Going Lefty.....with GoingLefty

[GoingLefty]

Stay the course, brother. You got this!

Thanks man, I appreciate it. My buddy is getting together with me next week with an exercise plan. He's well aware of my injuries and I know I can trust him so it's going to be good.

 

[GoingLefty]

From one Canuck to another, good luck! There's one bonus to having such a long off-season up here, we get to practice a lot at the sim or the dome.

Hah, thanks brother, that is a good point. The practice now is going to pay off come spring.

 

[GoingLefty]

So I got together with my buddy and he gave me a bunch of helpful exercises that Ive been doing. My back is the best its been yet. That is in part also due to some swing changes. I was doing some research on the biomechanics of the swing and came across M2M golf. This lady has some very solid information on protecting the back in the swing. Ive hit balls a few times since making some of the changes and it is much easier on my back. I played back to back 18 hole rounds at my indoor golf place with no pain at all. The changes impacted my score in the first round. Shot 103. Second round I shot 89 though which was sweet. But #1 my back was great. Partially due to the increased exercise I've been doing and part to the swing changes. Oh I have a new long drive at 261 yards. Was with the wind though haha.

I've started doing intermittent fasting as well. I am down 3 pounds in a week and its pretty easy to do. I just eat in a 10 hour window. Usually 8-6. Its easier than I thought it would be. I havent really made any changes to my diet otherwise but this has cut out the 2 evening beers I normally have which is good.

Anyway, things are back on track and the weather here has finally started to turn. Sunny and nice here today. Hope you guys are good!

 

[OGputtnfool]

So I got together with my buddy and he gave me a bunch of helpful exercises that Ive been doing. My back is the best its been yet. That is in part also due to some swing changes. I was doing some research on the biomechanics of the swing and came across M2M golf. This lady has some very solid information on protecting the back in the swing. Ive hit balls a few times since making some of the changes and it is much easier on my back. I played back to back 18 hole rounds at my indoor golf place with no pain at all. The changes impacted my score in the first round. Shot 103. Second round I shot 89 though which was sweet. But #1 my back was great. Partially due to the increased exercise I've been doing and part to the swing changes. Oh I have a new long drive at 261 yards. Was with the wind though haha.

I've started doing intermittent fasting as well. I am down 3 pounds in a week and its pretty easy to do. I just eat in a 10 hour window. Usually 8-6. Its easier than I thought it would be. I havent really made any changes to my diet otherwise but this has cut out the 2 evening beers I normally have which is good.

Anyway, things are back on track and the weather here has finally started to turn. Sunny and nice here today. Hope you guys are good!

You shot an 89 lefty? Sounds pretty sweet to me! Keep it up!

 

[GoingLefty]

You shot an 89 lefty? Sounds pretty sweet to me! Keep it up!

Yes, I was pretty damn happy with that score although its on a Sim so about 10-15 strokes easier from real golf from what I gather. Still its great to be progressing and seeing "89" up there felt good haha.

 

[robrandalgz]

So I got together with my buddy and he gave me a bunch of helpful exercises that Ive been doing. My back is the best its been yet. That is in part also due to some swing changes. I was doing some research on the biomechanics of the swing and came across M2M golf. This lady has some very solid information on protecting the back in the swing. Ive hit balls a few times since making some of the changes and it is much easier on my back. I played back to back 18 hole rounds at my indoor golf place with no pain at all. The changes impacted my score in the first round. Shot 103. Second round I shot 89 though which was sweet. But #1 my back was great. Partially due to the increased exercise I've been doing and part to the swing changes. Oh I have a new long drive at 261 yards. Was with the wind though haha.

I've started doing intermittent fasting as well. I am down 3 pounds in a week and its pretty easy to do. I just eat in a 10 hour window. Usually 8-6. Its easier than I thought it would be. I havent really made any changes to my diet otherwise but this has cut out the 2 evening beers I normally have which is good.

Anyway, things are back on track and the weather here has finally started to turn. Sunny and nice here today. Hope you guys are good!

