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why is the short thumb more efficent in golf

by Kelli Kunze Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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A short left thumb grip is characterized by its two main features. Firstly, as its name implies the left thumb extends much less down the grip than it does in the long finger grip. Indeed, a golfer with a short left thumb will notice how his thumb will extend barely past the other fingers down on the grip.

A short thumb grip is basically the opposite of an extended thumb grip. The short thumb grip keeps the thumb from extending down the grip nearly as far as it does with the long thumb grip. With the short thumb grip, the thumb looks as though it's almost in line with the other fingers in the hand.

Full Answer

Should you keep your left thumb short when griping a golf club?

Indeed, it is quite uncomfortable to keep your left thumb short while retaining an all-fingers grip. A palm-and-finger grip makes it more difficult to see the shaft of the club reach the point of being parallel to the ground (or go past it) even when your wrists are fully hinged.

Does a shorter golf swing affect clubhead speed?

Finally, a shorter swing will lead to a reduced clubhead speed but it may see an increase in consistency on the flip side.

Why does my left thumb hurt when I play golf?

Golf Thumb Pain. If you have a really sore left thumb and you see the top of your grip is really worn and you tend to wear out gloves right underneath the thumb, this first joint here, you need to start to look at that because not only can you create a lot of long-term injury to your thumb, but you're destroying what's happening in your golf swing.

What is a short left thumb grip?

Such a grip is therefore particularly recommended to those looking to add speed to their swings and to those that experience limited flexibility in their wrists. What is it? A short left thumb grip is characterized by its two main features.

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Why is the thumb important in golf?

A long left thumb directs the hands of the golfer towards an all-fingers grip in contrast to a fingers-and-palm grip. In that position and angle a full wrist hinge is much easier to achieve.

What is a short thumb golf grip?

1:273:51Short and Long of the Left Thumb - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo shorter your left hand thumb is the less hinge you get at the end of the backswing. We want toMoreSo shorter your left hand thumb is the less hinge you get at the end of the backswing. We want to get a 90 degree hinge well the only way to get a 90 degree hinge with a short thumb is to cup.

How important is the left thumb in golf swing?

This “looseness” is bound to occur through impact, leading to wayward shots. That is why the placement of the left thumb is so important. It establishes a position of the left hand and arm which is powerful, leading to enhanced control of the club-face through the ball.

Are longer Thumbs better?

The long-thumbed are particularly challenged when it comes to accuracy at the bottom of the screen. The experiments demonstrate that the longer your thumb, the harder it is to guide it with precision in the lower corners of the screen.

How does Phil Mickelson grip the club?

Phil Mickelson grip – the claw, that is – finds the right hand grasping the top of the club, his thumb extended down the shaft. With his left hand separated from the right, he cradles the handle lightly between the thumb, index and middle fingers.

How does Tiger Woods grip the club?

He places his thumbs straight down the center of the putter grip. Woods' grip is conducive to an arc-style putting stroke in which the face opens in relation to the target line going back, then closes after impact.

Which fingers apply pressure golf swing?

To swing correctly, the right amount of grip pressure—and where you apply it—is important. You should feel the club being supported by the last three fingers of your left hand (above, left). Those fingers should grip the firmest.

Do you hold golf club in fingers or palm?

The fingers are the most sensitive parts of our hands. Placing the club more in the fingers rather than in the palm increases the amount of wrist hinge, which results in longer tee shots and more feel.

How many knuckles should you see in golf grip?

To improve your grip, adjust your left hand until you can see two knuckles at address. If you see only one knuckle, your grip is too weak. If you see three or four, you've overcooked it. Using a marker, put dots on your first two knuckles (right) to ensure you achieve this position consistently.

What is the golf thumb trick?

Sorry boys, but it does seem the size of your fingers is a pretty good guide to your manhood. Long regarded as a myth and source of much amusement, scientists have now confirmed that the length of a man's index finger relative to his ring finger can reveal his penis size.Jul 5, 2011Man's finger reveals all about his manhood - Sydney Morning Heraldhttps://www.smh.com.au › lifestylehttps://www.smh.com.au › lifestyleSearch for: Can you tell the size of a man by his hands?

How did Ben Hogan grip the club?

They found and suggested that regardless of an adolescent boy's height and BMI participants with a shorter second digit, comparatively to the fourth, had better grip strength.Sep 7, 2017How Finger Length and Hand Size Relate to Grip Strength & Athleticismhttps://barbend.com › finger-length-grip-strengthhttps://barbend.com › finger-length-grip-strengthSearch for: Are shorter fingers stronger?

How does Rory grip the club?

Humans can move their thumb farther across their hand than any other primate. Having opposable thumbs helps in grasping things more easily, picking up small objects, and eating with one hand. An opposable thumb is a physical adaptation. An adaptation is a feature that helps a plant or animal survive in its habitat.Feb 7, 2014Where would we be without thumbs? | 2014-01-27 - ISHN.comhttps://www.ishn.com › articles › 97847-where-would-we...https://www.ishn.com › articles › 97847-where-would-we...Search for: Why the thumb is so important?

What is the proper golf grip?

