Tape Drill for Push Releasers

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For push releasers, the Tape Drill will give you a good visual for how the club face should work in the downswing. This is best for those who are seeking to fade the ball.


For those of you who are implementing a push release in the golf swing I want to give you one simple drill that'll help you understand exactly  how to use the right arm to add stability to the club face and also to help you understand exactly what you're trying to do with the club. So, first off, let me be clear that when you're using a push release, you shouldn't be going to the top and firing the right arm. Everything else is exactly the same. Your arms still have to be relatively passive to allow them to shallow out first using your hips, using your core, to bring the arms back down to the delivery area. So don't think you're going to the top and then just got free reign to just fire from the top. That's going to still lead to a million different swing flaws. 

So, instead understand that the release in the golf swing, everything is basically the same until we get down into the release area. Otherwise we'd just be dominating the swing with the right arm and swinging over the top and slicing and all that stuff. So in order to understand how to release the club properly, all you need is about four feet of tape. Of course, it could be anything. It could be a club laying on the ground, but I like to use tape cause it obviously it lays flat and gives me a good visual path for what I'm going to do with the club. So right arm back, like I talked about in this right arm video to simplify your swing and reduce the amount of elevation in your swing to make it a lot easier to hit these effortless shots. My arms aren't really going to do much. Has I started coming down now is when things are going to start to be able to allow this right arm to start to work.

And this is where the tape comes in and a normal release where you're just a centrifical force where you're letting your left arms be very soft. Your lead side, be very soft and the club just releases. The club will naturally want to rotate a little bit more. That's a lot easier to hit a draw. If that's what shot shape that you're looking for using your body and letting the club release. If you're looking to have more control over a fade, then the push release may be more ideal for you. It's a lot easier to keep the club face from closing down on you and start hitting the ball to go left to, right? If you're a right-handed golfer with a push release and that's really one of its biggest advantages. So if you're looking to hit a cut, what you'll do from this point as the club is coming down at this point is when you're going to start to extend that right arm, the trail arm down this tape line. And what you're looking for

Is for the club, from your perspective to look like it's going straight down that tape with the club face remaining very square. As I mentioned in a, in a normal release where we're just passively letting the club turn over the club would come in square and then begin to close over again. This is what makes it so much easier to hit a draw. But if you're wanting to hold the face to keep it nice and square and, or actually holding it open during the release to some degree again, this is where the fade comes in.

Then using this piece tape, once you get down here. So I've got the tape just about where the ball would be a little bit back in my stance of where the, the tape is a little bit behind where my ball would be, but as I'm working the club down, now I'm starting to use my right arm. And I don't like the word push.

It's not even really a thrust because it's still, it's not an aggressive motion. It's not like you're trying to force it to happen. It's a gliding motion. It's not a right arm shove. I kind of think it was like a right arm glide, but no matter what you call it, as I'm doing this, now I'm beginning to work that shaft or work the club, head down the tape in a square fashion to holding it open. This is again what makes it so easy to hit the cut? So as you're doing this, as you're working at home, a great way to practice is to start hitting chip shots like this, put a ball on the tape. And then as you're working through on your chip video it, or just watch the club go down the tape line and you can see for a chip shot, this is a great release or Romo is really a lack thereof to some degree with a push release to start understanding how to hit these really, really good crisp chip shots and pitch shots, where the club is staying very, very stable. You don't need a lot of power in those.

So you're sacrificing a little bit of clubface rotational speed for the sake of gaining some accuracy or preferring to hit a cut practicing with these short shots, we'll make it really, really easy. So in your home and your backyard, throw some tape on the ground, you got some short grass and start working the club down that line. You'll notice as you do this in order for you to be able to keep the club

Going down the line, as long as you can, without the face rotating over that your right shoulder will need to move with the club. Otherwise you'll run out of something to hit with and you'll run out of right arm. And you'll start having to flip that club face over, which defeats the purpose, the biggest benefit of that push release. So you'll watch that my right shoulder is going with it a little bit through the shot in order to keep that club face, traveling parallel or perpendicular to that tapeline as long as possible. And again, when you're hitting full shots, you'll find that it's so much easier as you're driving through with that right arm and right side to hold the face open to hit that nice little butter fade. So work on the tape drill. If you're wanting to go to a push release, if you're wanting to hit a fade, you'll find it much easier to do so if you're wanting to hit an, a nice little draw as you're coming through that club's is going to release nice and easy and effortless, and you're just going to get out of its way.