Yes, I was pretty damn happy with that score although its on a Sim so about 10-15 strokes easier from real golf from what I gather. Still its great to be progressing and seeing "89" up there felt good haha.

Uh, hell yeah to all of this man.

Yeah, the "traditional" golf swing is hell on the body (especially the back). Glad you're finding something that makes more sense from a bio-mechanical standpoint!

 

[GoingLefty]

Uh, hell yeah to all of this man.

Yeah, the "traditional" golf swing is hell on the body (especially the back). Glad you're finding something that makes more sense from a bio-mechanical standpoint!

Yeah man, I wish I would have known this stuff years ago. Hope you're good brother.

 

[maxmax]

I hadn't seen this thread until now. This sounds like a very exciting journey you are on!

A little off-topic, but might be inspiring, not sure. I met a gentleman a few years ago that was a musician. A guitar player. He was playing left-handed and was really good. It later came up that he had apparently had some issue with his left hand several years earlier and after having spent most of his adult life playing right handed guitar, he could no longer do it because he couldn't form chords with his left hand. His first thought was just to give up, but he later started to noodle around left-handed and was within a fairly short amount of time (not sure what his definition of fairly short is) playing up to his old standard.

Playing an instrument as well as doing a golf swing, really is a matter of using both arms, so even though I have no doubt it feels strange at first, I guess it's not impossible to learn to play both ways. Not sure if it's already mentioned, but Phil Mickelson is right handed and Henrik Stenson is left handed, so there's always that too. :snicker:

I wish you the best of luck and hope you will continue to enjoy playing!

 

[GoingLefty]

I hadn't seen this thread until now. This sounds like a very exciting journey you are on!

A little off-topic, but might be inspiring, not sure. I met a gentleman a few years ago that was a musician. A guitar player. He was playing left-handed and was really good. It later came up that he had apparently had some issue with his left hand several years earlier and after having spent most of his adult life playing right handed guitar, he could no longer do it because he couldn't form chords with his left hand. His first thought was just to give up, but he later started to noodle around left-handed and was within a fairly short amount of time (not sure what his definition of fairly short is) playing up to his old standard.

Playing an instrument as well as doing a golf swing, really is a matter of using both arms, so even though I have no doubt it feels strange at first, I guess it's not impossible to learn to play both ways. Not sure if it's already mentioned, but Phil Mickelson is right handed and Henrik Stenson is left handed, so there's always that too. :snicker:

I wish you the best of luck and hope you will continue to enjoy playing!

Well that is impressive. I play a little guitar and it's hard enough as it is haha.

 

[GoingLefty]

So hit the range yesterday and wasn't hitting it very well. I had a few decent ones but overall I hit it as bad as I have since I started.

Then today I had my indoor sim league with my buddy. We played two rounds. I was hitting it even worse than the day before. I had overdone it on my exercises the day prior and my back was bugging me. I stretched out over an hour before I went but still wasn't feeling great when I started.

I could hardly get the ball over 10 feet off the ground, even my chipping was terrible. Shot 105.....not good.

Second round started the same as the first but my back was loosening up. I kept trying to change some things and around hole 5 I started to hit it half way decently. Not great but good enough to get it around. I got my chipping under control and my putting was good and I managed another 89 although I hit the ball much worse than the previous 89. My short game saved me.

I was trying to incorporate some swing changes but they were just not taking. My back at least was feeling good by the end of the second 18 for the most part. Onward I go, a few steps backward it feels like but this is the process. I will be working on the changes the next week at home with my orange whip.

 

[GoingLefty]

So been working on the changes in my swing. I found another site that has the same type of approach as I was looking for but with a lot more information. Rotarygolf.com So I got a deal for $95 a year membership which includes 6 swing reviews so it's a real bargin imo. I sent in my swing with my details and the guy reviewing has had severe back issues as well so I'm happy to have him working with me.

Had my indoor league today and shot a 90. I hit about a dozen of the best strikes I've had since I began this. I hit it over about 6 greens. The wind was on too though and it was strong. I hit a 310 Yard drive!!!.......126 feet downhill.......and a 15mph wind behind me.....lol.

