COMMUNITY

I have thought about switching to lefty when I heard Mickelson was a right handed. I assumed it might be more natural for me to swing lefty. I am going to the range with a left handed club and give it a go.

Seems to me Larry that you just contradicted yourself, again! In a previous post you said Mickleson's swing sucked, stunk. Now you're praising it. Well, which is it gonna be today? lol.

So I'm ambidextrous and I've heard this argument before. The problem with it is it is a classic case of "single factor analysis". Most righties find their right side is not only their power hand and arm, but also that side of their body, shoulder, arm, hand, fingers that have the best fine motor skills. The best precision, timing, and positioning feedback occur on that side of the body.

But golf is not played with only one hand, one arm, one shoulder and so on. There are many elements of the golf swing that require power, timing, precision and fine motor skills from the other side of the body.

This is NEVER taken into account.

Talk to ALL the top athletic trainers and they will talk to you about the value in creating balance. Elevating the capabilities of the athlete on their 'weak' side. They work on balance of muscle mass, motor skills, flexibility and so on.

Trevor Immelman is left handed and plays right

Many pro golfers can play righty and lefty

I think I've seen Mickleson use his left hand to write from time to time.

I am not praising Mickelson's swing. I am not an expert, but my teaching pro (and all teaching pros) NEVER bring up Mickelson's swing for their students because he makes several compensations. The primary purpose of lessons is to help us develop a simple repeating golf swing with no compensations. Mickelson has been playing since he was a little kid. Silly for any amateur to even think about imitating such a player.

When Mickelson has his compensations working, he hits it straight enough to score. But when his timing is off, he is awful. Notice he was afraid to swing his driver in Scotland.

Larry

top trainers in which field? clearly not ALL of them as you claim.
Balance is something better left to physical therapists and yoga instuctors

Mark Rippetoe is among the top strength and conditioning coaches on the planet.
http://www.t-nation.com/free_o..=

Do you realize that the link you posted is mostly about creating symmetry and balance, the very thing I said trainers advocate?

I am left handed, left hand and left eye dominant. I play all sports right handed. I actually was considering relearning a swing to playing left handed to eliminate my over active right hand in my swing.

So I am not sure I believe the approach of teaching right handed people to play left handed after already playing right handed would be very effective. Only thing i am sure is it would require more teaching hours to make the switch.

Mickelson is totally right handed, writing, throwing, everything that all of us do.

But there are several other pros who have switched- Johnny Miller and it was rumored for years that Hogan himself was a lefty.

Bobby Jones said quite emphatically that the golf swing is a backhand, that the lead hand, arm, side must LEAD and control the golf club. He said learning to swing a golf club successfully is a matter of first "subduing" the dominant hand--which can only DESTROY a good golf swing by causing casting and off-line clubhead path. He said the right hand is "only along for the ride" during the golf swing.

Sam Snead said essentially the same thing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v..

Larry

Did you even read the article?

Phil has said he learned to swing left handed because he stood in front of his father (righted handed) and replicated his swing.

My oldest son (7) is left handed, plays left handed. We stand facing each other and work on swing tempo.

Phil's brother is right-handed and swings right-handed. His sister Tina is right handed and swings right-handed also. Tina tried to teach at my club here in Rancho Santa Fe. She lasted only a couple of weeks--until her customers and the pro shop realized that she can't break 90! She was a 20 handicapper trying to teach! I hope she retired and is doing cooking shows or something. She should use that famous last name for something lucrative!

Larry

Do you mean Tina M. Mickelson PGA professional? I don't put any stock in it, but you do. You made the title of pga pro sound as the end all be all of golf instruction. How could she pass the PAT if she was a 20 and couldn't break 90? So either you don't know what you are talking about, or allow your personal biases to distort your reality. Sounds like she didnt last because there are too many insecure old men at your club. I know you would you just prefer she stays in the kitchen. We can add sexist to the long list of your character flaws. This is one more case of your many exaggerations or out right lies. There is this crazy application on the intranets called google. You should use it before you blatantly make things up, for the sake of you weak ego. Keep up the good work.

http://www.pga.com/professiona..

I have never known anyone that can be so wrong about so much. 1. Lefty is a lefty because when he was little he would face his dad to learn the golf swing. His dad was a righty so Phil, looking at his dad had to swing as a lefty. He got so good at it he stayed with it. 2. The club Phil is using is a 2 wood specially made for him so that he can play without his driver. (Tiger and others should try it, it may help them with driver difficulties as well). 3. Phil has been using the 2 wood for 2 months, not just in Scotland. 4. My swing coach uses Phil's entire golf game to assist me when I get off my game because my game and swings are very similar to his and I know of many PGA pro's that use Phil's swing as a strong example as to do what is right, especially his short game. 5. Your strong prejudice against Phil sings out loudly every time you make a post.

Yep