Left Thumb Outside

[Joe Mama]

Perhaps to a certain extent.  But without even understanding their own swing flaws, few would advocate their own compensatory "band-aid" to others who, even if they demonstrate the same symptoms, may not (likely don't) have the very same root swing flaws that result in those symptoms.  It's also worth noting that band-aids are meant to be temporary and shouldn't be considered a permanent fix.  They might get you through a bad round on the course, but as soon as possible, you should get to the range to figure out what the root cause was. I remember from your earlier posts that you've only been playing for a relatively short time now.  Have you considered finding a professional to help recognize, and subsequently correct those flaws rather than trying to figure it out yourself?

I agree that many, if not most, high handicappers might not be able to make this swing work for them. I only advocate that golfers who are willing to try something new just give my swing (not just the thumb out, but the entire setup and swing I described earlier) a try. If it doesn't work, it's no great loss. If it works as well for them as it does for me, they will be overjoyed. I've been playing not quite three years, and am VERY happy with my game. Most golfers who start playing at age 66--as did--don't break 100 after three years, I think. I occasionally break 90. I took three 30-minute lessons, but the guy was all talk, no show. I get MUCH more by watching YouTube videos in which the instructor talks AND shows. People may say that I needed more than 1.5 hours to see results, but nobody I know who's taken dozens of lesson can break 90, and they've all been playing seven, ten, thirty years. The success--such as it is--that I've had happened because of Internet forums and YouTube videos, and several books by the likes of Ernie Els, Tom Watson, and others, and especially, I believe, from my willingness to think outside the box. [quote name="dchoye" url="/t/76486/left-thumb-outside#post_1039710"] I watch Tommy Gainey strike his driver 290-300 yards with the left thumb wrap around the the handle like you describe standing behind him at a driving range I seen every type of grip. If it works for you fine. don't assume its only for certain type of player and for certain clubs[/quote] I was referring to my stance, ball position, extreme rightward grips, and trying to feel square to the swing arc, not to the thumb out placement. I use thumb out for all clubs.

[Joe Mama]

I remember from your earlier posts that you've only been playing for a relatively short time now.  Have you considered finding a professional to help recognize, and subsequently correct those flaws rather than trying to figure it out yourself?

I advocate only that low handicappers who even after years of playing still mis-hit their short irons consider trying my swing. As for taking lessons, I'm happy with my game. I started playing when I was 66 years old, am now 69, and have broken 90. I have taught myself with the aid if YouTube video, watching better players at the range, and reading books. If ever I find myself no longer improving on my own, I may seek the help of an instructor who won't try to rebuild my swing from the ground up. [quote name="dchoye" url="/t/76486/left-thumb-outside#post_1039710"] I watch Tommy Gainey strike his driver 290-300 yards with the left thumb wrap around the the handle like you describe standing behind him at a driving range I seen every type of grip. If it works for you fine. don't assume its only for certain type of player and for certain clubs[/quote] The Thumb Out grip can work with most clubs and for most players, in my opinion. However, my extreme right grips, together with the ball back, right foot back, inside out, feel-like-I'm-swinging-square-to-the-arc stance and swing is NOT for most players. Better players should stay away from it, but higher handicappers should at least try it.

[David in FL]

I advocate only that low handicappers who even after years of playing still mis-hit their short irons consider trying my swing. As for taking lessons, I'm happy with my game. I started playing when I was 66 years old, am now 69, and have broken 90. I have taught myself with the aid if YouTube video, watching better players at the range, and reading books. If ever I find myself no longer improving on my own, I may seek the help of an instructor who won't try to rebuild my swing from the ground up.

The Thumb Out grip can work with most clubs and for most players, in my opinion. However, my extreme right grips, together with the ball back, right foot back, inside out, feel-like-I'm-swinging-square-to-the-arc stance and swing is NOT for most players. Better players should stay away from it, but higher handicappers should at least try it.