I beat my buddy/enemy Impey in the comp round by a stroke. We played a second round and I shot 92 and he shot 84 so he smoked me there. I lost it on round two. Didn't hit hardly any solid shots like the first round. Maybe I was fatigued a bit as I didn't eat before I went. The score is almost the same but round one I struck it much, much better.

Overall my swing is coming along. With a few of the changes I've made, I had really no back pain. I just realized I didn't even think about my back the entire time actually! That is big for me and a first. Huh. Guess I'm on the right track guys

 

[robrandalgz]

So been working on the changes in my swing. I found another site that has the same type of approach as I was looking for but with a lot more information. Rotarygolf.com So I got a deal for $95 a year membership which includes 6 swing reviews so it's a real bargin imo. I sent in my swing with my details and the guy reviewing has had severe back issues as well so I'm happy to have him working with me.

Had my indoor league today and shot a 90. I hit about a dozen of the best strikes I've had since I began this. I hit it over about 6 greens. The wind was on too though and it was strong. I hit a 310 Yard drive!!!.......126 feet downhill.......and a 15mph wind behind me.....lol.

I beat my buddy/enemy Impey in the comp round by a stroke. We played a second round and I shot 92 and he shot 84 so he smoked me there. I lost it on round two. Didn't hit hardly any solid shots like the first round. Maybe I was fatigued a bit as I didn't eat before I went. The score is almost the same but round one I struck it much, much better.

Overall my swing is coming along. With a few of the changes I've made, I had really no back pain. I just realized I didn't even think about my back the entire time actually! That is big for me and a first. Huh. Guess I'm on the right track guys

You're absolutely on the right track, man. So good to see another positive update from you. It truly is inspiring. Hell if you can start playing decent golf from the other side of the planet and make progress, there's no excuse for me not to improve my own game. Lightin' a fire under my ass, brother. Thanks for the updates and the inspiration!

 

[GoingLefty]

You're absolutely on the right track, man. So good to see another positive update from you. It truly is inspiring. Hell if you can start playing decent golf from the other side of the planet and make progress, there's no excuse for me not to improve my own game. Lightin' a fire under my ass, brother. Thanks for the updates and the inspiration!

Cheers brother, I am happy for sure with the progress. There is always that part in your mind saying you should be further along etc. but the truth is if you would have asked me a few months ago if I thought I'd be anywhere near here I'd have said no way. Glad I could light a fire under your ass haha, go get em man!

You know one interesting thing that has come of this is that you don't need to hit the ball far to score decently. I've been thinking back to my horrible course management skills when I played righty. I was a bomb and gouge player but I would usually have 5 or 6 penalty strokes every round. I'd have 2 320 yards + drives in the fairway or rough and 2 or 3 out of bounds or in a hazard. If I used some course management I could have been shooting high 70's consistently I think. I really underrated how important it was.

 

[GoingLefty]

Played in my league today. First we played a practice round. I was flat terrible. I was at the range yesterday trying to work on the changes and I was hitting it ok. First round I shot 107 with a max 12 on the 18th at Harbor Town. I just kept hitting them into the hazard. I just had nothing going.

Round two started the same but I started hitting some shots about 3 holes in. I wasn't lighting it up but I was getting it around all right. I was pushing my drives, about 225 yards mostly. I ended up shooting 91 to his 90, net 70 with my HC.

My biggest issue right now is consistency of strike. No surprise there. I was pushing most of my longer clubs but the odd time I'd hit them flush or with a slight pull and they'd go much longer than expected. Its just putting in the time now. My back is still A-1 after those two rounds.

A few courses opened here this week. It was pretty cool here today but if it's decent out next week I'm going to play my first real round. I am damn excited about that. I have no idea what I'll shoot and really I don't much care. I just want to get out in the grass under the sky and play golf.

 

[lauzgolfer]

Yep, I'm right handed. I shot left though playing hockey when I was younger so I'm hoping that helps. Its encouraging to hear you play left, but are right handed. I think my approach is going to help...I hope haha...

