Releasing the golf club vs holding lag - which is better

Releasing the Golf Club vs Holding Lag – Which is Better?

If you use your swing arc as your main power source, you are ultimately balancing the relationship between releasing the golf club and holding your lag. You’ve probably experienced those thin heel strikes and almost-fat toe shots, right?

Narrowed Simplified Scope = Ad Hoc Analysis Instrument

Just to be clear, I fully acknowledge that this is a theoretical article and that your intended body movements also influence the relationship between the hands and the club.

This article is meant to provide a framework—something tangible to consider when analyzing your own ball striking.

In fact, I use this as a go-to tool for understanding my ball striking while playing. It’s simple enough to generate quick, ad hoc answers. When you’re out on the course playing some half-assed golf, you can’t go into full “swing remake mode”—you need to rely on simpler concepts. This approach makes mid-round adjustments much easier.

Releasing the Golf Club vs Holding Lag – The Spectrum Explained

So, the hand path is represented by the orange circle, and the clubhead path by the green circle.

Whenever you hold too much lag or fail to release the golf club, your hands move slightly more toward the ball, shifting the path slightly to the left (out to in). This results in a semi-compressed pull fade, fade, or push fade. In extreme cases, over-holding lag can even lead to shanks.

On the other hand, when you successfully get the centrifugal force working more than balanced in the club, you’ll often come close to fatting the shot with a more toe-biased strike. The path moves more from the inside, and as a counter-reaction to the force outlet, the hands work their way closer to the body.

Again, this applies to swings that rely on the swing arc.

Outside the Spectrum – the Weak Heel Draw

Obviously, all kinds of crazy things can happen in a golf swing, but I’m only going to cover one here—the shut-face heel strike, which falls outside the typical spectrum.

This issue usually stems from holding too much lag while simultaneously applying excessive grip pressure, which causes the hands to rise. This upward movement contributes to a slightly shut clubface, and when combined with a heel strike, it further exaggerates the blade’s effect on the shot.

Equipment Helps you Find Your Balance

So, this concept is pretty straightforward, right? I use it entirely to dial in my equipment.

When I rely on the swing arc as my power engine, I develop a go-to sensation—an abstract feel—that drives my motion. Once I find something that suits me, it becomes repeatable. I never want to change this feel because this is my consistency.

This is where equipment comes into play. How do you find the right balance between grip size, shaft style, shaft weight, and clubhead to fine-tune your release vs. hold-the-lag dynamic?

For me, the holy grail is midsize grips, standard True Temper X100 (or S3-400) shafts, and a relatively heavy clubhead. If something feels off, I adjust with lead tape (for more club release) or counterweights (for more automatic hand speed = holding more lag). Lead tape and counterweights are excellent tools for finding your ideal balance.

Summary – Releasing the Golf Club vs Holding the Lag

This simple theoretical concept has helped me many times on the course, turning a rough ball-striking streak into something much better.

Test it out and see how it works for you—it might just be a great tool.

Cheers!

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