

12
00:00:29.840 --> 00:00:35.380
So we'll start with the right one, I'm gonna take my normal setup, take my left

13
00:00:35.380 --> 00:00:35.960
hand off

14
00:00:35.960 --> 00:00:38.920
the club and just kind of stick it on my side.

15
00:00:38.920 --> 00:00:43.580
And then we're gonna go to that delivery position that we trained in at the end

16
00:00:43.580 --> 00:00:45.360
of transition.

17
00:00:45.360 --> 00:00:50.200
And then from here, we're gonna try to feel like we throw the golf ball.

18
00:00:50.200 --> 00:00:54.090
And if we use that good right wrist mechanics, you can notice I'm gonna have a

19
00:00:54.090 --> 00:00:54.840
really clean

20
00:00:54.840 --> 00:00:59.430
strike and hit the ball really well, and finish pretty close to that follow

21
00:00:59.430 --> 00:01:01.160
through position.

22
00:01:01.160 --> 00:01:06.200
Okay, so applying the same principles, we can work on the left wrist as well.

23
00:01:06.200 --> 00:01:10.610
So we're gonna go to that same kind of delivery position, you're gonna take

24
00:01:10.610 --> 00:01:11.600
your right hand

25
00:01:11.600 --> 00:01:13.200
off the club this time.

26
00:01:13.200 --> 00:01:17.890
Now you'll, it's gonna feel weaker, especially if you're right handed and you

27
00:01:17.890 --> 00:01:18.620
're playing

28
00:01:18.620 --> 00:01:24.260
golf right handed, and it's gonna feel very weak when I flatten this left wrist

29
00:01:24.260 --> 00:01:24.640
.

30
00:01:24.640 --> 00:01:29.770
But if you remember from the impact drill, your hand is going to want to, or

31
00:01:29.770 --> 00:01:30.440
the door

32
00:01:30.440 --> 00:01:34.480
jam drill, if you remember, the impact drill, when you go to push into the golf

33
00:01:34.480 --> 00:01:34.960
ball, your

34
00:01:34.960 --> 00:01:38.320
hand is gonna feel very strong in that bowed position.

35
00:01:38.320 --> 00:01:42.550
So it'll feel weak here, but it'll feel strong and transfer more energy when

36
00:01:42.550 --> 00:01:44.080
you're at impact.

37
00:01:44.080 --> 00:01:49.560
So we're gonna go to this waist height position, bow that left wrist down.

38
00:01:54.640 --> 00:02:04.520
There's a good sound.

39
00:02:04.520 --> 00:02:08.750
So you'll see in this finish position of the left wrist, if I were to take my

40
00:02:08.750 --> 00:02:09.520
right wrist

41
00:02:09.520 --> 00:02:13.020
and do it same thing, they would pretty much fit in place.

42
00:02:13.020 --> 00:02:18.410
And that's the best way to train these wrist movements, is after you do say,

43
00:02:18.410 --> 00:02:19.160
let's say

44
00:02:19.160 --> 00:02:23.920
we did a right one, and that wasn't very good, but let's see why.

45
00:02:23.920 --> 00:02:27.570
So if I put my left wrist where it would be, you can see that my left elbow is

46
00:02:27.570 --> 00:02:28.040
a little

47
00:02:28.040 --> 00:02:32.840
bent compared to if I was doing that full follow through position.

48
00:02:32.840 --> 00:02:37.350
So that means that the club started working up instead of out too soon, which

49
00:02:37.350 --> 00:02:37.880
is why I

50
00:02:37.880 --> 00:02:40.280
hit the ball a little heavy.

51
00:02:40.280 --> 00:02:45.600
So you can do the same thing if we use the left wrist.

52
00:02:45.600 --> 00:02:49.430
If I hit a good shot, which that was, and then I put my right wrist where it

53
00:02:49.430 --> 00:02:50.080
would be,

54
00:02:50.080 --> 00:02:54.100
this will help me train that feeling of those elbows really extending into the

55
00:02:54.100 --> 00:02:56.040
follow through.

56
00:02:56.040 --> 00:02:59.930
The hands should basically take the club through the same path regardless of

57
00:02:59.930 --> 00:03:01.720
which hand is swinging.

58
00:03:01.720 --> 00:03:07.100
So what I often see in clinics is the right wrist will kind of do a little sco

59
00:03:07.100 --> 00:03:08.080
opy thingy

60
00:03:08.080 --> 00:03:12.300
like this and try to hit it high, but then I'll ask you to put your left wrist

61
00:03:12.300 --> 00:03:12.760
where

62
00:03:12.760 --> 00:03:16.330
it would be, and you can see that if I finished a real golf swing like this, I

63
00:03:16.330 --> 00:03:16.960
would be in

64
00:03:16.960 --> 00:03:18.400
a lot of trouble.

