Intro to Fix Losing Lag and Weak Release

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Find out how to work through this section on how to cure your golf casting / loss of lag once and for all! If you're losing lag in your golf swing, you'll become a LAG MONSTER after working through these awesome lag golf swing drills!


Golf swing lag is the name of the game when it comes to effortless power. In fact, lag makes up about 66% of your overall club head speed, so if you're like most golfers who throw the club away from the top, you should pay close attention to these online golf instruction videos!

In this series of golf videos, we're going to teach you how to create more lag in your golf swing than you ever imagined possible while giving you more club head speed with less effort!

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Scott
I am 6'3" and for more than 25 years, I have lifted up in my backswing...somehow I have pretty good success in making good contact but it was always 'hand/eye' coordination that got me threw it! I have had lessons from the best (in my area) and after thousands of dollars wasted, I still had the same problem! I purchased the LIVEVIEW PRO from your website a couple weeks ago and after a little effort and self analyzing my swing, I identified I was taught early on NOT to have soft/supple wrists. (Most likely because I was SO right hand dominate and I didn't understand what I know now from your training! Nevertheless, I watched the 'Lag' videos and went back to work. I quickly realized that I have been keeping to much tension in my hands and wrists and as I took the club back in my backswing, I was instinctively lifting up to get my hands back farther to feel the weight of the club head...! Once I shortened my backswing and worked with the lag drills, a light went on in my head and I am now staying down much better! breaking 25 years of bad habits takes time, but if todays golf round is any indication...I am making great progress! So grateful!
February 11, 2021
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Scott. Congrats on the progress! Thanks for the post. Stories and comments from other members that may be feeling/experiencing the same issues really helps them break through old movement patterns.
February 12, 2021
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Julie
I am losing a lot of lag in my swing. Can you see why? Thank you very much.
June 22, 2019
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Julie. There are lots of factors that can cause loss of lag. It's tough from solely a still image to give you the perfect cause. Nevertheless, you look like the hips rushed and posted too soon in the downswing. Also, you can see the lead arm is bent. The hands are over working into the strike pushing the club away. The release is passive. Looks very active to me. I would practice some sequence body drills from the Step 2 - Core Rotation Video to get the hips under control and Golf Swing Transition Drill Video to practice slowly how to maintain angle into the strike.
June 23, 2019
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Julie
O.k. Thank you
June 24, 2019
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Julie
In my Practice swing I have a lot of lag but when I hit the ball I lose a lot of it. I am also hitting a lot of shots fat. Can you help?
June 19, 2019
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Julie. Most players try to work on having excessive lag too quickly. Start small and working to a greater length swing. I would work on the Taking a Divot Video first to understand the fat shot. And, then start smaller with the 9 to 3 Lag Building Drills. Hone in good shorter swings with lag and proper impact. Gradually, build up the swing longer once you have the feeling of how to retain it better into the strike.
June 19, 2019
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Julie
O.k. Thank you very much. I will do that.
June 19, 2019
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John
Greetings I have a question on the grip. Watched your videos on taking the grip and how grip effects lag. I am a plus 4 index. Path is in to out. Was using a neutral left and right grip. Tried weakening the left which reduced the curve but it seems like at the bottom of the swing there is a slight early release causing some fat/thin and increased loft. No cast at the top but the dump happens at the bottom. Your one video says the left grip if weak can make it easier to early release. Thank you. Question 1 - does the right grip have the same effect. Unfortunately, I am now hooking the ball with a stronger grip. I am not talking the super strong grip you showed in the video but more your neutral grip which is stronger than weak. I have found it seems the right hand controls the face. Stronger right then closed face. Question 2 - Can I take a stronger left to help with the slight early release but take a weaker right with V vertical to control the club face from closing? Any problems with this? Trackman shows my path is not a big problem. I must have gotten used to a weak grip and perhaps over the years rotated my hands maybe. Curious your thoughts from a long term perspective but also a short term so I can go out and play tournament perspective and play this weekend. Thank you.
