Golf is a sport in which you compete against yourself and is a widely popular sport that appeals to individuals of all ages.
However, some golfers experience unpleasant blisters on their hands and fingers. Blisters can be caused by a variety of factors in golf and friction is one of them.
It can be incredibly painful to play with blisters if you get them and are a pain in general, but they are especially uncomfortable on the golf course.
In this post, let’s take a closer look at the most common reasons for golf blisters, how to heal them and more importantly, how you can try to prevent golf blisters.
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Where Do Golfers Get Blisters?
As they hold and grip with their hands, most golfers develop blisters on their palms and fingers. Aside from that, golfers can suffer blisters on their legs if they do not wear the proper shoe while playing the game. Blisters can appear for a number of reasons, and they can appear in a variety of locations. So, let us take a look at some of the places where blisters could form.
Golf-Related Hand Blister
Blisters on the hands are the most prevalent among golfers, and they can affect either the right or left hand. For a variety of reasons, you can have blisters on both hands even though you apply more pressure to your right hand.
Blisters Caused by the Golf Grip and Swing
Improper golf grip and swing are one of the leading causes of hand blisters. If you are a newbie, you will almost certainly acquire blisters since you will not be able to properly hold the club for the first few days. Golfers often have golfer’s palms and fingers as a result of their tight grip.
Blisters on Golf Shoes
Blisters on golf shoes are fairly prevalent among golfers. Golf shoe blisters are most commonly caused by golfers wearing uncomfortable and incorrectly sized shoes.
Golf-Related Blood Blister
If you play golf for an extended period of time and grasp the club too tightly, blood blisters can form. It usually appears in areas of the skin that are subjected to constant tension or pressure when playing golf.
Best Way to Prevent Blisters on Your Hands When Playing Golf
Take Care Not To Grip The Club Too Tight
Many golfers make mistakes with their grip; the pressure should come from the fleshy area of your palm, not the thumb. From the driver to the wedge, you should hold the Club not too hard or too soft. If you hold the club too tightly, the improper grip not only causes additional friction and damage to your hands but also hinders your wrist’s ability to tilt and increases the amount of stress placed on your non-dominant shoulder, reducing you golf clubs head speed.
Make Sure Your Grip Pressure Is Correct
After adjusting your grip, the second thing you should do is assess your grip pressure. This is one of the most important aspects of a solid golf swing, too much grip pressure can be a major contributor to blister formation.
If you struggle with regular grips, you could consider some oversized grips on your golf club, which could help you with a light grip pressure, or consider some grips designed for sweaty hands.
Wear A Good Golf Glove
Wearing a golf glove is one of the best methods to avoid blisters on your fingers or hands. Remember that friction is one of the most common causes of blisters. Start bringing gloves in your backpack as soon as possible to avoid excessive friction.
If you are very sensitive, you could consider looking at gloves with extra padding. Although these golf gloves are designed for arthritic hands, they can also be better for your skin.
Finger Sleeves Can Be Used
Finger sleeves reduce friction by slipping on soft finger sleeves to avoid blisters, and they can also be used to cover existing blisters without causing pain. They will not interfere with your swing and are made of breathable material that absorbs sweat to help you retain a strong and comfortable grip. You may wear them beneath your golf gloves or use them instead.
Tape Your Hand or Index Finger With Golf Tape
Athletic tape is an excellent way to reduce friction and play pain-free. Wrap the athletic tape across your hand or index finger. This is not as effective as decreasing your grip or using gloves or finger wraps in eliminating blisters, but it is a terrific way to keep playing while you are preventing blisters.
Time Spent Practising Should Be Reduced
Finally, if none of the previous techniques are working, blisters can be an indication that it is time to take a break. While golfers find it difficult to take a break from hitting golf balls, their bodies require it from time to time.
How to Prevent Blisters on Your Feet When Playing Golf
The majority of people associate developing blisters with their hands, but they can occur on your feet as well. When it comes to blisters on your feet, it is mainly due to the shoes you are wearing. It could be due to the size, material, or even the golf socks you are wearing.