65
00:03:18.400 --> 00:03:22.290
The same thing will happen when you're working on the left wrist because what

66
00:03:22.290 --> 00:03:22.840
will happen

67
00:03:22.840 --> 00:03:25.460
is you'll hit this left wrist and it'll go flying like this and I'll say, "Okay

68
00:03:25.460 --> 00:03:25.800
, that

69
00:03:25.800 --> 00:03:28.400
was a good shot, but put your right hand where it would be."

70
00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:31.600
And they'll have to almost take a step in order to get there.

71
00:03:31.600 --> 00:03:35.880
So the key for the wrist and the release training is to make sure that each

72
00:03:35.880 --> 00:03:36.960
hand is taking the

73
00:03:36.960 --> 00:03:41.440
club through the same 3D space and through the same path.

74
00:03:41.440 --> 00:03:46.120
If you're able to do the same with both hands, then you'll have a much more

75
00:03:46.120 --> 00:03:47.080
consistent and

76
00:03:47.080 --> 00:03:51.710
solid strike when you put both hands on and go back to the 9-3 drill to work

77
00:03:51.710 --> 00:03:52.320
through

78
00:03:52.320 --> 00:03:53.560
these movements.

79
00:03:53.560 --> 00:03:55.320
So this is one of my favorite ways to train the release.

80
00:03:55.320 --> 00:03:58.610
I've had lots of success with it and I hope you will too if you give it a

81
00:03:58.610 --> 00:03:59.120
little bit of

82
00:03:59.120 --> 00:03:59.360
time.
Related topics
This video hasn't been assigned to any topics yet. Browse all topics in the sidebar.
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.

Single Arm Releases With A Club

Drills to Release Your Hands in the Golf Swing

These drills to release your hands in the golf swing use one-arm shots to sharpen wrist action through impact. Learn how each hand transfers energy to the club for a cleaner, more powerful strike.

After this video, you'll be able to:

  • Feel the proper wrist mechanics for a clean strike at impact
  • Practice single arm movements to improve energy transfer in your swing
  • Understand how to adjust your grip for stronger left and right wrist positions
Video Transcript
WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.740
Okay, so now we're gonna train the single arm release drills while striking a

2
00:00:04.740 --> 00:00:05.280
golf ball.

3
00:00:05.280 --> 00:00:09.190
So this is a great one to do at the driving range as part of your mechanical

4
00:00:09.190 --> 00:00:09.820
practice

5
00:00:09.820 --> 00:00:15.350
for working on how the hands are gonna transfer energy after the transition

6
00:00:15.350 --> 00:00:16.840
phase to impact.

7
00:00:16.840 --> 00:00:20.840
So it's gonna be exactly the same movements that we've trained with the ping p

8
00:00:20.840 --> 00:00:21.520
ong paddle

9
00:00:21.520 --> 00:00:25.910
and either the speedball or the impact bag, but now we're using the golf club

10
00:00:25.910 --> 00:00:26.520
and letting

11
00:00:26.520 --> 00:00:29.840
the golf ball getting in the way of these movements.

12
00:00:29.840 --> 00:00:35.380
So we'll start with the right one, I'm gonna take my normal setup, take my left

13
00:00:35.380 --> 00:00:35.960
hand off

14
00:00:35.960 --> 00:00:38.920
the club and just kind of stick it on my side.

15
00:00:38.920 --> 00:00:43.580
And then we're gonna go to that delivery position that we trained in at the end

16
00:00:43.580 --> 00:00:45.360
of transition.

17
00:00:45.360 --> 00:00:50.200
And then from here, we're gonna try to feel like we throw the golf ball.

18
00:00:50.200 --> 00:00:54.090
And if we use that good right wrist mechanics, you can notice I'm gonna have a

19
00:00:54.090 --> 00:00:54.840
really clean

20
00:00:54.840 --> 00:00:59.430
strike and hit the ball really well, and finish pretty close to that follow

21
00:00:59.430 --> 00:01:01.160
through position.

22
00:01:01.160 --> 00:01:06.200
Okay, so applying the same principles, we can work on the left wrist as well.

23
00:01:06.200 --> 00:01:10.610
So we're gonna go to that same kind of delivery position, you're gonna take

24
00:01:10.610 --> 00:01:11.600
your right hand

25
00:01:11.600 --> 00:01:13.200
off the club this time.

26
00:01:13.200 --> 00:01:17.890
Now you'll, it's gonna feel weaker, especially if you're right handed and you

27
00:01:17.890 --> 00:01:18.620
're playing

28
00:01:18.620 --> 00:01:24.260
golf right handed, and it's gonna feel very weak when I flatten this left wrist

29
00:01:24.260 --> 00:01:24.640
.