2:393:49GOLF THUMB ROLL DRILL - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBehind okay once we go back to the golf club. And we take our set up. We can feel the same thing. SoMoreBehind okay once we go back to the golf club. And we take our set up. We can feel the same thing. So I can feel in my Tiger where my thumb's stay in front of me and then I let them rotate.

Why is it so hard to see the shaft of a golf club when you have a palm and finger grip?

A palm-and-finger grip makes it more difficult to see the shaft of the club reach the point of being parallel to the ground (or go past it) even when your wrists are fully hinged. In that sense, it may prove difficult to fully hinge for golfers who have flexibility issues.

Which thumb extends less down the grip?

Firstly, as its name implies the left thumb extends much less down the grip than it does in the long finger grip. Indeed, a golfer with a short left thumb will notice how his thumb will extend barely past the other fingers down on the grip.

What does a long thumb grip mean?

Secondly, a golfer with a long thumb grip will notice how the knuckles of his fingers are laying almost flat and mostly follow the line of the grip.

What is a long left thumb?

Features. A long left thumb directs the hands of the golfer towards an all-fingers grip in contrast to a fingers-and-palm grip. In that position and angle a full wrist hinge is much easier to achieve.

What happens if you have a shorter swing?

Finally, a shorter swing will lead to a reduced clubhead speed but it may see an increase in consistency on the flip side.

Why use a grip on a golf swing?

Such a grip is therefore particularly recommended to those looking to add speed to their swings and to those that experience limited flexibility in their wrists.

What is the position relative to the center of the golf ball?

Indeed, the position relative to the center refers to the grip strength and can vary between weak, neutral and strong. But additionally, how the golfer actually places his left thumb irrespective of how far to the left or right can also vary. Indeed, you can either adopt a long thumb grip or a short thumb grip.

What thumb is used for a high shot?

The secret is your right thumb (if you’re a righty; left thumb if you’re a lefty). “For a high shot with backspin, swing through impact and hold off the rotation of your hands so that your right thumb stays on the right side of the handle,” says Fisher.

What is the key to a good short game?

You may know that one of the keys to having a good short game is having the ability to hit the ball higher with more spin in some situations, and lower with less spin in other situations.

Can you manipulate ball flight?

But knowing that you want to manipulate ball flight is completely different than actually, you know, being able to manipulate ball flight. Don’t worry, when it comes to your short game, Alex Fisher, one of our Golf Digest Best Young Teachers, has an easy trick that’ll help you control how high or low you hit your chip shots.

What does a long thumb do?

A long thumb produces a substantial draw or hook and when my timing is slightly off it is uncontrollable. With a short thumb I either hit the ball fairly straight or with a 5 yard draw (or so). I can also fade balls with reliability instead of double crossing myself and hitting a hook from a fade alignment.

What is the most important thing about the grip?

I think what is most important about the grip is to make sure it is in the fingers and not the palm, that is what will give you the best leverage. That is why most golf instructors advice a short thumb. The longer the thumb the more likely the handle will be in the palm.

Where should the grip be on a hand?

Agree grip should be in the last three fingers of top hand. A long thumb may feel as though there is more control because it locks up the wrist. For wrists that are free hinges, the thumbs and index fingers of both hands, need to be disengaged, IMO. Quote.

MonteScheinblum

Short or long thumb is VERY individual.

Dariusz J

Why not short thumb at address transforming automatically into a long thumb at transition as Mr.Hogan used post-accident ? It gives all advantages combined.

BMart519

I've read a few books and when they discuss grip, almost always show photos of what would be called a "short thumb" pinched in against the 1st index knuckle to make a tight V.

cnosil

I’ve used both long and short thumb grips and current grip is a short thumb. Both grips for me have the same setup in the hand with the thumb pad resting on top of the club and sitting in the base of the fingers.

M. Parsons

I use the "long thumb" grip, and my scores have been coming down...however, I did purposely play 2 rounds last year with a "short thumb" grip and the results were...FORE LEFT!!! I think because of too much release. I've seen Clay Ballard and Eric Cogorno discuss the "long thumb" grip, but seemed to shy away from recommending it.

Siamese Moose

My instructor had me try a long thumb, but it was a very short (5 ish swings) experiment. I have arthritis pretty bad in my right thumb (surgery is likely sometime down the road), and the long thumb hurt to the point that I could tell right away it wouldn't last.

JeremyD

I have a naturally middle length thumb. It's an interesting topic however, and I like this video.

BMart519

Thanks for this, short thumb definitely presses the palm pad off the shaft for me and I do have to pay special attention with a long thumb that the butt of the club can't move around, so what he says makes sense. I don't recall seeing much information about that pressure point in the past either.

BMart519

In some quick googling today it seems like the consensus is long thumb equals less club control, more speed and allows more wrist set/cock. Short thumb more control, less speed and less wrist set. No definition of what’s more or less speed.

Why is there no stress on the top of my wrist?

When the wrist is in the proper position, there should be no stress on the top of the wrist due to the extended lead thumb position. The thumb is long but not extended too far down the shaft. There is a gap between the thumb and the knuckle of the index finger where the fingers are tightly wrapped together under the club.

What is lead grip?

The lead hand grip is more than just where you place the club in the hand. How your place the hand is just as important. If the golf swing were a jigsaw puzzle, I would consider the lead hand position my final piece.

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