South Paw

[drickanderson]

As some of you may remember, I've been having issues with shoulder pain (right shoulder), and after playing in league doubles day before last, my shoulder got so bad that I could hardly lift my arm high enough to grab a cup off the counter.

I decided that rather than take time off, I would learn to play lefty. So today, during our lunch 'game' (I use the term loosely), I threw entirely left-handed (putting and everything). I was actually very shocked at how well I did. I didn't even bother keeping score, but I did 'three' a couple of holes.

The really cool part was the loud 'snap' I was getting out of my drives. The guy I was playing with even commented on it. A lot of them were going really high, but I started getting them down toward the end of the round. They weren't spraying all over the place like I expected. Most of the issue was with release angle, and the fact that they were fading to the right instead of left (amazingly hard to get used to that concept). My putting was DEAD on. I might continue to putt left-handed because I was NAILING some of those from 30-40' out, which are a crap-shoot right handed (most of this may be due to the fact that I was more 'relaxed'. I think you play better when you don't care, and I was playing with the knowledge that I could blame any mistakes on my leftyness).

I also notice that it becomes more mechanical with my left hand. I really have to think about the steps involved, and there is less 'feel' to it, but I think that's a good thing.

Anywho. I'm going to keep this up for a few weeks and see how it works out. Has anybody else done this?

 

[billnchristy]

Yup but I play righty because I am a natural lefty.

I was getting a ton of snap out of my right hand too but still not a lot of distance...I am guessing it is partly due to what you said about feel...still don't really have the feel down, its more of just a motion and you cannot really pinpoint what you are doing right or wrong.

I could never putt well right handed though, big nasty hyzer putts, but luckily the arm healed enough to do short putt motions with no pain.

Ice every night and if you aren't against supplements take some MSM, it helped me out a lot I think. I also went back in too fast (March to August playing righty) and over did it one weekend with 2 rounds so now I have pain again...grrr....so take it slow and even when you don't have pain don't go crazy!!

 

[gcr_russell]

Ive tried, but with much poorer results. About 1 in 4 drives do what I intend them to (to my surprise) and the rest spray out all different distances. Keep working on it though, it will be a definite advantage to have those multiple options when you're playing. Plus, it'd be pretty cool to see you pull an Inigo Montoya on someone during a round.

 

[drickanderson]

Plus, it'd be pretty cool to see you pull an Inigo Montoya on someone during a round.

That statement right there just made my day .. :clap:

 

[Cowboy Perfect]

I'm a lefty and do everything left handed except throw a disc. I don't know why, but throwing left handed just doesn't feel natural. I can throw a baseball just find that way tho.

 

[drickanderson]

I'm a lefty and do everything left handed except throw a disc. I don't know why, but throwing left handed just doesn't feel natural. I can throw a baseball just find that way tho.

My little brother is left-handed, but he throws and shoots right-handed. I presume the shooting was because he got tired of hot brass flying across the front of his face, but have no solid reason for the throwing.

 

[Bubbajoe]

I've been working on my left since I started. One thing I've noticed lately is the disc is leaving my left hand much faster than my right. I can't put the same snap on my lefty's that I can on my rights but due to the added speed my distances are now very close to one another.

All and all spending equal practice time with both hands may have hindered my development a little up to this point, but I'm now past the threshold where the time vested is starting to pay off. The other day I walked up to my second shot, played it, liked it, and only after finishing my putt did I realize I played the second shot lefty without thinking of it.

 

[drickanderson]

I could never putt well right handed though, big nasty hyzer putts, but luckily the arm healed enough to do short putt motions with no pain.

and mine were going straight in. I think it was mostly because I was so worried about putting spin on the disc, that I actually WAS getting good spin on the disc, where normally I wouldn't think about that aspect as much, if that makes sense.

 

[Cowboy Perfect]

My little brother is left-handed, but he throws and shoots right-handed. I presume the shooting was because he got tired of hot brass flying across the front of his face, but have no solid reason for the throwing.

I shoot left handed. Watching the brass shoot out an M16 used to scare the **** out of me for a while, but the M16A2 had a decent enough deflector that it kept the casings off my face.

 

[drickanderson]

I can't put the same snap on my lefty's that I can on my rights but due to the added speed my distances are now very close to one another.

and I think I'm doing exactly the opposite. I think I'm getting better snap, but less speed. In theory, that should lead to further distances down the road here, but we'll see. I did hammer one WAY out there today that really surprised me, but I don't want to call one good throw anything other than just that.

 

[drickanderson]

I shoot left handed. Watching the brass shoot out an M16 used to scare the **** out of me for a while, but the M16A2 had a decent enough deflector that it kept the casings off my face.

Did you force it because you were left-eye dominant, or just because you were left-handed? Eye dominance has never really been an issue for me, and I can easily change which one takes focus, but some people really have an issue with it.

 

[Bubbajoe]

and I think I'm doing exactly the opposite. I think I'm getting better snap, but less speed. In theory, that should lead to further distances down the road here, but we'll see. I did hammer one WAY out there today that really surprised me, but I don't want to call one good throw anything other than just that.

Those are the best suprises!
Even when your sholder heals, id still encourage you to practice lefty. Its, if nothing else, easier on your body in terms of muscle development.

 

[himynameismatt]

Natural Righty, I throw baseballs footballs etc. right-handed, but disc lefty, I'm also left-eye dominant. Most the courses around here were designed with righties in mind, most of the doglegs finish right, my friends hate it because they have to struggle to throw an anny but I park most of em.

 

[Cowboy Perfect]

I tried throwing left yesterday and honestly couldn't see a difference. It took just one putt to make the proper throwing changes and it then it was the same the rest of the time.

 

[j-bolt]

I broke my right hand a week and a half ago. This is when i started playing lefty. Never have been left hand dominate in anything. I am able to throw putters 200' with wonderful accuracy. My putting has just started to come around too. The only frustrating thing is distance. I dont feel I have the grip strength or arm speed to ever get my left hand throwing as far as my right.

Side note - forehand is non-existent. I would be better served punting the disc than throwing LHFH.

 

[billnchristy]

Yeah I can't get a good righty forehand either...funny how awkward it is.

 

[medicinalfunk]

i have one general rule in sports: the object must be leaving the right side of my body or else it will be an incredibly awkward motion that fails awfully. i bowl, shoot, forehand, tomahawk, throw a football and baseball right handed. i throw a disc backhand left. i also write with my left hand

 

[Bubbajoe]

Forehand is SUPER awkward lefty! Granted, I cant throw a forehand >150' right handed, but all the same, trying to do lefty is just rediculous!

 

[drickanderson]

I can't throw forehand at all, and now that I'm learning to play left-handed, I can't really think of any reason why I would want to, other than awkward lies or whatnot.

 

[REDARMY]

My little brother is left-handed, but he throws and shoots right-handed. I presume the shooting was because he got tired of hot brass flying across the front of his face, but have no solid reason for the throwing.

i guess i'm mistaken, but i thought any quality gun was available with the ejection port/switches inverted from the factory, or at least had kits for sale to do a conversion...

personally, the only things i do well with my left hand are type (just hunt and peck with a finger or two on my right hand), and you don't wanna know about the other one.

may have to try the putting thing though since my right handed putting is a shade above abysmal.