April 26, 2019
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Elizabeth. The stronger you make the trail hand grip the more it will want to aid with speed. Therefore, it can lead to adding speed and overly controlling the face into impact leading to the hook. I would advise a slightly strong grip with the lead hand and neutral with the trail. The last thing you want is the trail hand to start making compensations for improper face movement. The lead hand is the control hand. It sounds like you are trying to use both to steer the car. The trail adds speed, but shouldn't be the director of face rotation. Take a look at Flip vs Release and 5 Minutes to the Perfect Release. You need to learn how to control the club with the lead side. If you have to play (short term). I would use your weaker lead hand and allow the trail hand to have the feeling it is coming off (Vijay Release Drill). Sounds more like an improper release, than a grip issue.
April 26, 2019
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John
Thank you Craig! I think something is wrong with the release to. When I do 9 to 3 swings my hands are well ahead of the ball with shaft lean. When I do a full swing I don't cast, have some lag back to the 9pm position, but then dump the release early with hands even with the ball. Symptoms are fat, a lot of thin, or added loft short. I read more about float loading. Not exaggerated though. On my back swing at the 9 position I have a perfect L so hinge seems good. But going from there to the top I continue to hinge which I think is over hinge. Then without thinking I think I slowly unhinge from the top. With float loading I tried today to have the thought of at transition begin to increase the hinge even more. Seemed to work well for first attempt. More lag but more important for me was hands were again back to being in front of the ball slightly and distance came back probably from de-lofting. Question for you - The ball hooked or over drew. I had neutral left and weak right. Even with weak left and weak right so something is wrong. Does the feeling of increasing hinge at the start of the down swing cause the face to close? Is this a bad move to do? I thought with hands ahead the face would point more open which I was hoping for. Or the move is good and I just need to learn not to rotate the face closed and swing to the right more? Thank you so much.
April 26, 2019
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Elizabeth. Ideally, I wouldn't want you float loading because lag creation is a byproduct of proper movement . Not a timing created by wrist/hands/arms. I would prefer lag generated by the 4 Step Lag Builder Video. Actually, if you increase the hinge and lag angle from the top the club would be more open with a steeper angle of attack. I would work on a gradual change of direction and passive upper half for lag. And, then we need to get you out of flipping your arms and making the release more passive. Work on gradual move and consistent bottoming out. Play the Best Golf of Your Life in 6 Weeks Video 2,3,4 of 6.
April 26, 2019
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mark
Hi,i have started to work on the weight shift drill but i am still hitting a lot of thinned shots.Are there any drill i could work on while doing the weight shift drill also.Thanks
May 7, 2017
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Mark. Ideally, you want to train the body movements first. But, to help out with the thin shot. If you would like to focus on some smaller shots with a better divot (Taking a Divot in Front of the Ball Video). It wouldn't hurt you.
May 7, 2017
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mark
Ok i will try that thanks
May 7, 2017
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Yuefeng
Hi Clay, having known you from RotarySwing, I'm actually surprised to find you in a tennis coaching channel as well. As I play both tennis and golf as right-handed (single back-handed) player, I'm always curious to know if the two sports complement each other (in the sense we all need to strike from ground up) or contradict each other, i.e. whether playing tennis too much will make me too much right-hand dominated which will be detrimental to the golf swing. Thanks.
July 28, 2016
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Chris (Certified RST Instructor)
Hi Yuefeng, All hitting and throwing sports will share similar characteristics when it comes to the overall body movements. The biggest difference is that we are stuck to the ground in golf and hitting an object that is static, whereas tennis, you are constantly moving to hit a ball that is moving at you. Hope that helps.
July 28, 2016
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Yuefeng
Thanks Chris. I understand the body movement mechanics are similar, but I'm concerned if playing tennis as a right-handed player will make me too much right-hand dominated which will be detrimental to the golf swing
July 28, 2016
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Chris (Certified RST Instructor)
No problem. That would have to be more of a personal decision. The movement patterns of your golf swing should not be interrupted by your tennis movements.
