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Ever consider putting from the other side?

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Campbell Toe

Campbell Toe

AKA Campbell Toe
Albatross 2024 Club
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I was listening to Hank Haney a while back and he was discussing whether he thought Jordan Speith had the yips or not. He believes that he does and needs to find a solution to help him with his putting problems of late. He mentioned going opposite hand low, the claw, the arm lock and....going left handed. I never thought about this as being an option. I do not have the yips but I tried it out and it does have its possibilities. Hank’s co host and fellow instructor Steve Johnson had a really bad situation with the yips years ago apparently and switching to left handed has really help him out. So my question is has anybody done it? Have you been so aggravated enough with your putting that you would be willing to give it a shot?


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Campbell Toe said:
I was listening to Hank Haney a while back and he was discussing whether he thought Jordan Speith had the yips or not. He believes that he does and needs to find a solution to help him with his putting problems of late. He mentioned going opposite hand low, the claw, the arm lock and....going left handed. I never thought about this as being an option. I do not have the yips but I tried it out and it does have its possibilities. Hank’s co host and fellow instructor Steve Johnson had a really bad situation with the yips years ago apparently and switching to left handed has really help him out. So my question is has anybody done it? Have you been so aggravated enough with your putting that you would be willing to give it a shot?


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Not enough to pull the trigger, but I putt left-hand low anyway, so every time I go to the golf store, I play around with the left hand putters with moderate success. And stand there eyeing the price tags, thinking "it'd be better to spend that money on a lesson than a guess."

But I'll probably end up with a LH putter eventually, if only to mollify my curiosity.
 
Seems like the most reliable putt is the left handed back of the putter knock in for 2-3 ft putts, I have really seriously considered going left handed as I am a natural lefty but learned to golf righthanded.
 
jim54 said:
Seems like the most reliable putt is the left handed back of the putter knock in for 2-3 ft putts, I have really seriously considered going left handed as I am a natural lefty but learned to golf righthanded.
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You should do some research, some of the best golfers the world has ever seen are left-handed but play right-handed.

I have considered going left-handed for putting but never put any effort into it, it's not out of the question for me.
 
@eaglesvsfalcons has done this and has a pretty detailed thread going over the process. Not for me, righties get better options on gear and pretty much everything so I ain't switching to the other team. But I don't think this is really about putting for you is it? Making a big late in life change? It is cool, we are all family here and will support you whichever way you go.
 
JimBetts said:
You should do some research, some of the best golfers the world has ever seen are left-handed but play right-handed.

I have considered going left-handed for putting but never put any effort into it, it's not out of the question for me.
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Someday I may pick up a cheap left handed putter to see what happens, but have avoided it to keep the already cluttered coconut from exploding.

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Naturally left handed but golf right handed, (only do a few things left handed) I have tried it, it didn't feel unnatural to me as other things do. Possible I could get away with it, but not ready to take that leap.
 
I did for almost a season.

Then, I went and got an SPi lesson from the right side and haven't looked back.
 
It's funny because I just had this conversation with a buddy last week. I'm right handed but for some reason when I pick up a left handed putter it feels natural. I do pretty well when I play around with it in a store and would like to try it out Sunday on the course. I'm just not willing to spend the money on it when it could be a disaster.
 
Several years ago I tried the Claw grip and it really seemed to work for me.....for about a year.
Then the stroke broke down and I went back to the traditional reverse overlap.
I worked hard on my putting stroke and continue to do so. For the last few years I have been a dang good putter.
 
One of the guys on our team plays right-handed but putts left-handed

He gets a few people having a second look when they don't know him and haven't seen him play before

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KEV said:
It's funny because I just had this conversation with a buddy last week. I'm right handed but for some reason when I pick up a left handed putter it feels natural. I do pretty well when I play around with it in a store and would like to try it out Sunday on the course. I'm just not willing to spend the money on it when it could be a disaster.
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from back in my baseball days, for some of us that were switch hitters, and I was one, we seemed to always hit for higher average from the left side albeit with noticeably less power. Had a coach one time tell me it was because as right handers the right eye was stronger and picked up the ball better.