30
00:01:24.640 --> 00:01:29.770
But if you remember from the impact drill, your hand is going to want to, or

31
00:01:29.770 --> 00:01:30.440
the door

32
00:01:30.440 --> 00:01:34.480
jam drill, if you remember, the impact drill, when you go to push into the golf

33
00:01:34.480 --> 00:01:34.960
ball, your

34
00:01:34.960 --> 00:01:38.320
hand is gonna feel very strong in that bowed position.

35
00:01:38.320 --> 00:01:42.550
So it'll feel weak here, but it'll feel strong and transfer more energy when

36
00:01:42.550 --> 00:01:44.080
you're at impact.

37
00:01:44.080 --> 00:01:49.560
So we're gonna go to this waist height position, bow that left wrist down.

38
00:01:54.640 --> 00:02:04.520
There's a good sound.

39
00:02:04.520 --> 00:02:08.750
So you'll see in this finish position of the left wrist, if I were to take my

40
00:02:08.750 --> 00:02:09.520
right wrist

41
00:02:09.520 --> 00:02:13.020
and do it same thing, they would pretty much fit in place.

42
00:02:13.020 --> 00:02:18.410
And that's the best way to train these wrist movements, is after you do say,

43
00:02:18.410 --> 00:02:19.160
let's say

44
00:02:19.160 --> 00:02:23.920
we did a right one, and that wasn't very good, but let's see why.

45
00:02:23.920 --> 00:02:27.570
So if I put my left wrist where it would be, you can see that my left elbow is

46
00:02:27.570 --> 00:02:28.040
a little

47
00:02:28.040 --> 00:02:32.840
bent compared to if I was doing that full follow through position.

48
00:02:32.840 --> 00:02:37.350
So that means that the club started working up instead of out too soon, which

49
00:02:37.350 --> 00:02:37.880
is why I

50
00:02:37.880 --> 00:02:40.280
hit the ball a little heavy.

51
00:02:40.280 --> 00:02:45.600
So you can do the same thing if we use the left wrist.

52
00:02:45.600 --> 00:02:49.430
If I hit a good shot, which that was, and then I put my right wrist where it

53
00:02:49.430 --> 00:02:50.080
would be,

54
00:02:50.080 --> 00:02:54.100
this will help me train that feeling of those elbows really extending into the

55
00:02:54.100 --> 00:02:56.040
follow through.

56
00:02:56.040 --> 00:02:59.930
The hands should basically take the club through the same path regardless of

57
00:02:59.930 --> 00:03:01.720
which hand is swinging.

58
00:03:01.720 --> 00:03:07.100
So what I often see in clinics is the right wrist will kind of do a little sco

59
00:03:07.100 --> 00:03:08.080
opy thingy

60
00:03:08.080 --> 00:03:12.300
like this and try to hit it high, but then I'll ask you to put your left wrist

61
00:03:12.300 --> 00:03:12.760
where

62
00:03:12.760 --> 00:03:16.330
it would be, and you can see that if I finished a real golf swing like this, I

63
00:03:16.330 --> 00:03:16.960
would be in

64
00:03:16.960 --> 00:03:18.400
a lot of trouble.

65
00:03:18.400 --> 00:03:22.290
The same thing will happen when you're working on the left wrist because what

66
00:03:22.290 --> 00:03:22.840
will happen

67
00:03:22.840 --> 00:03:25.460
is you'll hit this left wrist and it'll go flying like this and I'll say, "Okay

68
00:03:25.460 --> 00:03:25.800
, that

69
00:03:25.800 --> 00:03:28.400
was a good shot, but put your right hand where it would be."

70
00:03:28.400 --> 00:03:31.600
And they'll have to almost take a step in order to get there.

71
00:03:31.600 --> 00:03:35.880
So the key for the wrist and the release training is to make sure that each

72
00:03:35.880 --> 00:03:36.960
hand is taking the

73
00:03:36.960 --> 00:03:41.440
club through the same 3D space and through the same path.

74
00:03:41.440 --> 00:03:46.120
If you're able to do the same with both hands, then you'll have a much more

75
00:03:46.120 --> 00:03:47.080
consistent and

76
00:03:47.080 --> 00:03:51.710
solid strike when you put both hands on and go back to the 9-3 drill to work

77
00:03:51.710 --> 00:03:52.320
through

78
00:03:52.320 --> 00:03:53.560
these movements.

79
00:03:53.560 --> 00:03:55.320
So this is one of my favorite ways to train the release.

80
00:03:55.320 --> 00:03:58.610
I've had lots of success with it and I hope you will too if you give it a

81
00:03:58.610 --> 00:03:59.120
little bit of

82
00:03:59.120 --> 00:03:59.360
time.
Related topics
This video hasn't been assigned to any topics yet. Browse all topics in the sidebar.