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Where is your right thumb during the swing?


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Assuming you're a right handed player.  It sounds stupid, but I might have figured out a huge reason why I tend to fade/slice so much.  I've always had my right thumb running parallel to the shaft, instead of wrapping it around.  It's just always felt natural that way, but when I wrap it around, it obviously closes the face a little bit.

I forced myself to hit balls yesterday with the new grip the entire time, and I've never hit so many straight balls in my life.  This is probably all a no-brainer, but I'm excited that I might have figured out something that will make a big difference.  Where's your right thumb?

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That's my typical grip.

SWING DNA
Speed [77] Tempo [5] ToeDown [5] KickAngle [6] Release [5] Mizuno JPX EZ 10.5° - Fujikura Orochi Black Eye (with Harrison ShotMaker) Mizuno JPX EZ 3W/3H - Fujikura Orochi Black Eye Mizuno JPX 850 Forged 4i-PW - True Temper XP 115 S300 Mizuno MP R-12 50.06/54.09/58.10 - Dynamic Gold Wedge Flex Mizuno MP A305 [:-P]

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I'm with Albatross. I find myself running my right thumb parallel to the shaft. I think I will attempt wrapping it around the shaft to see if that is beneficial to my swing. I have a tendency to slice too :-\
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That's my typical grip.

Pretty standard there.

Quoting the picture so more people see it.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

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Pretty standard there.

Quoting the picture so more people see it.


Yeah I took a closer look after you mentioned how weak it was a few months back and have worked to strengthen it. SO much more consistent now! :dance:

SWING DNA
Speed [77] Tempo [5] ToeDown [5] KickAngle [6] Release [5] Mizuno JPX EZ 10.5° - Fujikura Orochi Black Eye (with Harrison ShotMaker) Mizuno JPX EZ 3W/3H - Fujikura Orochi Black Eye Mizuno JPX 850 Forged 4i-PW - True Temper XP 115 S300 Mizuno MP R-12 50.06/54.09/58.10 - Dynamic Gold Wedge Flex Mizuno MP A305 [:-P]

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Yeah I took a closer look after you mentioned how weak it was a few months back and have worked to strengthen it. SO much more consistent now!

The grip as a whole is good, but I was speaking only about the right thumb specifically. :)

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • AuthorLowest Score Wins
Golf Digest "Best Young Teachers in America" 2016-17 & "Best in State" 2017-20 • WNY Section PGA Teacher of the Year 2019 :edel: :true_linkswear:

Check Out: New Topics | TST Blog | Golf Terms | Instructional Content | Analyzr | LSW | Instructional Droplets

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Since my backswing change, I found that I like to have the right hand more up the left hand. I use to see a pretty good gap between the right and left hand. So the right thumb would down the shaft more, not over it. Now I have the right hand further up on top of the left hand. Much similar to the figure on the right in that image above, and it seems to help keep my hands from rotating over in the backswing.

Matt Dougherty, P.E.
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What's in My Bag
Driver; :pxg: 0311 Gen 5,  3-Wood: 
:titleist: 917h3 ,  Hybrid:  :titleist: 915 2-Hybrid,  Irons: Sub 70 TAIII Fordged
Wedges: :edel: (52, 56, 60),  Putter: :edel:,  Ball: :snell: MTB,  Shoe: :true_linkswear:,  Rangfinder: :leupold:
Bag: :ping:

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A guy at the driving range near me the other day changed my grip where the thumb goes over and just lightly touches my finger instead of it being parallel to the shaft. I hit 5 of the best drives ive ever hit after that. Then since it was almost closing time he let me go down range onto the range and just hit pitch shots with the new grip. I was amazed that I got such clean contact with the ball. I was taking my divot in front of the ball more often than before and this is within 30 minutes of changing my grip. It may have been that little bit I needed to start improving my game. I am now a firm believer that grip completely changes the game.

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on the grip always!

i try to let them point down the clubhead

Dirver: Mizuno JPX 825 9,5 Fujikura Orochi Red Eye Stiff 65 g.
3 wood: Mizuno JPX 825 14 Fujikura Orochi Red Eye Stiff 75 g.
Hybrid: Mizuno JPX 825 18 Fujikura Orochi Red Eye Stiff 85 g. 
Irons: Mizuno MP 59 3 / PW KBS Tour stiff shaft ( Golf Pride Niion )
Wedges: Taylormade ATV Wedges 52 and 58 ( Golf Pride Niion )
putter: Taylormade ghost series 770 35 inch ( Super Stroke slim 3.0 )
Balls: Taylormade TP 5

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Note: This thread is 3661 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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