[MizunoJoe]

i realize the variations are just guidelines and there are x variations and variations of variations and so forth, but IF the elbow is not in front of the hip, it is not a pitch elbow... is that not the identity of the pitch elbow? seems to me looks something like between pitch and punch, personally i have noticed most players on tour who use snap releases deliver with a punch elbow, punch in fact seems to be the most common.

charl schwartzel, louis oosthuizen, gregory havret all have pretty perfect golf swings

An elbow which is over a foot ahead of the hands(belly view) when it reaches the right hip is pitch regardless of release point! When Schwartzel's right elbow reaches his right hip, it is way ahead of his hands which are at least 12" from his right thigh, and the shaft is at least 60 degs above horizontal. In the next frame when release starts, his hands have just reached his right thigh and his funny bone is still ahead of his hands. He could have sought the naval and had more pitch, but it's still a snap release. At any rate, that's not a punch elbow.