Left thumb: Short or long?
- Thread starter bcoak
- Start date
- Status
birdie_man
New
I've always had it longish cause I feel like I can't get any wrist cock at all if I shorten it. I don't have much to begin with for some reason. (think Trevino)
That's me personally.
That's me personally.
I think a lot depends on the size of your hands.
A lot of teachers advocate the short thumb (going back at least to Hogan's famous book). But, like Birdie_man, I've recently notice that I can't get much left wrist cock with the short thumb and it tends to put a lot of awkward pressure on the thumb to shorten it too much.
I have very small hands, however. Last weekend I picked up an old copy of Nicklaus's Golf My Way and I noticed that he has a whole seciton about how small his hands are and how this means he needs a longer thumb. It really opened my eyes, because Jack actually has a two page spread of just his hand prints (proving how tiny they are), and they are the same size as mine.
So I'm gradually starting to lengthen the thumb a bit, and I also wonder if there are downsides to this (Hogan worries about hooking and the long thumb, but Hogan always worried about hooking).
A lot of teachers advocate the short thumb (going back at least to Hogan's famous book). But, like Birdie_man, I've recently notice that I can't get much left wrist cock with the short thumb and it tends to put a lot of awkward pressure on the thumb to shorten it too much.
I have very small hands, however. Last weekend I picked up an old copy of Nicklaus's Golf My Way and I noticed that he has a whole seciton about how small his hands are and how this means he needs a longer thumb. It really opened my eyes, because Jack actually has a two page spread of just his hand prints (proving how tiny they are), and they are the same size as mine.
So I'm gradually starting to lengthen the thumb a bit, and I also wonder if there are downsides to this (Hogan worries about hooking and the long thumb, but Hogan always worried about hooking).
Coaks- i've found a longer thumb generally facilitates more downcock. if im not mistaken Hogan's thumb actually "lengthened" near the top of his backswing. Phil Mick has a long thumb and obviouly a lot of wrist cock/lag. Tiger has a fairly long thumb, but the interlocking grip prob reduces his wrist cock. it sounds to me like you want to lengthen your thumb, not shorten...
birdie_man
New
....
Strange....
The term "bird" in the UK is slang for girl or woman....
Chose the right name then birdie...
I have small hands too. (womanish even)
(and it means nothing BTW)
(no jokes please)
Strange....
The term "bird" in the UK is slang for girl or woman....
Chose the right name then birdie...
swingobsessed
New
How do you make your thumb short or long?
bcoak
New
Thanks RM, I'll try it long.
Jared Willerson
Super Moderator
I think a lot of it has to do with how your thumb bends. If you have straight thumbs, the kind that do not bend backwards, then the long thumb is something you will likely have to do. This is how my thumbs are, and I just try to put my hands on the club as natural as possible using Manzella Neutral
If your thumbs really bend backward (to the point where you can make nearly 90 degree angles with them when you press down on something) you have more options, BTW, these are the kinds of thumbs that most great ball strikers have (Snead, Hogan, Nicklaus, etc) the notable exception is Arnold Palmer.
If your thumbs really bend backward (to the point where you can make nearly 90 degree angles with them when you press down on something) you have more options, BTW, these are the kinds of thumbs that most great ball strikers have (Snead, Hogan, Nicklaus, etc) the notable exception is Arnold Palmer.
flecker205
New
flecker205
New
a good way is to take your grip with your left hand then lift the club up vertically then rotate clockwise so the back of the left hand faces the sky and the shaft is horizontal to the ground -now try long and short thumb as you pull the head back into your body and see the difference-much more hing in the wrist with a longer thumb-what do you think?
You will definitely get more left arm/shaft cocking action with a long thumb...
However, using a long thumb will mean you really have to downcock your left wrist at address, otherwise you will have too much arm/shaft angle, meaning you have to tilt too much to get down to the ball...if the thumb is too long you will find this uncomfortable..
I have had several recommendations to keep the left thumb really light on the grip at address, barely touching it in fact...and to make sure the boney part of the first thumb joint is what is on the grip, not the fingerprint of your left thumb...
I think a very light pressure the left thumb at address allows a slight sliding of the thumb up and down the grip (towards the clubhead on the backswing and the opposite during release), hence the reason many good players wear the thumb pad of their glove out first...
However, using a long thumb will mean you really have to downcock your left wrist at address, otherwise you will have too much arm/shaft angle, meaning you have to tilt too much to get down to the ball...if the thumb is too long you will find this uncomfortable..
I have had several recommendations to keep the left thumb really light on the grip at address, barely touching it in fact...and to make sure the boney part of the first thumb joint is what is on the grip, not the fingerprint of your left thumb...
I think a very light pressure the left thumb at address allows a slight sliding of the thumb up and down the grip (towards the clubhead on the backswing and the opposite during release), hence the reason many good players wear the thumb pad of their glove out first...
- Status