Left handed and right handed clubs in the bag?

[300Yards]

I have a buddy who has been experimenting with putting left handed, instead of his usual right handed way. His logic for this, is since he is right eye dominate, putting left handed should give him a better view of the lie, and help him align better. It seems to work for him too.. I'm also right eye dominate, and I'm starting to wonder if I should try this to. Is this a breech of the rules though? Can you have both right handed clubs, and left handed clubs in the bag?

[atticusfinch]

Originally Posted by 300Yards

I have a buddy who has been experimenting with putting left handed, instead of his usual right handed way. His logic for this, is since he is right eye dominate, putting left handed should give him a better view of the lie, and help him align better. It seems to work for him too.. I'm also right eye dominate, and I'm starting to wonder if I should try this to. Is this a breech of the rules though? Can you have both right handed clubs, and left handed clubs in the bag?

Yes, provided the total does not exceed 14.

[pick-it-up]

...And as long as it's not one of those clubs that is both left and right-handed.

[Game Face]

Originally Posted by pick-it-up

...And as long as it's not one of those clubs that is both left and right-handed.

Like this..............

[pick-it-up]

Yeah, I hate those things!

[300Yards]

Cool, thanks. I thought so, but thought I'd ask to be totally sure.

[Wazmankg]

Originally Posted by pick-it-up

...And as long as it's not one of those clubs that is both left and right-handed.

I fairly certain that putters can be ambidextrous. I've had a few and I putted left-handed with them for a while. If I'm wrong I'm sure that one of our gurus will soon correct me.

[Game Face]

Originally Posted by Wazmankg

I fairly certain that putters can be ambidextrous. I've had a few and I putted left-handed with them for a while. If I'm wrong I'm sure that one of our gurus will soon correct me.

Putters can be two-sided (ala, old blade style) ... the only club in the bag that is allowed.

[Leaguegolf]

Originally Posted by Wazmankg

I fairly certain that putters can be ambidextrous. I've had a few and I putted left-handed with them for a while. If I'm wrong I'm sure that one of our gurus will soon correct me.

Gurus don't have a good track record around here.

The most famous putter of all time is "ambidextrous." The Bullseye putter can be used either left or right handed.

[pick-it-up]

I was referring to the gimmicky clubs like that chipper.

[JPsuff]

Originally Posted by Leaguegolf

The most famous putter of all time is "ambidextrous." The Bullseye putter can be used either left or right handed.

Well, MOST Bullseye's anyway. I have one with a flange on the back which putts only one way.


On the subject of left-handed clubs in general, why stop at just a putter?

It's been said that with the advent of hybrids, most good players really only need 12 clubs in the bag. That being the case, get yourself a lefty 5-iron and a lefty wedge and teach yourself to hit them. This way, if you get stuck next to a tree or a boundary fence or whatever near a green and you have no right-handed swing, just pop out the lefty wedge. Or if you're in the same predicament somewhere around the middle of the hole, take out the 5-iron and actually plan a shot instead of settling for a chip out.

If you play competitive golf, can you imagine what an advantage you'd have if you carried those two clubs? There'd be virtually no situation you couldn't get out of - and with solid results too. Picture hitting your drive next to a tree where you wouldn't ordinarily have a righty swing and your opponent thinks he's got you. Suddenly, you whip out the ol' lefty-5 and smack one right on to the green.

Talk about intimidation!



-JP

[Leaguegolf]

Originally Posted by JPsuff

Well, MOST Bullseye's anyway. I have one with a flange on the back which putts only one way.


On the subject of left-handed clubs in general, why stop at just a putter?

It's been said that with the advent of hybrids, most good players really only need 12 clubs in the bag. That being the case, get yourself a lefty 5-iron and a lefty wedge and teach yourself to hit them. This way, if you get stuck next to a tree or a boundary fence or whatever near a green and you have no right-handed swing, just pop out the lefty wedge. Or if you're in the same predicament somewhere around the middle of the hole, take out the 5-iron and actually plan a shot instead of settling for a chip out.

If you play competitive golf, can you imagine what an advantage you'd have if you carried those two clubs? There'd be virtually no situation you couldn't get out of - and with solid results too. Picture hitting your drive next to a tree where you wouldn't ordinarily have a righty swing and your opponent thinks he's got you. Suddenly, you whip out the ol' lefty-5 and smack one right on to the green.

