Left Thumb - Long or short?
 

Dear LBG Pros,

Any reference was made by Homer Kelley on short or long left thumb? Is that in relation to #2 accumulator and range of wrist cock? What type of golfers will be benefited using long or short left thumb?

Thanks!

KOC

I know that was one of Hogan's major changes coming back to competitive golf after the service. He went from a "long thumb" to a modified "short thumb". He said the "long thumb" let the club drop down too far at the top of his backswing and it was tough to get the timing correct.

The rule of "thumb" is long thumb = longer backswing, short thumb = shorter backswing.
I would like to hear what TGM has to say about it too!

Pat

The Long and Short of it
 

IMO the length of the left thumb should be what ever length allows the player to have the left wrist in a LEVEL condition at impact fix. From what I see when I try to lengthen the left thumb is a left wrist that is in an "uncocked" condition. Too short of a left thumb can have the opposite effect also.

What's the long and short on this?
 

Hey KOC

Are you wondering about this long looking thumb in your photo vis a vis his thumb at address, like I am?

It would be unthinkable to consider Hogan as having a re grip or lose attachment. Is this just what thumbs look like at top? It does look longer to me but.....that would change his alignments when he gets back to impact. This cant be. What gives?

Regards
ob


http://www.lynnblakegolf.com/assets/...attach/png.gif

What the heck?
 

OK now Im going insane maybe.

I know Hogan grip looks intact at impact, we've all seen it. But in addition to the long thumb photo of KOC's here is another mid swing grip anomaly.

Why does his right thumb look like its moved to the front of the shaft in this photo? It cant really be doing that. Is this a camera angle thing?

ob

http://www.lynnblakegolf.com/assets/...attach/png.gif

O.B.,

What do you think about this?

Hey KOC

Ive been thinking about this and looking at photos and here is where Im at now:

-in my personal experience with loose attachments or regrips during the swing, they might move but they never go back to where they were at fix say. (The solution for me was pressure points and their maintenance either by simply holding on better or fixing a radius problem .... a slack radius can dial them down or off .........Luke, its the pressure points we are really swinging on plane etc, etc)

-Hogan's grip at impact looked intact to say the least.

-There for, in your long thumb photo, I suspect what we are looking at is a product of the camera angle and/or the look of a firm left hand grip at top. Perhaps the cocked left wrist with the clubs weight on the thumb, given his super week grip, changes its look to the eye. The club is stressing different parts of the hands, different pressure points at different points in the swing. In the second photo I think we are looking at the swingers #3 in start down.......the pressure moving down onto the first knuckle during longitudinal acceleration, arrow from quiver type acceleration. The grip looks different but is merely showing the effects of the changing, moving forces being placed upon it.

I bet Luke has an opinion. Maybe with access to a fancy 3D program a person could move the cameras position around to show what the grip looks like from different angles.

All of this goes out the window if Mr Hogan gets to impact with a changed grip like us normal people. I have been looking over photos and cant find an example.

Thats were Im at anyways. What do you think?

ob

I could have sworn I heard that Canadian fellow on YouTube (sorry, don't remember his name) say Hogan used to adjust the position of his right thumb for the desired ball flight. Something about moving it more on top of and across the shaft for a straight shot or fade (like you see in your attachment) vs. more connected to his right pointer finger and straight down the shaft for a draw.

Thanks Bambam

Here is the link.


http://video.google.ca/videosearch?q...en&emb=0&aq=f#


Ill try to find some evidence of the thumb being "dropped off" at impact.

Interesting.

From the mouth of Peter Thomson 5 time British Open winner to my ears..Hogan's hands slid around on the grip.
Did he actively drop his right thumb off..Ludicrous