As if golf is not already hard enough, playing golf with a blister on your hand makes it even more difficult to hold onto the grip.
Since the grip is the only contact you have with the golf club, this will severely hamper your swing and could affect the impact on the golf ball.
If not taken care of the blisters can even result in infection, discomfort, or inflammation of the area surrounding the blister.
Learn how long they last and how to prevent/heal them below.
📋 Keep in mind: Blisters often form due to an incorrect grip and excessive ball striking. Hitting 200+ golf balls in a single session at the driving range if you are not used to it, is sure to form some blisters.
How Long Do Golf Blisters Last?
Generally, golf blisters that are not popped heal in a few days with no medical intervention.
Continuous pressure and friction to the blister could increase the recovery period to around 2 weeks.
Hold the club lighter, use athletic tape, and wear a glove to play golf while the blisters heal.
Blisters on Glove Hand
Although golf gloves are not required by the rules of golf, the majority of golfers tend to wear a glove on their leading hand, left hand for right-handed golfers, and right hand for left-handed golfers.
This provides protection and you are unlikely to get blisters on the protected hand.
However, if your hands produce excessive sweat that causes your hand to move within the glove, it could lead to a blister.
Golf Blisters on Non-Glove Hand
Incorrect grip pressure is likely to cause blisters. Putting too much pressure on the grip result in blisters as a result of the continuous pressure applied.
Placing too little pressure on the grip will result in the grip moving around within your hand resulting in friction being created between the hand and the grip. This friction then creates blisters.
Blister on Thumb from Golf
The 3 common causes of blisters on the thumb are the glove, your thumb, or the grips.
Blisters on the thumb of your leading hand.
When using gloves, you will notice the glove-wearing down on the thumb while a non-gloved hand could result in a blister forming.
Blisters on the thumb are an indication that you grip the club too firmly and the thumb is shifting during the swing or the glove not fitting snugly.
📢 Need To Know: If the grips are too large or too small, it will produce more friction than an ideal grip.
Golf Blister on the Ring Finger
A golf blister on the ring finger is frequently caused by an excessively strong grip combined with interlocking lead hand index and pinky fingers.
Golf Blister on the Middle Finger
A golf blister on the middle finger is commonly the result of a club that is gripped too tightly.
How To Prevent Golf Blisters
As the saying goes, “Prevention is better than cure”.
The most effective ways to prevent blisters are to use protection where possible and to build the right grip pressure. An easy step is to wear a snug-fitting golf glove that protects your hand against blisters.
Furthermore, you can add JerkFit Finger Sleeves to your fingers on a non-glove hand or even over the glove.
Also, prevent sweat to build up within the glove that will cause your hand to lose grip causing friction between the club grip and your hand.
It is advisable to experiment with relaxing your grip on the club or holding the grip tighter.
In addition, you can evaluate whether the grip on your club is of sufficient quality to prevent unnecessary friction on your hand.
Golfers that only play occasionally or planning to play more frequently than they are used to, should consider placing protection in areas that are prone to blistering.
💡 Golfible Tip: Using non-oily and invisible gel products like Body Glide® will prevent rubbing that causes irritation, rash, chafing, blisters, and raw skin. These products can withstand sweat, humidity, and water while it allows your skin to breathe.
Why do I get blisters when I golf?
The majority of blisters on the golfer’s hands can be ascribed to a grip that is too tight and improper movement during your swing.
Consistent blisters are an indication that you might need to relax your grip. Not only will this reduce the possibility of blisters, but it will also help you build a better swing.
If you do not wear a glove while playing golf and get blisters, you should start wearing protection such as a glove.
How To Treat Golf Blisters
The American Academy of Dermatology guides the treatment of blisters on its website.
Dermatologists recommend the following steps to prevent blisters:
Cover the blister
Place plaster over the blister and make sure the part of the plaster that covers the blister is slightly raised. This will prevent the blister from getting too much friction or popping.
Blister popping
Popping a blister should be discouraged at all times as a popped blister loses its natural protection liquid that formed within the blister. It can also lead to the area being infected if proper care is not taken.
Large blisters should rather be drained without breaking the skin and leaving the underlying raw skin open for infection. This raw skin will hurt much more than the blister that remains intact.
Keep the area clean and covered
In addition to putting a plaster over the blister, you can wrap a bandage with gauze around your hand covering one or more blisters ensuring that they are unlikely to pop while you are plating.
Steps to be taken to treat golf blisters.
Cover the blister
When you realize that you have a blister it is essential to cover it as soon as possible. I carry a roll of plaster in my bag that is easy to cover the area, irrespective of size, and is easy to break with your hands. No special tools are required.
Use padding
It is also advisable to put padding over the blister to protect it from more damage or popping.
Don’t pop it
Avoid popping the blister. This removes the natural protective fluid and lengthens the recovery time.
Keep it clean
It is essential to keep the blister clean whether it is still covered or has been popped. Furthermore, you should wash your hands regularly, and put a protective layer of gel such as Vaseline over the blister.
Rub Vinegar on Your Skin
Another natural remedy is the rub vinegar on the affected area once a day until it heals. This will toughen up your skin that will form callouses rather than a blister.
Strengthen Your Hands
Many golfers work in offices and are not used to the rigors of working with their hands resulting in their hands becoming soft and prone to blistering.
By doing more tasks that require your hands to be strong or lifting heavy weights you will strengthen the skin on your hand thus making them more resistant to forming blisters.
How to play golf with a blister
The best way to play golf with a blister on your hand is by adding protection over the blister with some gauze protecting the blister area. Lighten your grip without losing control over the club.
Best golf grips to avoid blisters
The golf grip is the only contact between the golfer and the golf club hence having the right grip on your club is critical. Other than an incorrect golf grip, the pressure that you apply to the grip and other swing mechanics may cause friction to build up leading to blisters.
From several forums where this is discussed the overall consensus is that Winn Dri-Tac Winn all-weather grips are the best to avoid blisters.
FAQs
Do golf gloves prevent blisters?
Golf gloves can help prevent blisters by providing a layer of protection between the skin and the grip of the golf club. They also improve grip, which reduces the need for excessive grip pressure that can cause blisters. However, other factors such as improper swing technique and ill-fitting gloves can still lead to blisters.
Why do golfers wear tape on their fingers?
Golfers wear tape on their fingers to protect their skin from getting blisters or calluses when they swing their clubs repeatedly. The tape provides an extra layer of cushioning to prevent friction between the fingers and the club, helping golfers to maintain a better grip and swing more comfortably.