July 29, 2016
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jamey
Question, I lose the lag and angle as I have a slight cast at the start of the downswing. What drill or what do you recommend to practice in order to keep the angle or build the lag in the downswing?
May 7, 2016
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Jamey. Wide Narrow Wide Drill, Downcock Drill, Re-Shaping Your Swing for Lag, Frisbee Drill and the Perfect Impact Video Part 4.
May 9, 2016
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David
I'm confused You say don't hold the lag angle but how de we maintain it it?
October 12, 2015
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello David. Take a look at RST and Physics Part 1 and the Frisbee Drill. You want supple wrist and lead side pull to help maintain lag. Not max tension to try and hold it. Also, Part 5 Using the Wrist for Speed will talk about loading the wrist too soon and the tendency to fire early.
October 13, 2015
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gerald
why do the videos keep pausing
May 26, 2015
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Gerald. I'm not having any issues on my end. If the problem persists please contact customer support.
May 26, 2015
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gerald
I found the problem,thank you.
May 27, 2015
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James
Hey Gerald- would you mine sharing how you solved the video pause situation- I'm having the same problem. Thanks!
November 16, 2015
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fionn
i am able to get really high club head speed reading on the radar i bought on this site (just swinging, not hitting a ball), 118 is no problem, i can get up to the low 120s . could be that 2 years of drilling all the club head speed videos on this site is paying off, the same radar use to read 108-110 for me. at the same time i dont hit the ball very far. A few months back i was on a trackman and it was pretty obvious that my swing speed slows dramatically when i hit the ball. the guy operating the machine was amazed. anyway it seems that i need to strengthen up thruogh impact so that i can capture the real yardage of my club headspeed. have you ever seen this big slow down upon ball contact and anything you can advise to fix?
April 15, 2015
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Fionn. When the ball is presented you could be expending the energy too early and/or continued pulling and releasing it too late. Take a look at the Frisbee Drill in the Weight Shift Section to expend at impact. Also, the Increase Swing Speed by Decelerating to make sure the body is decelerating so you get rid of the energy properly.
April 16, 2015
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Richard
Hi, new to site. Been working on the fundimentals with my iPhone app, impact bag and 360 deg mirror. Just upgraded to premium membership, so I can upload swings for review. My standard 7 iron swing shot shape is a slight block to right, with fade. With must be a slight in to out swing path with an open face angle. This is very consistent. If I sit to square, weight in left heel I can square the path but still struggle to release the club head enough. I'm pleased I get a dispersion of balls on the range very close, which means working on the right fix should be now repeatable. Can anyone refer me to a video series to try, will upload swing for review when I can figure it out. Working through release drills with 9-3 practice, but struggling to apply draw spin to the ball. Cheers Rich.H
December 6, 2014
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Richard. Without seeing your swing it would be tough to judge the exact culprit. More than 80% of ball flight is determined by the face angle. The relationship isn't 50/50 with path and club as thought of in the past. The 5 Minutes to the Perfect Release is very important to understand what it going on through impact. For more of a draw. Take a look at the 9 Days to Amazing Ball Striking Section in the Bonus Series. There is a "Day" for each type of preferred ball flight.
December 6, 2014
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Mike
Is there a video showing when to "release"?
September 30, 2014
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Mike. Tons of different Videos. Here are a few. Acceleration Profile Video in the Downswing Advanced Section. Stop Slicing, Start Releasing same Section. 5 Minutes to the Perfect Release in the Downswing Section. Tour Pros - Martin Kaymer Releasing for Distance.
September 30, 2014
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Tony
Where are the other two (2) videos ?
July 24, 2014
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
The videos he is referring to are in this section. 2. Overview Video: Fix Losing Lag and Release. And the Wide Narrow Wide Video. Both to teach the faults and desired shape of the swing. From those you should be able to diagnose where you are losing your lag and start learning how to create it. Use the rest of this section to find extra videos correlated to gaining more lag or fixing current issues.
July 24, 2014

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