I'm sorry, and I don't want this to sound mean spirited in any way, but you're not really in a position to recommend or advocate anything in terms of the golf swing.  You're a relative novice who only recently began to break 100 with any degree of consistency and very seldom breaks 90.  By your own admission, you're unable to diagnose the flaws in your own swing, but rather have somehow fallen into an "outside the box" workaround that, by your inexperienced standards, seems to have modestly improved your short-iron ball-striking.  Without understanding your own flaws, let alone those of another golfer, to "advocate" that they try something as unconventional as your grip and swing is baseless and borderline irresponsible.

I've been playing not quite three years, and am VERY happy with my game. Most golfers who start playing at age 66--as did--don't break 100 after three years, I think. I occasionally break 90. I took three 30-minute lessons, but the guy was all talk, no show. I get MUCH more by watching YouTube videos in which the instructor talks AND shows. People may say that I needed more than 1.5 hours to see results, but nobody I know who's taken dozens of lesson can break 90, and they've all been playing seven, ten, thirty years.

I'm glad that you're happy with your game, and genuinely love your enthusiasm for the game, but the fact that there are people worse than you is a poor standard by which to measure your own swing/game......or your ability to provide instruction to others.

[Joe Mama]

Sorry! I thought a previous post had not gone through, so I responded a second time. I apologize for the annoyance and repetition. I'm still trying to get the hang of this. [quote name="David in FL" url="/t/76486/left-thumb-outside/18#post_1040097"] I'm sorry, and I don't want this to sound mean spirited in any way, but you're not really in a position to recommend or advocate anything in terms of the golf swing.  You're a relative novice who only recently began to break 100 with any degree of consistency and very seldom breaks 90.  [/quote] Maybe this is not the forum for a person like me. I, like so many other high handicappers at my golf range, am very happy to receive casual suggestions from others. "Hey, Fred, have you ever tried this grip? I'm hitting them really straight this morning." If you agree it's all right to make such suggestions on the range, then why do you object to my doing it on this forum? Are only scratch golfers allowed to voice their opinions? If, so, perhaps you should place a notice in the forum telling members to keep their opinions to themselves until they break par. I was of the mistaken impression that it was all right to share on this forum one's experiences with different grips and swings. The worst that can happen is that a member tries it, doesn't like it, and then makes a negative report to the forum, encouraging others not to bother testing it. Alternatively, maybe the swing change really does help the golfer, even if in your opinion it shouldn't. Would that be a bad thing? Can't we let the individual decide whether to listen to a suggestion, or not, and then decide whether testing is warranted, rather than the decision being made by others?

[David in FL]

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I, like so many other high handicappers at my golf range, am very happy to receive casual suggestions from others. "Hey, Fred, have you ever tried this grip? I'm hitting them really straight this morning." If you agree it's all right to make such suggestions on the range, then why do you object to my doing it on this forum?

I don't suggest that high-handicap, relatively novice golfers approach others on the range and recommend changes based on what seems to be working for them "this morning" either......

I was of the mistaken impression that it was all right to share on this forum one's experiences with different grips and swings. The worst that can happen is that a member tries it, doesn't like it, and then makes a negative report to the forum, encouraging others not to bother testing it.

Alternatively, maybe the swing change really does help the golfer, even if in your opinion it shouldn't. Would that be a bad thing? Can't we let the individual decide whether to listen to a suggestion, or not, and then decide whether testing is warranted, rather than the decision being made by others?

This game is hard.......really hard.  Unfortunately, one of the things that keeps a lot of people from reaching a level of even modest competency is this desire to find that one silver bullet.  The one little change in grip, the one swing thought, or that magic set of clubs that will fix it all.  Unfortunately, this game doesn't work that way.  In this discussion, I'm simply sharing my experience as a highly experienced golfer of modest competency, in the hopes that others might not fall into the tar pit of self-delusion that accompanies the fix de jour.

So share away.  Just don't expect people who know better to sit back and not comment if you say something that they know from long experience to be incorrect.  That whole sharing thing works both ways.

[dchoye]

Having trouble with downhill lie in greenside bunker and find the thumb outside helps splash the ball out better for me. Sometimes both my thumbs get to active and work against each other and I find turning one of my thumbs away prevents the yips