To this day have not done the research to know if it is true or not...but there is a certain logic to it, and if so, in putting where pace and direction are king, if the right eye does indeed function better...it would not surprise me if a lot of people found it more natural.
 
darthweasel said:
from back in my baseball days, for some of us that were switch hitters, and I was one, we seemed to always hit for higher average from the left side albeit with noticeably less power. Had a coach one time tell me it was because as right handers the right eye was stronger and picked up the ball better.

To this day have not done the research to know if it is true or not...but there is a certain logic to it, and if so, in putting where pace and direction are king, if the right eye does indeed function better...it would not surprise me if a lot of people found it more natural.
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I actually wonder if eye dominance is playing a role in why I feel more comfortable setting up left handed because even though I'm a righty my left eye is my dominant eye.
 
Have considered it often but have never gone down that path. Golf is the only thing I do right handed so always thought putting LH would probably be a pretty easy and natural transition. Will pick up a LH putter one of these days.
 
I'd consider left hand low before completely switching sides. That'd be crazy.
 
mancest said:
@eaglesvsfalcons has done this and has a pretty detailed thread going over the process. Not for me, righties get better options on gear and pretty much everything so I ain't switching to the other team. But I don't think this is really about putting for you is it? Making a big late in life change? It is cool, we are all family here and will support you whichever way you go.
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Can't help but look at Bruce and say "Look at how well he turned out, I want that in my life".
 
I think about it every time I pick up a right handed putter and make a putt.
 
Campbell Toe said:
Can't help but look at Bruce and say "Look at how well he turned out, I want that in my life".
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Oh.... I thought maybe you were going to give up on the Giants and become an A’s fan.

Let’s get back to putter talk.
 
Yeah, putters and crappers. Right up your alley.


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I tried a few rounds putting left handed. The putting was o.k., however I found it awkward playing most shots right handed and only putting from the other side.
I believe that to combat the yips, a version of the claw grip should be sufficient for most players. Left hand low is another alternative, although it's not as "yip proof" as the claw.
Th future popular style may be the "arm lock-anchored to the forearm" style which Kuchar and Webb Simpson are doing, but it could take some more years before that method becomes common.
 
I putt with the backside of my putter almost every round. If I roll it past the hole and its convenient to take the putter in a lefty stance I do. As a matter of fact today a playing partner remarked at how good of a stroke it was from my left side.

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Been contemplating this for a while. Right handed, play and putt right. Figure it's worth some time to experiment. Found a toe up #9 at BG for under 30. Let's give it a shot.
 
darthweasel said:
from back in my baseball days, for some of us that were switch hitters, and I was one, we seemed to always hit for higher average from the left side albeit with noticeably less power. Had a coach one time tell me it was because as right handers the right eye was stronger and picked up the ball better.

To this day have not done the research to know if it is true or not...but there is a certain logic to it, and if so, in putting where pace and direction are king, if the right eye does indeed function better...it would not surprise me if a lot of people found it more natural.
Click to expand...

Your coach was barking up the right tree but had it wrong. Handedness and eye dominance aren't related. The reason I went lefty for a bit is because I am a natural lefty with right eye dominance. Going lefty allowed my right eye to be the lead eye to my target line. I still have a hard time seeing the line from above the ball at address from the right side, but opening my stance up to expose my right eye to the target line has helped a ton.

Ironically, when I started switch hitting in baseball, I began as a lefty throwing, righty hitting player (not common at all, but Rickey Henderson was notable for this) and to learn to hit lefty. I had much averages from the right side, but my power and swing were better from the left despite my strong eye being forward.

KEV said:
I actually wonder if eye dominance is playing a role in why I feel more comfortable setting up left handed because even though I'm a righty my left eye is my dominant eye.
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Should be the other way around. Having your left eye forward from the right side should be more comfortable.
 
I’m aware of a guy who switched because of the yips and never went back. He had a lot of success with the switch but I can’t imagine committing to it.


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EaglevsFalcon said:
Should be the other way around. Having your left eye forward from the right side should be more comfortable.
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My thought process is way backward then. It seems like it would be easier to look down the line with my right eye and see it better being further back. I guess I can see the flip side of that where the left eye would be closer to the line and hole.
 
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