The release might be golf's most misunderstood fundamental, yet it's the critical moment that determines whether your ball finds the fairway or the rough. Most golfers think release means flipping their hands through [impact position](/learn/impact-position), but this common misconception creates more problems than it solves—including that persistent slice that plagues so many players. [Porzak Golf](/creator/porzakgolf) demonstrates how proper connection through the [downswing](/learn/downswing
According to experts like Porzak Golf and The Art of Simple Golf, slicing often comes from holding onto the club too tightly and not releasing properly through impact. Focus on letting the clubface naturally rotate through the ball rather than trying to control it with a death grip - this allows for
Release refers to how your hands, wrists, and clubface rotate through impact to square up and deliver power to the ball. As Dan Grieve demonstrates, proper release controls both the direction and trajectory of your shots - it's essentially how you let the club do its job rather than forcing it.
Dan Grieve explains that even with a decent swing plane, if your clubface is turned over (closed) at impact, the ball will go left regardless. The key is working on your release pattern so the face arrives square rather than closed through the hitting zone.