quote:Originally posted by tongzilla
Before this discussion commences, I'd just like to say a few things:
1) Location of your Left Thumb has nothing to do with location of your Left Wrist Condition and Clubface Alignment.
I strongly disagree.
If you want to create a motion that ALLOWS the forces of the swing to create, and comply with, the geometry and the anatomy of the motion, the left thumb position is critical.
The thumb down the center of the shaft is exceptionally helpful in preventing the ball from going left, and can certainly help you learn a proper right forearm wedge - but that motion requires DOING something active with the hands/forearm during the motion (twist away) and effectively puts clubFACE control into the right wedge and/or the ACTIVE full rotation of the lead forearm.
At the 'limits' of true FULL roll, this has great power potential thanks to transfer power. It is quite important that you ACTIVELY either 'hold' the roll via twist away and/or focus on full forearm roll through the shot.
When the left thumb is in the proper, impact supporting position, the AMOUNT of active motion needed for clubface control is dramatically reduced. This gain in clubFACE control does give up some power (less transfer power), but with the benefit of 'very solid' flying wedges alignments and the increase in impact MASS that can more than make up for the slight loss of transfer power.
As with all areas of the motion, there are always going to be power vs accuracy vs consistency trade offs. If someone is able to control the ACTIVE nature the thumb down the center under real pressure, than it can indeed be a great way to play, per Hogan.
Between the two, swingers will find the 'down the center' thumb position helpful, and hitters the 'aft' thumb.