Talk about intimidation!-JP

Sounds good on paper but I'd use the two clubs you suggest I remove a hundred times more than I'd ever use a left handed club. Yeah, that 1 in a 1000 against the tree left handed shot would be impressive but not worth dropping a right handed tool from my bag.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by Leaguegolf

Sounds good on paper but I'd use the two clubs you suggest I remove a hundred times more than I'd ever use a left handed club. Yeah, that 1 in a 1000 against the tree left handed shot would be impressive but not worth dropping a right handed tool from my bag.

My feelings exactly. I can't remember the last time I could have used a left handed club. And I am useless swinging left handed anyway. I just can't get a feel for it... better to just punch out right handed and take my punishment.

[pick-it-up]

I could have used a left-handed club ONCE over the last year!

And it MAYYYYY have saved me a shot.

Besides, I use all 14 clubs in my bag....almost every round.

[petermo]

In any event one can always turn a club - pW,9i - upside down and advance the ball left handed or play the shot backwards with one hand.

[Fileygolfer]

Originally Posted by petermo

In any event one can always turn a club - pW,9i - upside down and advance the ball left handed or play the shot backwards with one hand.

Sensible suggestion from a low handicapper, some guys on here will be scratching their heads and wondering what you mean.

[JPsuff]

Originally Posted by petermo

In any event one can always turn a club - pW,9i - upside down and advance the ball left handed or play the shot backwards with one hand.

Or a putter.

Well, actually a "traditional" putter as opposed to the branding irons masquerading as putters these days. An Anser-style or a flanged putter makes a pretty decent lefty club, in a pinch. The angle between the back edge of the flange and the topline of the blade, roughly equals the loft angle of a 9-iron. I once used a T.P. Mills #2 to get out lefty from next to a tree. I hit a nice, airborne pitch shot and advanced the ball about 40 yards back into the fairway.

But even that doesn't compare to having an actual lefty club, practicing with it to the point of reasonable proficiency and simply carrying it along for just such emergencies.

It was just a suggestion, fellas.

I know it's unconventional and in the dogmatic and parochial world of golf, I wouldn't expect that anyone would think it a great idea, but just the same you don't have to get all defensive about it.

It's not like I'm suggesting it become a RULE or something.


-JP

[300Yards]

Jp, that thought has also crossed my mind. I can see some uses for a left handed wedge. It's only a matter of how many times I would use it. There has been times when I could have used one for sure though.. It might or might not have worked, hard to say. I'm sure I could learn to swing lefty if I did it enough times..

[xnavyct]

Well, I'm a lefty and can't see carrying a right handed club in my bag. What I do (and what I was taught) if I'm in a bad spot where I can't swing lefty against a tree or fence is invert my sand wedge, and use it just to pop the ball out from where I am to get to a better lie.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by xnavyct

Well, I'm a lefty and can't see carrying a right handed club in my bag. What I do (and what I was taught) if I'm in a bad spot where I can't swing lefty against a tree or fence is invert my sand wedge, and use it just to pop the ball out from where I am to get to a better lie.

For me, I can usually do better just taking an unplayable and getting my drop choices. For me, swinging left handed there is about a 50-50 chance that it's going to result in a whiff, or near whiff. At least with a drop, the stroke count is the same, and I have some control over where the ball ends up.

[Wazmankg]

Originally Posted by Fourputt

For me, I can usually do better just taking an unplayable and getting my drop choices. For me, swinging left handed there is about a 50-50 chance that it's going to result in a whiff, or near whiff. At least with a drop, the stroke count is the same, and I have some control over where the ball ends up.

Same here. I'd have to practice left handed quite a bit before I'd trust it in a round.

[bignose]

There is a few important notes here. Firstly, a putter is the only club allowed to have multiple striking faces -- but there is a proviso, that each face must be exactly the same. That is, you can't make an ambidextrous putter with grooves on one side and a urethane insert on the other, for example. Nor can you make a putter with one loft on one side, and a different loft on the other.

Regarding ambidextrous golfers, I believe Mac O'Grady used to play an ambidextrous bag: the even numbered irons were right handed and the odd numbered irons left handed. I think he had a slight fade from each side, and he'd play the different irons when he needed a right handed fade versus a left handed fade.

I think having an off-handed club could be useful, but it would require lots of practice. Here is the situation I think it could be useful: You carry an off-handed 6 or 7 iron, and, not only is it for "emergency" situations, but it would also replace your strong-handed 8 or 9 iron (depending on how far you hit the off-handed club). But, like I said, it would require a lot of practice, because I think that the off-handed club would have to replace a strong-handed club in terms of distance because I agree with the previous posters that it just isn't worth pulling a full club for those once-a-year shots.
Otherwise, I subscribe to the take your medicine and don't hit it there in the first place school of thought.