Your grip can impact ball flight, distance, accuracy, and whatnot. Even the best players admit that a proper golf grip can make a massive difference in your golf game.
The grip is the only connection you have with the club, that’s why your lead hand plays a big role in the golf swing.
But the question is, should you have a long thumb grip, a neutral one, or a short one?
Here’s how you can find out:
Long Left Thumb Grip vs. Short Left Thumb Grip
Your grip directly impacts your ability to play different golf shots.
First, you have to decide if you want an overlap grip like most golfers or an interlock grip like Tiger Woods. Then, you have to decide on a weak, strong, or neutral grip as each one has its own pros and cons.
The left thumb can impact how well you hit the golf ball more than any other finger. As Adam Kololoff in Golf Digest said, “Your grip has a substantial influence on the club face angle at the top of the swing. Especially where you position the left thumb. That’s because when you hinge correctly, the left thumb supports the club underneath the grip”
Long Left Thumb Grip
A long left thumb grip is when your thumb extends further down the grip than normal. The following things occur when this happens:
- The rest of your fingers start extending as well.
- The knuckles of your fingers feel flatter on the golf club (which feels different if you’ve used a “short thumb position”).
- The grip gets more in your fingers, instead of your palm.
The biggest change this grip makes in your full swing is the amount of wrist hinge that you can achieve. Since a long left thumb will help you hinge properly which leads to more speed as you’re in a more powerful position at the top of your swing, you end up creating more distance.
So, if you want to gain more speed without the endless hours of golf workouts, this grip can help big time.
But there are some drawbacks to it as well.
Long Thumb Grip Downsides
As Mr. Short Game Golf has said on his popular YouTube video, “A long thumb grip is no good, here’s why… once you go long thumb you automatically start squeezing tighter with your hand.”
This excess tension in the left hand can lead to a loss of distance and more shots to the right side of the golf course.
Mr. Game Golf also mentions how a long thumb golf grip leads to poor shoulder alignment.
So, if you want to have a long thumb golf grip, make sure it’s not causing excess tension and your alignment is square to the target.
Short Left Thumb Grip
This thumb grip position is the exact opposite of a long thumb grip. Here’s how you can achieve it:
- Thumb grip when your finger is in a more crunched and compact position.
- The knuckles won’t lay flat and will be more diagonal, crossing the grip.
- Your other fingers need to have a similar position as your thumb is in a shortened position.
On his website, Greg Norman said, “Take your usual grip on the club, with your left thumb extended straight down the shaft.
Now, slide the thumb upward, about a centimeter. Notice the effect it has on the tightness of the hold in the last two fingers of your hand. This is exactly where you want a firm, secure grip.”
How does this impact the rest of your golf swing?
Following are the two impacts it has on the golf swing:
- It becomes a lot harder to make a full wrist cock like a long left thumb.
- Because there’s a lack of hinge, taking a full backswing where the club reaches parallel becomes harder as well.
The trick is to generate plenty of speed as it will help you produce a more controlled golf swing.
Making Grip Changes
Depending on your current golf swing and game, you might need to switch to a short or a long left thumb.
Note that grip changes are awkward at first. Since, your hands are the only thing touching the club, even the slightest changes can feel very uncomfortable.
You should spend plenty of time on the driving range (or even at home) until it feels like second nature. Once you can make this grip change automatic in practice, take it to the golf course.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is a prayer grip in golf?
This unique putting grip style is a lot different from a standard or cross-handed grip. As suggested in the name, in a prayer grip, the hands are on both sides facing each other in a “prayer” position.
2. Why is a shorter backswing better in golf?
There are a lot of ways to swing the club, so it depends entirely on the golfer if a shorter backswing might be better.
For this, let’s take a real-life example of Jon Rahm who has a very short backswing but produces a ton of power. While John Daly has a very long backswing that is well past parallel at the top of the backswing, each of the players has found a lot of success in professional golf.
Final Thoughts
Don’t underestimate the importance of a sound golf grip. Most players tend to have a weak grip or a wrong “heel pad position” which can possibly hurt their ball striking. This also leads to a lot of banana slices with longer clubs and poor contact with irons.
But, how you grip the golf club is a personal preference, so check your current position on the driving range and then make a switch if needed. To learn more about the golf grip (including middle finger, right ring finger, right hand, grip pressure, and more positions) check out the golf grip guide. Don’t forget to check out the golf grip pressure points as well.
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