Is there a master hand in a golf swing ?

[golfgolfer]

I have been trying with my swing lately. In one swing I tried using mainly my left hand bringing the club back and swinging though with my left hand leading. I did the same for my right side. And also a hybrid.

I found that the swing results are different although i manage to hit the ball pretty clean.

However, I have some questions. Is there a master hand dominating a golf swing ? or is it different side dominates at different part of the swing ?

Let me know you thoughts.. just want to understand more about the dynamics of a golf swing.

Appreciate any inputs..

Cheers

[underpar]

To put it bluntly, NO...

For instance when beginning your back swing (which is the most crucial stage of the entire swing) you are using your arms "Not your hands". You don't want to be picking the club up on the takeaway, your looking for a smooth, slow one piece motion which is setting up your tempo for the swing. Your hands in the golf swing are merely acting as hinges, which begin to set once the club reaches waist high. From there your just bringing the club to the top portion of your swing with you bigger muscles (shoulders) and your hands are already set/hinged. The downswing however does have a master side or dominant side. It should begin with a mental note of bringing the club down with the left arm from the top and the rest of the body parts should follow.

Hope this helps

[bjw181]

good advice. You definately want to feel the left hand on the downswing. That was the biggest thing that helped my swing. I used to hit boring middle irons that flew very low and rolled off the greens. Now that I lead with my left hand, I can fire down into the ball with my right and can hit my 5-iron as high as my old 7. But remember, you still have to use the right hand at impact to square what is left of your swing. If you do all this your shots should really start "climbing" up into the air.

[golfgolfer]

thanks for the advise, underpar and bjw181.

After impact, does your left or right lead into the follow through to the finish ?

bjw181, you said "I can fire down into the ball with my right ". Does it me your right hand/arm dominates the un-cocking of the club before impact and then the rowover of the right over left ?

Thanks again.. i know this question may be too trivial...just trying to understand.

Cheers

[bjw181]

Yes, your left hand will lead the club to the ball and the right hand will release the club just before impact and then take over in the follow through. Your forearms should be rotationg over each other in back swing and follow through. But don't think about it too much when you swing. It's all pretty much automatic as long as you let your left hand lead the swing.

[fusioncal]

Yup, I couldn't agree more with the responses above. I used to cast with my right hand on the downswing and the result was inconsistent fat shots. But since I bought and watched the Leadbetter's Interactive DVDs (I'm not trying to advertise here) I learned a lot about the dynamic of golf swing. It's true that you use your shoulder during your backswing and feel your left hand (and left knee) leading during the downswing. Remember to retain the angle between your left wrist and the club (about 90 degrees more or less) at the top of backswing until just before impact. That is what they called lag. It will add distance and consistency to your swing. Try it and most importantly get a feel to it.

And as far as the follow through, if you do the swing right, it will come naturally. Don't think too much on that. Hope this helps.

[tiger woods]

I am amydexstrice. I have 6 leftys in my bag and six rightys. My putter I can use on iether side. every other club is different so if I am under a tree or in the pond I can at least use a club that is going to get me close to the hole. i.e. swing soft or swing hard enough to change the moleculure structure of the darn thing to get it to the hole. I don't know how all you guys can stand to only play on side of the ball. I think my handicap would be at least a 12 if i had to do that.

[niblick]

I am amydexstrice. I have 6 leftys in my bag and six rightys. My putter I can use on iether side. every other club is different so if I am under a tree or in the pond I can at least use a club that is going to get me close to the hole. i.e. swing soft or swing hard enough to change the moleculure structure of the darn thing to get it to the hole. I don't know how all you guys can stand to only play on side of the ball. I think my handicap would be at least a 12 if i had to do that.

You're a +4 index and you're in the trees often enough to need 6 left-handed clubs? I call shenanigans.

[fusioncal]

You're a +4 index and you're in the trees often enough to need 6 left-handed clubs? I call shenanigans.

I concur! Shenanigans.

[golfgolfer]

Thanks everyone for your feedback...

I think i have an idea.

Time to hit the range this weekend...

[nogoodhacker]

Thanks everyone for your feedback...

The 1st book I ever read on golf was Hogan's Five Fundamentals. He preached a left arm/hand lead. Hogan was a lefty hitting righty and fought a hook until finally perfecting his swing. I am a righty hitting righty and I have struggled with a dead push/bannana ball for three years now.

What I have found (from lessons) is that if my thought is left hand/arm dominate; I tend to block my right forearm/hand from a complete fire and release. I just finished up a great set of lessons and my last one concentrated on firing the right arm and hand. Someone (Snead maybe? Cannot remember who) describes this as like you are using a bullwhip. When I do this properly, I can actually hit a nice little draw. My handicap is over 30, I honestly think I can get that down to the low twenties this year. The golf course is the true test; so I am off and playing this weekend as well. Good luck with your idea!