Put on Golf Shoes That Are Comfortable for You
Blisters are caused by heat or friction while wearing shoes that are not properly fitting. The most common cause is wearing a shoe size that is too big, causing excessive foot movement. To avoid excessive friction with your foot being trapped into the shoe while still being comfortable, you should get a comfortable golf shoe or any shoe with heel support.
Anti-blister Sock Should Be Worn
Grip socks are essential because they are meant to be sticky on both the inner and outside of the foot, preventing your foot from sliding around excessively and producing friction. They are made of a material that keeps your feet dry and regulates temperature to reduce friction, and they have an extra deep heel pocket to keep socks from slipping into your shoes.
Make Use of Athletic Tape
It is a shock-absorbing tape that eliminates friction between your heel and your shoe, relieving pressure from pressure points in the heel and under the foot. Make sure to warm the tape in your hands before applying it, this will act as a second layer of skin protection over the blister.
Additional Cushioning in the Heels and Toes
To avoid golf shoe blisters, you could add extra cushioning to your heels and toes. The cushioned padding helps your golf blister heal faster by preventing extra friction.
Break-in Time Is Reduced With the Use of Shoe Trees
To shorten the break-in period for your new golf shoes, consider utilizing cedar shoe trees. The spring coil can also be adjusted to provide a gentle tension that is just suitable for filling the length of your shoes. This can help prevent golf shoe blisters and excessive friction, particularly with new golf shoes.
How to Heal Golf Blisters
Blisters are the worst, let us face it. They hurt, the healing process takes a long time, and most significantly, interfere with how well you hit the golf ball. So, here are the four easy steps to treat golf blisters:
1. Use band aids to Cover the Blister
Apply a bandaid or bandage to the affected area as soon as possible and cover the area loosely.
2. Add Padding to Your Bandage
By cutting gauze around the edge of your blister and attaching it to it. The gauze will ease the pressure, giving you a little more freedom to move and grasp your club without pain.
3. Make Sure You Do Not Pop It
It is difficult not to pop your blisters, especially when they are restricting your hold on your club, but do not.
4. Keep It Clean
Allow the blister to drain and focus on keeping it clean, even if it means washing your hands more frequently in between rounds. To prevent infection and encourage speedier healing, apply vaseline to the affected area.
FAQ Section
Why Do I Get Blisters When I Play Golf?
Golfers frequently acquire blisters as a result of poor grip and even a golfer who has flawless grip but still gets blisters now and then. This could be due to simply being overworked. It is completely likely that you will acquire blisters if you’re really committed to practicing and hitting a number of balls on the range. If this is the case, you will need the appropriate cassette to continue playing.
Are Golf Blisters Normal?
If you are like most golfers, you are undoubtedly under the impression that blisters are common in the sport. Unfortunately, the answer is yes. They are extremely common in both the hands and feet among golfers. They are even more frequent whether you are making a significant grip adjustment or simply getting into the game.
Do Golf Gloves Stop Blisters?
Golf gloves help to make the game a little easier. They help you avoid blisters, improve your grip on the club, and provide one of several advantages. They can also assist you in resisting the elements in the harsh wind, cold, or even scorching heat.
How Long Do Golf Blisters Last?
Golf blisters will heal on their own in a few days, but if you continue to apply pressure or friction to the affected area, the blisters may take two weeks or longer to heal. While the blisters heal, play golf with a lighter grip, athletic tape, and a glove.
Do Blisters Pop on Their Own?
The skin from the old blister will fall off once the new skin has formed. If the blister is exposed to friction for an extended period of time, it may take several weeks to heal. Meanwhile, the blister may pop and ooze fluid on its own.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, you now know how to treat a golf-related blister on your hand. Blisters do not always signify you are gripping the club wrong; they could just indicate that your grips need replacing or cleaning. You should also assess your grip pressure.
Your hands may be properly on the club, but you are just applying too much pressure on the club itself. If blisters are a problem for you, follow our preventative methods and you should have no further problems. Your hands will become tougher over time and you will be able to handle the blister problem much better.