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Asle
I have heard about what's called a power fade. Is that also a push release? How do we explain the extra power?
January 2, 2023
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Asle. You could say push releasers would have an easier time hitting a power fade because it will tend to be more for players that like to curve the ball to the fade side. And, you can add a little more muscular effort to this type shot. You usually can swing a little harder and control the fade spin easier with the extra effort.
January 2, 2023
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Scott
Hi. If I'm hitting a right push with this drill, is that typically a club head angle issue or path? Or, does that happen with not allowing enough release? Thanks!
July 22, 2021
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Scott. Probably, a little inside. But, more about the face direction. Need a little more release.
July 22, 2021
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Scott
This is called an “angled hinge” in The Golfing Machine…
July 9, 2021
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Scott. Thanks for the post. If you take a look at Overview of Push Release. You will see some variations. You can allow for more arm thrust or rotation through depending on strength and spine.
July 10, 2021
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Kyaw Thet
Can I still draw the ball with trail side dominant and/or push release; Or do I need to switch to lead side dominant to draw?
June 21, 2021
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Kyaw. Yes. You can certainly still draw the ball.
June 21, 2021
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Kevin
Hi Craig - I was videoing my swing today and noticed that my right arm is getting pinned against my trail side at times with this move and ultimately loses its flex and straightens and flips. When I get the trail elbow up in front of me more it seems to help improve the strike. Easier said than done but I wanted to see what you thought
May 25, 2021
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Kevin. It isn't that bad, but you need more of the rocket stage release. Take a look at Overview of Push Release in the first half of the video. You may need a little more chest at this point to get the arm forward enough to shy away from the flip.
May 27, 2021
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Kevin
Face on view for comment below on cupped wrist
May 16, 2021
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Kevin. Looks like you are cupping the the downswing to increase lag. You may need to focus on the wrist staying flat or bowing slightly during the downswing like Square the Face Early Video.
May 17, 2021
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Ryan
Does the grip change at all for this? Can you give a quick checklist for the grip again. Thanks!
December 9, 2020
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Ryan. No need to change the grip. Trail hand "V" at trail shoulder socket. Lead hand "v" in-between trail neck and shoulder.
December 9, 2020
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Todd
Guys, when practicing this I’ve noticed that my success with it is usually better when the face is perpendicular to target by my right foot in downswing. This brings up a question I hadn’t considered before: with the standard release is this the same or should the face be slightly open by the right toe as it still closes down through impact?
November 24, 2020
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Todd. The face will be rotating more in a lead side/swinger motion. It will still be a little open by the time it reaches the trail foot and not perpendicular to the target line.
November 24, 2020
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Kevin
Hi Craig - just reading this post related to face for the push release. I’ve been hitting it really well with the push release and more right side bend at impact while clearing the lower body. I still get the flip to show up though because my face is too open / lead wrist is cupped - too much lag? Curious if you think I should try and add more bow at the top or in transition? Currently at the top of the backswing my lead wrist (and swing) are flat.
May 16, 2021
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Kevin. I don't think you should add more bow if the lead wrist is flat. You can, but unnecessary. It may come down to you will need more rotation from the body in the downswing.
May 17, 2021
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Juan Eduardo
Chuck, I am practicing Dead Drill , and my best reps are when my arms get shallow in the downswing before impact. If I get my club in a good spot in the delivery moment, as a sub product of my arms and hands working correctly during transition and post up, my release is good even with my trail arm. So, going straight to the point, I dont find any video that totally focus on how to really get the arms to shallow naturally or maybe helping them a little, being so difficult and important. Maybe you can help me with that!!
November 21, 2020
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Chuck
Tension in the shoulders is the primary thing that keeps the club from shallowing out naturally
November 23, 2020
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Duc
Do you have any advice or drills that can help with having less tension in the shoulders?
November 24, 2020
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Chuck
Don’t aggressively load them during the backswing. That’s the whole point. If they’re tightened up in the backswing there’s nothing you can do.
November 24, 2020
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Matt
Hi Chuck- Can you clarify a few points on this release? In comparison to the normal free wheeling release for RST in your testing using the right arm late and then right shoulder to hit the release what does the data show from a loss of distance perspective? Using 7 iron as an example you lose about 5 yards? 10? Also I'm assuming the ball starts on target and then typically good many yard fade would it do? Just curious, thanks!
November 20, 2020
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Chuck
If you swing more out to in and control the spin loft you can lose no distance. Think of it as if a lefty was hitting a draw.
November 23, 2020
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Jim
I am dealing with a right shoulder injury and as I am learning to do the standard rotary swing squat to square, clam, release naturally, my right shoulder will still begin to hurt after hitting for a while. Any thoughts or recommendations on what I may still be doing wrong? I am thinking still trying to use shoulders to early or to much by obviously I am not sure. Thanks!!
November 20, 2020
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Chuck
If this hurts your shoulder I simply wouldn't do it. It's for those who really struggle with not overusing the right side. If you can release the club naturally, then that's my preference.
November 20, 2020
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Jim
Thanks Chuck. I have not tried any of this push-release. I guess I was thinking to much right side may be what gets my right shoulder to start hurting. Initially when I start hitting all is fine, but eventually it starts hurting, so I think I am doing something wrong. The shoulder injury was not golf related.
November 20, 2020
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Mark
Is this how you hit a power-fade?
November 20, 2020
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Craig (Certified RST Instructor)
Hello Mark. This will tend to be more fade biased with some juice.
November 21, 2020
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Harry
If your right shoulder turns through to facilitate this push release does that not mean you are rotating with side bend which is bad for your back?
November 20, 2020
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Chuck
As you can see in the video i dont have any different side bend from one release to the other
November 20, 2020
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James
Great video. I have a few nagging injuries that this type of release will make my body much more efficient. due to a rotator injury in my left shoulder & left hand carpal tunnel surgery makes releasing the club the old way a challenge. This new way of releasing really doesn't stress those injuries. I appreciate the research & your findings regarding less elevation. Thank you
November 19, 2020
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Chuck
You're welcome, Jim!
November 20, 2020
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adam
This is good and makes a lot of sense in describing right arm and shoulder movement in push (glide?chase?) release. But Im a little confused about the right hip. When and how is it activated in this type of release? Is it after an initial pull by left hip? Maybe that’s the next video.
November 17, 2020
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Chuck
Left hip always leads. Then you can add some right side to speed it up
November 18, 2020

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