Left or Right hand?

[iggsplode]

hey,

so im looking to buy my girlfriend a set of golf clubs.. but i cant figure out what hand she should be shooting. i wanted to suprise her with something but thats all but out the window now because i cant figure out which hand she should be shooting.. she doesnt even really know herself. she's a little clumsy athletically in some sports that in the sense that she feels almost equally comfortable (or awkward) using both right and left handed equipment for certain sports but there doesnt seem to be much rhyme or reason to it.. just however she feels at the time.

for instance, she shoots a hockey stick left, but holds a tennis racket right. she has no idea which side of the plate is more comfortable in baseball or softball.. she hasnt had a ton of experience in sports that involve extra equipment besides a ball. she's a fantastic volleyball player for example but hasnt had much experience with hockey, golf, baseball, etc.

i had her out to the range one night and she did ok with some lefties, but not good enough or looked comfortable enough for me to say for sure, she was popping the ball up a bit but sending it 45 degrees to the left everytime about 50 yards on average, but im sure most people would be able to do that to a point starting out as well. she hasnt tried any righties that im aware of.

what would be the best way for me to figure this out? if i brought her to GT would they be able to put her on the sim and see which looks more natural?

[leftylucas]

I can chime in here, I am a righty to write, play all racquet sports right handed yet golf LH. If she plays hockey left then she should easily be more comfortable with LH golf clubs.

[adam]

Hockey isn't much of an indicator as a lot of righties shoot left handed in hockey. Best bet would be a baseball bat or golf club. She will look/feel more natural swinging one way or the other within a few swings of either. Or she's completely ambidextrous, but that is rare.

[thematt]

I've found that tennis is a very good indicator. I used to fit people for golf clubs and that would always be something I use.

I would say if she plays tennis right handed, I'd put her in right hand clubs.

[leftylucas]

If your not confused yet keep reasing. I play all raquet sports RH but golf left and play hockey left. It really is a matter of comfort, if she feels comfy swinging from both sides you are a lucky man

[iggsplode]

I've found that tennis is a very good indicator. I used to fit people for golf clubs and that would always be something I use.

I would say if she plays tennis right handed, I'd put her in right hand clubs.

thats the advice i had been given from a couple different salesmen.. tennis was the best indication. but i had a friend of mine who is an ok golfer say the opposite.. he shoots left in hockey and plays golf left.. holds a tennis racket right..
*sigh* so confusing

[iggsplode]

If your not confused yet keep reasing. I play all raquet sports RH but golf left and play hockey left. It really is a matter of comfort, if she feels comfy swinging from both sides you are a lucky man

... and i guess this sorta sums it up for me now.. ill just need to take her out to the range a few more times and see what she likes best.

maybe i should send her for some lessons and let him/her deal with it?

[leftylucas]

Well if she plays hockey left then she already has a comfort zone there. Go to the range and have her hit some balls LH and see if she likes it and can hit it. The first time I went lefty is was very awkward yet my brother told me my swing was way better than my RH swing.

[iggsplode]

Well if she plays hockey left then she already has a comfort zone there. Go to the range and have her hit some balls LH and see if she likes it and can hit it. The first time I went lefty is was very awkward yet my brother told me my swing was way better than my RH swing.

good idea. ill do that.. last time we went i didnt really pay attention to her swing, just told her to go mad.

[spackler]

if she feels comfy swinging from both sides you are a lucky man

[thematt]

Maybe your friend would be a better golfer if he played right

I'm just saying it's an indicator. If you're not sure, I would suggest going with that. However, much like your friend, I play hockey, baseball and golf left, but tennis right. If you have no idea, go with tennis, if you have a comfort side, go with that.

thats the advice i had been given from a couple different salesmen.. tennis was the best indication. but i had a friend of mine who is an ok golfer say the opposite.. he shoots left in hockey and plays golf left.. holds a tennis racket right..
*sigh* so confusing

[iggsplode]

lol, never picked up on that the first time i read it

[iggsplode]

Maybe your friend would be a better golfer if he played right

I'm just saying it's an indicator. If you're not sure, I would suggest going with that. However, much like your friend, I play hockey, baseball and golf left, but tennis right. If you have no idea, go with tennis, if you have a comfort side, go with that.

thats preicisly why i said he's an ok golfer and not a good one.. hell of a hockey player tho.

