The Benefits of the PowerThumb Grip. Purpose of PowerThumb Grip The PowerThumb grip was designed to keep the club face square to the swing plane throughout the backswing and downswing. No other lead hand grip that we're aware of will let you do that. The PowerThumb also makes it easier to keep the club "on-plane" in the backswing and the downswing. If your grip doesn't keep the club face square you can't call it a PowerThumb grip.
Position of power thumb. The ideal position of the PowerThumb will vary slightly from person to person because we're all a little different anatomically. I would say the average position is actually around 1:30 to 2 o'clock (for a right handed golfer). Moving the thumb stronger (toward 3 o'clock) can increase power but in that position you're also a bit more prone to getting over agressive and closing the club face through impact.
When I want to play a fade I move make PowerThumb to a 1 o'clock position. If I'm trying to kill a drive the longest possible distance my thumb will be closer to 3 o'clock.
I would say you can get all the benefits of the PowerThumb over as far as the 1 o'clock position. A good guide would be that you can let the side of your PowerThumb come up to and even touch the mid line on the top of the shaft but it should NOT be over it. With a 12 o'clock position I think you'll be losing some power and I doubt you'd be able to keep the club face square to the swing plane on the backswing and downswing. Causes of low ball launch Symple Swing normally doesn't have a low launch angle. Some folks even complain the ball flight is too high. (It isn't and ball flight is easily adjustable.)
Low ball flight is generally only a problem with golfers when elements of their old swing creep in to their Symple Swing. That's normal. It's something most of us have gone through. Start off by watching the shoulders. The back shoulder should stay lower than the front. If your back shoulder comes up you will deloft the club and get low shots. An overactive right hand is very common with "hitters" can also deloft the club AND close the club face causing draws or hooks. I was a "hitter" for 40 years so I had to go through this myself. Also If the upper body moves forward with the downswing you can wind up with low shots. Don't let the head and upper body move forward until well after impact. Read the "HOOKS" section in the forums Questions and Answers section for additional info. http://simpleswing.forumco.com/topic~TOPIC_ID~91.asp
We're going to be doing an upcoming newsletter on hitting fades. Fades are almost always higher flying shots so this up coming article should help clarify a number of things about controlling the club face and proper launch angles.
The Benefits of The PowerThumb Grip
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Posted - March 27 2006 : 3:41:20 PM
