Release is not a last-second flip
On 26 October 2026, RotarySwing instructor Chuck Quinton published a detailed lesson on the golf-club release: how the club travels through impact and how the shaft and clubface change orientation. His progression aims to help a player feel the lead side working rather than scoop the ball into the air with a sudden wrist flip.
For a right-handed golfer, the lead hand is the left and the trail hand the right; reverse that for a left-hander. The following is Quinton's specific coaching approach, not a claim that every successful swing must look identical.
Five stages to practise
1. Preset impact. Hold a short iron with the lead hand alone and begin with weight already favouring the lead side. Make a very short backswing and stop at a rehearsed impact position. Check that the lead wrist is not collapsing into excessive extension and the clubhead is not racing past the hands.
2. Feel the lead-side release. Allow the club to continue through the hitting area while the lead forearm rotates naturally. Quinton uses a sensation of the lead hand turning over near the back of the lead thigh. This is a feel cue, not a literal instruction to snap the wrist at one precise point. Do not deliberately shut the clubface before the ball.
3. Reintroduce the trail hand, then let go. Set the trail hand lightly on the grip, rehearse a small swing and allow it to come off around impact. Notice whether the trail hand wants to push the clubhead through.
4. Rejoin after the release. Pause just beyond the hitting area and gently bring the trail hand back to the grip. This separates the movement you are learning from an extra hit with the trailing arm.
5. Keep both hands on. Make easy half-swings with only light trail-hand pressure. Widen the motion gradually while the contact and clubface remain manageable.
What to measure
After a few rehearsals, hit a short series of controlled iron shots. Note strike location, starting direction and divot direction, rather than assuming that a good feeling means a good result. A sharp pull or hook may signal a face/path problem, not a need to rotate harder.
Other qualified coaches describe release using different priorities, including body rotation and trail-side support. This sequence is a possible practice tool, not a guaranteed distance gain or a universal swing prescription. Its added value over a simple 'hit and stop' tip is the gradual transition from one hand to two.
Method source: Chuck Quinton, RotarySwing, 26 October 2026.