[g8r]

If you want to use tennis, which ever way they are more comfortable making a 2 handed backahnd is the way they should shoot. I would guess that most right handed tennis players that shoot right in golf or hockey probably use a one handed backhand.

hockey and baseball are the best indicators as it shows the comfort of using the stick/bat on that side of the body (and which hand they prefer to have at the end of it).

not sure why people assume that which ever hand you write with or throw with should be the "side" you golf. Its just not that simple. As I've posted many times before, most right handed people *should* bat, shoot and golf left and vice-versa. The reason there are so many right handed golfers is because it used to be almost impossible to find lefty clubs so people adjusted and learned to play the "wrong" way.

[dhacker1956]

When I started playing 41 years ago I played baseball. I hit lefty and threw lefty. Still the pro I took lessons from tried to get me to play righty. I tried for almost a year to play right but could not. I was told by another pro that if a person can do anything major right handed they should be able to play that way. I know in my case the only thing I do right handed is turn the car ignition. I would try to start her right handed and give a good effort at that. If she is unable to do it then go the other way. After all this is a game for relaxation and fun. So she should be doing it for that and not to be trying to beat Ochoa. A cheap set of one wood and a couple of irons can be had very cheaply. My advice is to let her use your 7 or 8 iron and see if she can hit it. Do the same with a lefty friend. You should be able to see very shortly which she is better suited towards. BTW I have tried several times in the 40 years plus of golf to switch to no avail. Good equipment is available from both sides!

[Sab]

In hockey I shoot left, baseball throw right and bat left. Golf right.
When I was a young lad just learning this fine game my father was a rightie and could not afford a second set of clubs for me to play, so I became my father's son, a rightie. Since then I too have converted one of my sons from left to right (also strictly a monetary decision). The other is naturally right.
All that to say if she is just learning, whatever you start her with, she will adapt and become (hopefully) proficient with.
Good Luck and enjoy.

[leafseh]

In hockey I shoot left, baseball throw right and bat left. Golf right.
When I was a young lad just learning this fine game my father was a rightie and could not afford a second set of clubs for me to play, so I became my father's son, a rightie. Since then I too have converted one of my sons from left to right (also strictly a monetary decision). The other is naturally right.
All that to say if she is just learning, whatever you start her with, she will adapt and become (hopefully) proficient with.
Good Luck and enjoy.

I'm in the same boat as you Sab..

My cousin is an interesting case; he throws a baseball with his right hand, and a football with his left... .

As far as the OP's question goes, IMO, I don't think it matters. The majority of us ''learnt'' how to golf after being given a set of clubs, not because of what was deemed more 'comfortable' to us, but rather, what was 'available'. She's a beginner, I'm a believer that she'll learn either way. Right or left-handed.

[BogeyGolf]

I agree you should go with what feels more comfortable to her. If you were to buy a set of clubs and told the salesman that you were not sure if she hit LH or RH, but you bring them back and exchange them for a different dexterity (providing they have not been hit). This way you surprise her with the Clubs at least, and then after going to the driving range a couple times, try to figure out which side she is better at. Then if you need to exchange the clubs, you can.

I golf LH (I can also hit RH), Bat LH, Hockey LH, but write RH and play tennis RH.

Just my $0.02

[iggsplode]

well problem is now in the process of being solved. she ended up getting suprised at work with a cheque for some back pay she was owed, so i made her go take a lesson and the pro will help her figure all that out for her. i told her once she did that i would buy her a set of clubs.

thx for the input guys.. very much appreciated.