I too am right handed, but play left handed for golf and baseball. Oddly enough I can and have played both left and right for hockey. However righty slap shot is much weaker than lefty slap shot. I think you'll be alright switching. I did for a very short period when I started to pick up golf (when my parents started playing). I'd practice with my dad's righty clubs cause I didn't have my own. Was able to hit short irons almost exactly the same as my lefty rentals. When I bought my own clubs, stuck with lefty cause it was just more natural for me.

 

[GoingLefty]

I too am right handed, but play left handed for golf and baseball. Oddly enough I can and have played both left and right for hockey. However righty slap shot is much weaker than lefty slap shot. I think you'll be alright switching. I did for a very short period when I started to pick up golf (when my parents started playing). I'd practice with my dad's righty clubs cause I didn't have my own. Was able to hit short irons almost exactly the same as my lefty rentals. When I bought my own clubs, stuck with lefty cause it was just more natural for me.

That's interesting. It's weird but I am finding my mid irons and hybrids I'm hitting the same distance I used to right handed. My wedges- Lob up to PW I'm hitting shorter though. I used to hit my SW 100 yards and now it's 85. My old 7 iron was 155-160 and that's the same left handed. My driver I'm hitting much shorter. 225 average compared to 280 average before. I think I'll get closer with the driver though, I'm not hitting it solid at all yet. Putting has been the easiest to adapt to, at least on the Sim.

 

[GoingLefty]

Oh and I'm going golfing on Monday. The first round in two years and my first as a lefty! I am way past excited. The course is a very easy one so that's good. I think I'll be playing the tee's around 6000 yards. Not sure if I'll even take my driver..but knowing me I probably will. I'll probably keep it in the bag mostly though.

I have been hitting my G400 5 hybrid so well (favorite club in the bag) and yet couldn't hit my G30 4 hybrid at all for some reason. So I traded it in at the used golf store here for a G400 and paid the difference. So glad I did. Right away I was smacking it. 215-225 and pretty damn straight. I don't know if it was the shaft difference or what but it's night and day going to the G400. I never would have guessed one year in a club would make that much difference.

Anyway I'll update on Monday after my round. I'm playing with 3 buddies, so it should be a great time. Pray for good weather for me, it's supposed to be pretty decent. +12C :clapp:

 

[GoingLefty]

Ok there is good news and not so good news.

The good news is I played my first round in 2 years and had no back pain...and I walked it with a push cart! That was by far and away the most important thing I wanted to achieve today and I did that. I am really grateful that I was able to get out and just swing the club and have some fun. Mission accomplished!

The bad news is I hit it like crap haha. Man oh man. I had the occasional top in the sim but nothing like this. I topped the ball badly probably 20 times or more. First I was planning to get there plenty early but I was rushed as I had to build my push cart. I thought it was pre-assembled in the box but it was not. I was super nervous too and playing on real turf was just so different than the sim. I felt like a fish out of water.

My scorecard:

So 123 is my start point guys. No pars or better but a couple of bogey's. On the last 5 holes one of the guys proposed some match play and I jumped in. They gave me 3 strokes on the par 4's and par 5's and 2 on the par 3's. (I was really, really hitting it bad all day) Anyway I kinda got it going a little and won $15 off them haha.

I'm just so happy to have gotten out there again, not something I was sure would happen for me! Onward and upward from here guys.

 

[Adam Hartzell]

For the first round in two years I'd be happy with that regardless of the change to hitting from the right side of the ball. Nice work!

 

[robrandalgz]

Ok there is good news and not so good news.

The good news is I played my first round in 2 years and had no back pain...and I walked it with a push cart! That was by far and away the most important thing I wanted to achieve today and I did that. I am really grateful that I was able to get out and just swing the club and have some fun. Mission accomplished!

The bad news is I hit it like crap haha. Man oh man. I had the occasional top in the sim but nothing like this. I topped the ball badly probably 20 times or more. First I was planning to get there plenty early but I was rushed as I had to build my push cart. I thought it was pre-assembled in the box but it was not. I was super nervous too and playing on real turf was just so different than the sim. I felt like a fish out of water.

