Casting
Also known as: releasing early, throwing the club
Casting is releasing the wrist angles too early in the downswing — like a fisherman throwing a line — which destroys lag, reduces speed, and adds loft at impact.
When wrists unhinge early, the clubhead overtakes the hands before impact, adding dynamic loft and reducing compression. Casting is the direct cause of scooping (adding loft at the ball instead of maintaining shaft lean). The fix is learning to "hold off" the release by feeling the handle lead the clubhead into the hitting zone, often paired with better sequencing from the ground up.
Example
A player who hits a lot of fat, high, short irons and always feels like they "threw" the club is casting.
Related terms
- LagLag is the acute angle between the lead arm and the shaft in the downswing — the loaded position that releases into club speed at impact when timed correctly.
- Shaft LeanShaft lean is when the grip end of the club is ahead of the clubhead at impact — the hands in front of the ball. It reduces dynamic loft, compresses the ball, and is the signature of good iron contact.
- ScoopingScooping is the instinct to "help the ball up" by flipping the wrists upward at impact — it adds loft, reduces compression, and produces weak, high, short contact.
- Early ReleaseAn early release is when the wrists unhinge and the forearms fire before the hands reach the hitting zone, costing lag, speed, and compression.
- TransitionThe transition is the moment the swing changes direction from backswing to downswing. How the body initiates this moment determines sequencing, lag, and the resulting club path.
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