[Titleism]

I'm in the school of thought that both hands need to work together. One drill I do is swing 2 clubs, one in each hand, trying to make full swings so the clubs do not touch each other. This way, you can feel exaggerated forces in each hand and as a result, have a better feeling what each hand is doing.

[nogoodhacker]

I'm in the school of thought that both hands need to work together.

I agree totally. I think my problem is more mental. My left arm/hand is my weak side and it is also the less co-ordinated side. Seems when my thought is on the left arm, I try and guide the club to the ball which lends itself to a open club face and a weak swing. When I focus on firing the right forearm/hand; my left forearm/hand just does what it is suppose to without thought of manipulation.

One drill I do is swing 2 clubs, one in each hand, trying to make full swings so the clubs do not touch each other. This way, you can feel exaggerated forces in each hand and as a result, have a better feeling what each hand is doing.

I am going to try you drill for warming up and stretching next time I play. Thanks for the input.

[OCEANDJJACK]

I have played golf for a long, long time.  I have read almost every famous golf book ever published.  The proof of whether an idea is correct or not, should emerge without having to hit thousands of practice golf shots.  Something either works almost immediately, or not.  My answer, from all my experience and reading, is that the swing starts with the left hand, followed by the left arm, followed by the left shoulder, on the way back.  On the way down, the left hand remains in control, followed by the left arm and left shoulder. Don't even think about the hips, or leg drive, or core rotation, etc., it is all silly stuff that does not work.

You can complicate this by injecting the modern ideas of core rotation, etc., which is not a swing.  You can only swing the clubhead and follow it.  That is a real golf swing. You can never feel a swing using the way golf is taught today.  The big muscle theory  does not work easily, or for most golfers, never.

The earlier models based on Sam Snead, come closer to the truth of what a real golf swing should be.  The best book I ever read was Swing the Clubhead by Earnest Jones.  It is short on detail, but the overall idea presented is absolutely correct.  Can I elaborate on how the pendulum swing should be employed?

Please listen to what I am about to reveal to you.  The waggle, of the left hand, breaking the left wrist, moving back and forth, is the first step in creating a real golf swing.  There is an old Scottish saying "How Ye Shall Waggle, is how Ye shall swing"  Believe me, there is more truth to this than meets the eye.

Now, here is what you don't know.  You waggle to determine how much energy you want to infuse into the clubhead, in order to get it moving, giving life to it, feeling it pull the left arm back, and not the left arm pushing, but following the initial breaking of inertia.  This is not published in any golf publication to my knowledge.  It is the magic move!  A fast waggle creates a fast tempo. A slow waggle creates a slow swing tempo.

Once the clubhead is pulling, like the engine of a train, follow it with the left arm, and then left shoulders, they are the cars of the train.  The cars never push the engine, that is, the clubhead, but rather follow it back and up.  When the energy of the initial waggle push dissipates, the left hand and arm senses this, and the left arm slows to follow the lead of the clubhead.  Then, the clubhead is ready to change directions. Never overtake the speed limit set by the initial motion of the moving clubhead.

Now comes the downswing, the easy part of the swing.  The left shoulder does not move but remains where it is.  The left hand and arm simply swings down towards the ball, followed by the left arm, and lastly the left shoulder.  Your spine angle should remain centered as the left hand and arm swish down and out towards the target.  Your feet and legs don't add leverage but rather, simply balance.  The weight naturally flows as the left arm moves in front of the ball and then past the ball out to the target.

There is nothing else to think about.  You learn to play by feel as described above.  You don't need fancy, complicated theories to play well, very well.  Yes, you need a good setup, and aim correctly, but at the end of the day, the left hand is the key.  It infuses life into the clubhead, and then the left arm and finally left shoulder simply follow the leader, that is, the clubhead.  The right hand and arm do nothing.  It they get involved, the swing will be ruined. One more thing, remain tension free and loose.  Use an easy hold on the club, and keep your right hand out of the process.

Learn how to infuse life into the clubhead to start the backswing.  Then follow the clubhead to the top, and follow it to the bottom.  Everything else happens automatically.  No need to spend lots of money on equipment or lessons.  Now you know the truth!

[Beachcomber]

Wow.

[newtogolf]

I thought it was Patrick until I saw the use of paragraphs and sentence structure and knew it couldn't be him.

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

Wow.

[logman]

Thanks mate that's awesome....and poetic!

[nevrino]

Originally Posted by OCEANDJJACK

On the way down, the left hand remains in control, followed by the left arm and left shoulder. Don't even think about the hips, or leg drive, or core rotation, etc., it is all silly stuff that does not work.

Every pro on tour that i've seen does it, but hey i'm happy you found the holy grail in golf with hcp 9.