My scorecard:

So 123 is my start point guys. No pars or better but a couple of bogey's. On the last 5 holes one of the guys proposed some match play and I jumped in. They gave me 3 strokes on the par 4's and par 5's and 2 on the par 3's. (I was really, really hitting it bad all day) Anyway I kinda got it going a little and won $15 off them haha.

I'm just so happy to have gotten out there again, not something I was sure would happen for me! Onward and upward from here guys.

Told ya you wouldn't shoot 140.

:eyepoke:

 

[GoingLefty]

For the first round in two years I'd be happy with that regardless of the change to hitting from the right side of the ball. Nice work!

Thanks very much and hell yes I am. It was something I really missed. It was great to get out with the boys and have some laughs. The best one was when I topped one into a sand trap that was filled with water. Then I fished it out, dropped it and topped it in there again haha.

 

[GoingLefty]

Told ya you wouldn't shoot 140.

:eyepoke:

Haha, you did indeed.

 

[GoingLefty]

Round 2 is done and I dropped 11 strokes off my score from last week. My first round at my new home course since becoming a member, overall the track is pretty good, especially for the money. The greens are small and there is a lot of hazards. Large fairways though so it's not unfair. I lost more balls today than last round but overall I struck the ball much better. I actually had 4 pars surprisingly. I lost it totally for a few holes on the front and on the back. I started out great and didn't top a shot until the 5th I think. Then it went south haha. But then I kinda got it back before it went south again.

It was really cold for the back 9. The front was pretty nice, sun shining, no wind. I'd say it was around 12C or so. Then on the back the wind came up and the clouds came in. I bet it was no more than 5 degrees. Still my back held up well especially since I walked again. The last few holes I was really tired and my back was tightening up a bit so I was making half swings just to be safe. Got home stretched out and its good.

I play again tomorrow, hopefully I can keep taking 11 strokes off every round. That's reasonable right? lol

 

[GoingLefty]

117 today. Overall hit it a little worse than yesterday but still had some very good shots. New long drive for the course at 233 yards. Highlight was I almost had a hole in one! 10" from the hole on a 148 yard par 3. It even spun around a bit. I also had a couple of nice up and downs from tough spots. Putting was solid. Only two 3 putts.

My bad shots let to more bad shots etc. I need to put in more range time. I'm going to try and play twice a week and go to the range twice a week, at least. I'm feeling uncomfortable but I know a lot of that is my body being in the wrong spots, not just the awkwardness of learning to play left. What I'm saying is I know there are things I can change that will make it much more comfortable very quickly and that will mean better golf.

 

[GoingLefty]

Hey guys, what's up? So I did not make it to the range. I was going to go yesterday and an opportunity to play popped up so I did that instead. Was a touch hungover....poker game the night before (lost $50 damnit).

Anyway got out to Apple Creek (home course) and tied my low round with 112. I bought game golf live and it was my first round with it. Like others have said I forgot to tag my clubs some times and didn't realize how easy it was to fix it after a round so I was messing with it on the course trying to fix it there. Was a bit distracting but today I'm playing again and I won't be concerned with that at all.

Here are my game golf stats for round 1:

And my highlight for a drive is this one:

I actually hit 2 really good drives. Those were by far my best shots of the round. I would say overall I was not hitting it as solid as I was last week but I was managing myself better and had less topped shots.

Today's goals are: Get to the course an hour early and work on my take away and grip. Then work on my chipping. I had some great chips to tap ins yesterday and I hit several over the green too. Putting was pretty good and I only lost three balls.

Lets go! :golf2:


Edit: So it ended up being crazy windy. Shot 119. 65 on the front and 54 on the back. Again, had some very good shots and a lot of not so good shots. The wind really messed with me (7 penalty strokes) although I recovered for the back 9 to a degree. I feel like I am not swinging freely enough. So hard to swing like the ball isn't there...but that's my holy grail with golf.