Long Thumb Golf Grip: Simple Tweak for More Power?

Ought to you’ve got an extended thumb grip? Impartial thumb grip? Or, a brief thumb grip?

These are good inquiries to ask as a result of the correct golf grip could make a large distinction in your golf sport. Give it some thought, the grip is the one connection you’ve got with the membership so your lead hand performs a giant function within the golf swing.

Your complete grip will impression ball flight, distance, accuracy, and extra. From newbie golfers all the best way to the very best gamers on the planet, grip is a basis to the way you play golf.

Lengthy Left Thumb Grip vs. Brief Left Thumb Grip 

I feel most instructors would argue that the golf grip is arguably crucial basic within the sport. Your grip immediately impacts your potential to play totally different golf pictures.

First, it’s important to resolve if you need an overlap grip like most golfers or an interlock grip like Tiger Woods. Then it’s important to resolve on a weak, robust, or impartial grip as each has their very own professionals and cons.

There isn’t any correct grip because it’s extra of a private choice.

Should you have a look at among the greatest golfers ever all of them have totally different golf grips and wrist place (cupped wrist, bowed wrist, and many others.) However the left thumb can impression how effectively you hit the golf ball greater than every other finger.

As Adam Kololoff (considered one of Golf Digest Greatest Younger Lecturers) mentioned, “Your grip has a considerable affect on the membership face angle on the prime of the swing. Particularly the place you place the left thumb. That’s as a result of while you hinge appropriately the left thumb helps the membership beneath the grip.”

Key Takeaways 

• The way you grip the golf membership performs a giant function in your ball placing and complete distance. 
• One of many major elements to the grip is the left thumb place (for a right-handed golfer). 
• The lead grasp thumb can both be a brief left thumb grip or an extended left thumb grip. Every place has its professionals/cons together with how a lot wrist cock you’ll be able to obtain.
• Paired with a weak, robust, or impartial grip this place can impression ball flight, distance, alignment, and accuraccy.

Hold studying to learn the way every place can impression your efficiency. Plus, we’ll undergo different grip greatest practices that may make it easier to enhance one of the crucial vital fundamentals in golf. 

Lengthy Left Thumb Grip

A protracted left thumb is when your finger extends additional down the grip than regular. When this occurs just a few issues happen.

First, as your left thumb extends down the grip, the remainder of your fingers will lengthen as effectively. Moreover, the knuckles of your fingers are flatter on the golf membership which could really feel totally different if you happen to’ve used a “quick thumb” place. 

While you grip the membership with an extended left thumb this can assist get the grip extra in your fingers, not your palm.

The largest change this makes in your full swing is the quantity of wrist hinge which you can obtain. Which, for lots of golfers, is a giant drawback of their swing.

Too many golfers hinge their wrists late within the swing which may result in a whole lot of skinny pictures (belief me, I’ve been there myself). When you don’t need to hinge your wrists robotically from the handle place, sooner is mostly higher. 

A protracted left thumb will make it easier to hinge correctly which ought to result in extra pace as you’re in a extra highly effective place on the prime of your swing. Extra energy means extra pace which suggests extra distance. 

So if you happen to’re the kind of golfer who needs to realize extra pace (with out limitless hours of golf exercises), this may help.

However not all golf coaches agree with the advantages of an extended thumb…

Lengthy Thumb Grip Downsides

Whereas there are some benefits, some golf coaches don’t educate the sort of place.

instance is Mr. Brief Recreation Golf on YouTube who has amassed an enormous following of golfers. As he mentioned on this video, “A protracted thumb grip is not any good, right here’s why… when you go lengthy thumb you robotically begin squeezing tighter along with your hand. “

This extra pressure within the left hand can result in a lack of distance and/or shedding extra pictures to the fitting facet of the golf course. He additionally notes that poor shoulder alignment is a trigger from an extended thumb golf grip.

So if you happen to do intend to havea. lengthy thumb golf grip, make certain it’s not inflicting extra pressure. Plus, make certain your alignment remains to be sq. to the goal.

Brief Left Thumb Grip

A brief left thumb place is the precise reverse of an extended thumb grip.

As an alternative of extending your thumb down the shaft quick thumb grips when your finger is in a extra crunched, compact place. 

The thumb is barely previous the remainder of your fingers on the grip and appears/feels fairly totally different from an extended left thumb. The knuckles gained’t lay flat however as an alternative shall be extra diagonal and cross the grip. 

Greg Norman had this say a couple of shorter thumb place on his web site. “Take your standard grip on the membership, along with your left thumb prolonged straight down the shaft.

Now, slide the thumb upward, a couple of centimeter. Discover the impact this has on the tightness of the maintain within the final two fingers of your hand. That is precisely the place you desire a agency, safe grip.”

A brief left thumb will result in a distinct place for the remainder of the fingers in your left hand as effectively.

For the reason that thumb is in a shortened place, your different fingers might want to have an analogous place. Consequently, this results in having the grip extra in your palm and fingers – as an alternative of simply your fingers. 

