I have been experimenting with different release patterns.
@Tom Saguto really uses a slap hinge release where the left wrist works from bowed to cupped. very little rolling (right wrist working from extension to flexion).
i probably use the same pattern most of the time and for me the feel is that the back of my left hand always faces the ball on the backswing (stays parallel to my spine angle), but it occurred to me that some of my best ball striking rounds have happened when my timing was off, or leaving the club face. open and I had to actively focus on rolling my lead arm through the shot.
in this release pattern, the club faceworks much more toe up to toe up. That means it goes from open to shut through the ball. I have always found this release type to be more inconsistent because under pressure swinging harder or with a delicate short shot, how fast do the arms roll over?
Well, as I work on the fundamentals of stack n tilt, I have noticed that a shorter arm swing makes the roll release pattern much more repeatable too. Before with the lift and shift, stars had to align to make the pattern repeatable. I could shoot 71 one day and 83 the next.
lets say you stick with the standard stack n tilt release pattern for playing golf. It still might be worthwhile experimenting with a roll release because it is a way to hit different shot patterns. As an example, if I want to hit the low bullet hook around a tree, I will roll release that every time.
i Say all of that to get to my real point, learning the feel to hit different shots does not mean you have to “change your swing” instead we are searching for what does it feel like today and to hit a shot that does X, what will that feel like?
learning what it feels like to
hit different shots is not a crime…and it’s not a different swing…just a different feel. The more we can relate feels to shot patterns, the better we can play golf instead of golf swing.
For me, the shorter backswing, while it feels more "controllable" it also can lead to loss of extension on the backswing. From there I can start to arm swing the club to the top and get into weird shots. That said, we're all different, and believe me, some of my best shots are based upon shorter swings.
I also find the timing of a shorter swing is somewhat harder because the swing happens more quickly, so my lower body has to engage more quickly, such that if my lower body is "too slow" I can get into over the top swings. It can be done for sure, but I am finding a longer, extended swing is generally the best.
This sounds like the release Mike Malaska teaches. Also similar to A.J. Bonar’s teaching I believe. I once shot even par 72 using this swing thought, “80% swing, top over bottom, toe past heel.”
The 80% swing part kept me from over swinging. The top over bottom thought was from A.J. where he was teaching to hit the ball with the feeling of trying to keep the trajectory low by trying to move the top edge of the face over the bottom edge. The bowing of the left wrist through impact is the result. The toe past heel thought promotes the Malaska release.
I hit the ball pretty well that day. But I couldn’t duplicate it that well again. The 2.8 Drill swing is easier to duplicate over a longer period of time. And the results, at least for me, yields better scores.
As I often convey, my instruction provides a standard blueprint for the stock swing and offers different feels for various components where possible. It's kinda like plans for a model home with some alternate color options. From there you are not only free - but also encouraged - to customize it to your individual tastes, as long as you keep the foundation intact and stay under the original roof design.
Consider Mike Bennett and Charlie Wi - two noticeably different swings, both wholly and fully S&T.
Let your ball striking and shot shape be your guide!
I have found the Short Backswing, in a measured way, eliminates many problems on the downswing and rolling the wrists is taken out of the formula. The ball comes out clean, where the club face remains stable through impact. That is my unprofessional opinion.