Are you a lefty who mainly golfs with their right hand? Left-handed golfing is possible with the right training and tools. If you’re left-handed, you might be a decent golfer if you play right-handed, but ultimately, playing with your dominant hand can give you a more powerful, smoother swing.
Key Takeaway: Hands down, the most effective way to improve your golf game is to invest in left-handed golf clubs. It’s possible to perfect your swing and technique using your right hand and right-handed clubs, but you won’t get the same type of playing power or the most out of each swing.
Read on to learn more about the leading golfing tips for the left-handed player.
Golfing Gear for Lefties
Fortunately, devices such as the best rangefinder for golf can be used by both lefties and right-handed players, especially models such as the Nikon Coolshot 20 golf rangefinder, which has an ergonomic grip, but what about clubs?
We recommend investing in a good set of left-handed clubs. You can find online and brick and mortar stores that cater to the needs of the lefty. So, do your research, or speak to other left-handed players to learn about the different sets available before you buy.
Never settle for a mediocre set of clubs. Having a solid set of left-handed clubs will be the best investment for your golf game and a way to instantly boost your performance. If you have the cash you can have a set of custom clubs made for you. If you’re on a budget you should be able to find a solid set of left-handed clubs online. You can also head to your local sporting good store and see if they can order left-handed clubs if they don’t normally carry them.
Don’t be afraid to ask around. Speak to other golfers at your club or visit popular golfing forums and talk with lefties who know where to get the best sets of left-handed clubs.
Work on Your Grip
Work diligently to strengthen your grip. This can go a long way toward improving your swing. Most lefties have a weak grip on their club. This usually results in a slice. In order to prevent this, you must firmly grip the club and ensure that the club rests across the bottom of your index finger. Also, make sure you don’t move the grip to your fingers. This can result in a hook. A better option is to move your grip gradually and deeply into your palm, which will enable a more deliberate, slower swing.
Practice Consistently
While it may sound obvious, practice, practice, practice. If you’re a lefty and you’re used to swinging with your right hand, you’ll need to perfect your stance and swinging techniques before you’re ready for a challenging game with your buddies. You’ll be surprised by how much more power you have behind your swing once you’ve made the switch.
For best results, try practicing for one hour a day or a few hours on the weekend. You’ll need to give yourself some time for muscle memory to kick in. This means each time you practice you’re that much closer to showing your true playing potential by using your more powerful dominate arm and hand.
In the beginning, practicing with your left hand is difficult, especially if you’ve been playing with your right hand for years. Many lefties will give up and switch back to their right hand. Practicing consistently is key.
Unfortunately, there are not many left-handed teachers out there, so most lefties have to settle with using a right-handed one. This can be a frustrating experience for both the student and the teacher. If possible, try to find a left-handed instructor or a right-handed instructor who has experience teaching golfers how to use their left hand.
But, if you’re already an experienced golfer, while it may feel awkward at first, over time you should have no problem adjusting your stance and swing. You’ll automatically know what you need to do, how to adjust your swing, and what areas you need to focus on when practicing.
For right handed and left-handed players, the mechanics of golf are the same. The mechanics of the swing can easily be perfected by practicing with a left-handed club.
During a game, you must keep your chin up and your back straight. Maintaining the proper posture will help you achieve the perfect swing.
Swing Plane
The swing plane must always be circular in nature. Maintaining swing plane direction is also important because it’s the line that a club draws in the air during a swing. The club must be kept on the swing plane throughout the duration of the movement.
Rotating the Hips
The hips should fully rotate towards the right in order to swing with full power. The golfer’s hands will automatically follow where the hips lead. The right hand should lead the swing and the left hand should finish it.
Backswing
The backswing is probably the most crucial thing to master for lefties. The body must be turned in order to allow the club to do all of the work. The correct way to do this is to turn the back with the legs and hips so it’s positioned toward the target. Your chest should be pointed in the opposite direction during the swing. Keep in mind that at the top of the swing the left arm should still be extended as the club comes to a rest.
The left arm should extend throughout the entire impact, otherwise, there will be a limited amount of power used to deliver the ball.
Downswings
With downswings, the club does all the work. All the golfer has to do is maintain a steady, gradual tempo, without jerky movement.
Ending the Swing Properly
A left-handed golfer should never end their swing flat-footed or on their heels. Lefties must swing on the balls of their feet in order to use complete power with the total rotation of the hips.
Older players will have a harder time making the switch to left-handed playing, not only because they’ve been playing with their right hand for years, but because using the proper golfing mechanics can be uncomfortable, if not downright impossible for golfers with limited mobility. To learn more, click here to read our article on senior golfing tips.
New Courses
The more golf courses you play on the more experience you’ll gain. Dogleg holes can be a big challenge for left-handed golfers. In order to master playing shots on this type of hole, the golfer needs to learn how to hit a draw shot. With this type of shot, you’ll need to hit the ball in a manner that causes it to curve from right to left.
Handy Tips from the Pros
Did you know that some of the best shots are hit when the golfer is centered and standing directly behind the ball? The ball impact will be much harder and stronger.
Want a more powerful swing? Focus on hitting the inside of the ball. This will ensure you get a clean strike, causing the ball to travel further.
If you’ve decided to make the switch to left-handed playing, stick with it. Avoid switching back and forth between right and left-handed swings. Doing so can interfere with muscle memory and can hinder your progress.
Better Leg Control
Having excellent control over your leg muscles will allow you to generate more power when you swing. Your legs should be kept in sync with your swing, so it’s one pure, fluid motion. When working out, never skip leg day and also incorporate some compound exercises for a total body workout and a great way to boost your overall strength.
Working Out
While it may not seem like it, working out can help to improve your golf game, especially if you’re making the switch from right to left-handed swinging. Just like with any other type of outdoor sport, getting in shape is important. Exercising with free weights and adding some cardio to your weekly routine will help to improve endurance and can power your swing. Regularly working out will improve leg, core, and arm strength, adding some real fuel to each swing. Of course, you can also get in some great exercise during a game if you opt to walk to each hole as opposed to using a golf cart.
If you’ve decided left handed golfing is the best option for you, you’ll need to practice more often than your fellow right-handed golf buddis in order to hone your skills. Practice consistently, at least three to four times a week. Start your search for high-quality golf clubs if you want to get the most out of your game. While you’ve gotten by all these years playing like a right-handed player, once you have the right tools you’ll instantly improve your golf game.
Following these golf tips will definitely help you work toward improving your left-handed golf game and can make a huge difference in how you play and your overall score. While it can be very challenging in the beginning, once you get used to swinging with your left hand you’ll notice more power behind each swing, improved stamina, a better score and a more solid performance overall.