How does this impression the remainder of your golf swing?

Two issues are likely to occur…

First, it’s more durable to make a full wrist cock like an extended left thumb. Second, the shortage of hinge additionally makes it more durable to take a full backswing the place the membership reaches parallel. 

A shorter backswing can result in timing points and/or much less general clubhead pace. However if you happen to generate loads of pace already, this would possibly assist produce a extra managed golf swing. 

Nonetheless, Greg Norman additionally mentioned it was one of many keys he checked out when he skilled “looseness” in his swing.

Making Grip Modifications 

Relying in your present swing and sport, you would possibly want to change to a brief or an extended left thumb.

No matter which type you undertake, it’s all the time vital to notice that grip adjustments are awkward at first. Since your palms are the one factor touching the membership, even the slightest adjustments can really feel very uncomfortable.

I deliver this up as a result of a whole lot of golfers attempt to take a grip change straight to the course. However as an alternative it is best to spend loads of time on the driving vary (and even at residence gripping a membership) till it feels snug. As soon as you can also make this grip change automated in follow, then take it to the golf course. 

Nonetheless, if in case you have an upcoming aggressive occasion like a member-guest or membership championship, don’t make any adjustments but. Grip adjustments can take weeks (or extra) to really feel snug so don’t try this transformation earlier than a event. In any other case, you’ll seemingly return to previous habits and focus in your golf swing vs. enjoying golf. 

This kind of change is nice to make throughout the golf off season if doable. 

FAQs

Do you’ve got extra questions in regards to the golf grip? If that’s the case, try our most typical questions and solutions beneath. 

What’s a brief thumb within the golf grip?

A brief thumb in golf is when your left thumb (or proper thumb if you happen to’re a left-handed golfer) is nearer along with the remainder of your fingers. As an alternative of extending down the shaft it’s nearer to your fingers which may end up in a extra palm and finger grip. 

What’s an extended thumb in golf?

A protracted thumb refers to an extended left thumb. This implies the left thumb (for right-handed golfers) extends extra down the grip and previous the remainder of the fingers. It could assist add extra full wrist hinge and pace, which is nice for lots of common golfers. 

The place do you set your left thumb in a golf grip?

Your left thumb could be in a myriad of positions relying on if in case you have a weak, robust, or impartial grip.

A weaker grip could have the left thumb extra to the left of the grip whereas a impartial grip could have it resting extra on prime of the grip. Whereas a powerful grip could have the thumb extra on the fitting facet of the grip. 

Then you’ll be able to have an extended left thumb or a brief left thumb from any of these three positions. Your left hand and particularly left thumb will arrange a whole lot of your takeaway and backswing. 

What’s a prayer grip in golf?

A prayer grip is a singular placing grip type that’s fairly totally different from a normal or cross-handed grip (aka left-hand low). With a prayer grip the palms are on each side of the grip dealing with one another in a “prayer” place. 

Should you aren’t positive in regards to the various kinds of placing grips, click on right here. 

Why is a shorter backswing higher in golf?

A shorter backswing could be higher nevertheless it is dependent upon the golfer as there are a whole lot of methods to swing the membership. 

instance is Jon Rahm who has a really quick backswing however produces a ton of energy. Whereas John Daly has a really lengthy backswing that’s effectively previous parallel on the prime of the backswing. However every has discovered a whole lot of success in skilled golf. 

A shorter backswing may help with accuracy whereas an extended backswing may help with extra distance. 

My Expertise

The earlier you’ll be able to develop a constant and repeatable grip, the earlier your sport will enhance. It’s onerous to place into phrases how vital it’s to grip the membership correctly. 

Even the very best gamers on the planet – together with Scottie Schefler – are seen on the driving vary utilizing grip trainers. Even the very best gamers on the planet are engaged on the basics day by day in follow.

Most on a regular basis golfers would profit considerably from having a stronger grip. Having a weak grip makes it too simple to hit a slice, lose out on tons of distance, and undergo from poor ball placing. Work with a coach or purchase a grip coach to make a impartial or robust grip second nature. 

Make this one thing to have a look at frequently in follow, particularly in case your ball placing is off. Paired with the fitting stance, posture, and alignment, you’ll set your self up for achievement.  

Learn our full article on the robust vs weak golf grip debate.

Last Ideas on Lengthy Thumb Grip vs. Brief Thumb Grip

Don’t underestimate the significance of a essentially sound golf grip. 

Most on a regular basis gamers have a weak grip, quick or lengthy thumb, and/or improper “heel pad place” which may harm your ball placing. This results in a whole lot of banana slices with longer golf equipment and poor contact with irons. 

However don’t neglect that the way you grip the golf membership is a private choice greater than anything. Earlier than altering your thumb grip, examine your present place on the driving vary after which make a swap if wanted.  

To study extra in regards to the golf grip (together with center finger, proper ring finger, proper hand, grip strain, and extra positions) try golf grip information. And don’t neglect to take a look at the golf grip strain factors too.