Did you know your left side should be dominant?

[shortstop20]

Other than keeping my right arm from overflexing during the backswing, I have no conscious thoughts on my right arm/hand during the swing.

[MethodX]

Ok. I can't back up some of what I said about left side dominant and shaping / drawing my shots.

I switched from X-20 to X-20 Tour and now I barely, barely, barely draw the ball. A third the time it goes straight now.

The reason? The tour irons have way less offset than the regular X-20's. - I beleive.

So, I do pull down with my left, then I extend with the right (somewhere around or just before impact) then let my V shaped arms pass my face letting my shoulders pull my face up towards the target.

Basically, what most of the posts said is what I do. :P

[iacas]

I'm not saying this is right or wrong (I hate golf magazines, by and large), but I'm just putting it out there for the heck of it. :)

[Norm3333]

I am no advocating eliminating the right side from the swing,  However, there is sound thinking behind pulling with the left side;

1.  From a physics standpoint, a object in motion will stay on line more easily if it is being pulled vice pushing.

2.  If you have a right side dominant swing, coming over the top is easier.

I have seen a lot more pros warming up by swinging with just their left arm than pros swinging with just their right.

[MichaelG]

I'm dominate with m left hand and play righty long story). I do sometimes feel that being left handed does help me a lot, but thats me.

[Lady Golf Pro]

To expand and elucidate....  I believe what was meant in this quote is to ensure your right arm isn't predominant throughout your entire swing, but rather to allow your left arm to be consciously engaged, especially for your follow through.  This is also the advice I got from a friend and sometimes playing partner, who is a 17 time Lady Club Champion, and a much lower handicapper than myself!  I respect what she has to say.

And yes, Mr. Wiggles, I am a high handicapper and my left arm and other body parts do all sorts of things during my swing!  That doesn't mean I'm not working on my game, or that I can't share interesting and what I think is good information.  If anyone thinks its bogus, well just ignore it!  If you think it might help your game, try it out at the driving range!

If you want more information about Kathy Whitworth I recommend you look her up at http://golf.about.com/od/golferswomen/p/kathy_whitworth.htm

Here's some of what you'll find there:

Trivia:

• When Kathy Whitworth finished third in the 1981 U.S. Women's Open , she became the first LPGA player to surpass $1 million in career earnings.

• Whitworth won at least one tournament every year from 1962 to 1978, a streak of 17 years. It's the longest such streak in LPGA history.

Kathy Whitworth Biography:

Kathy Whitworth won 88 tournaments on the LPGA Tour, more than any other golfer (and more than any golfer has won on the PGA Tour , too).

During the 9-year period from 1965 through 1973, Whitworth won eight money titles, seven scoring titles and was named LPGA P layer of the Year seven times.

Obviously, being "left arm dominant" worked for her.

[The Recreational Golfer]

The lead statement that the OP posted is the opening of a chapter in Whitworth's book, Golf for Women. In the five-page chapter, she explains what she means. Though she says the left side should be dominant, she does not mean that the right side has no role to play. Beyond that, I would suggest you read the chapter, because her explanation makes good sense.

[Mikeod5785]

For power....talk to Ben Hogan

For accuracy talk to Moe Norman

Simple.

[iacas]

For power....talk to Ben Hogan For accuracy talk to Moe Norman Simple.

So, we have to die first? :-P

[Mikeod5785]

Originally Posted by iacas

So, we have to die first?

lol nope just have to study every single word they said and decode it, understand what they meant, then go out and do it simple :P

[Greg M]

Like Hogan, I'm a lefty playing right handed -mostly because it fealt the way I wanted to play - however, I'm pretty sure that being left side dominant helps my game - the harder I pull through with my left hand on release, the further, and straighter the ball goes - I'm sure I couldn't get the same effect if I was right handed.

Isn't Phil a righty playing left handed? if so he probably has the same benefit and me and Hogan, just the other way around!!!

[Ernest Jones]

Originally Posted by Greg M

Like Hogan, I'm a lefty playing right handed -mostly because it fealt the way I wanted to play - however, I'm pretty sure that being left side dominant helps my game - the harder I pull through with my left hand on release, the further, and straighter the ball goes - I'm sure I couldn't get the same effect if I was right handed.

Isn't Phil a righty playing left handed? if so he probably has the same benefit and me and Hogan, just the other way around!!!

Hogan was a righty however, his first club was a left handed iron - Hogan being left handed and playing right handed is another myth about a near mythical man.

Pretty sure Phil is a lefty in day to day life, google pics of him signing autographs to be sure but I'm pretty certain that's the case.

EDIT* just googled for my own curiosity and appears that you may be right about Phil.

[Fikelgroova]

Hogan was talking about impact. The left side is responsible for establishing and maintaining the swing plane by utilizing the left arm to swing in an arc on plane. Most of the speed is produced by the left side Latissimus dorsi muscle. The right hand/arm adds extra power at the point of impact.

[vangator]

An old thread brought back. It seems obvious the left side should be dominant. The left shoulder is the anchor of the swing for a right handed swing. The right side should not be passive. I'm surprised by some of the comments in this thread. BTW, where is Lady Golf Pro? You guys run her off? :-)

[Torres9]

I am right handed. I also use left dominate , (right hand/arm along for ride) I notice however if I fail to make full shoulder turn I pull shots left often. I must remember good shoulder turn with left side dominate swing.

[Torres9]

Hello fellow golfers, I have found this to be most helpful in my thoughts of this discussion. Tom Watson quote "Think of taking the club away from the ball with the left hand, left forearm, and left shoulder staying in the same relative position they started in at address. I want a feeling of “togetherness” as my left hand, arm, and shoulder swing back in one piece until the clubhead is past my right foot. The right hand is just along for the ride” Thank you

[acerimusdux]

Hogan was talking about impact. The left side is responsible for establishing and maintaining the swing plane by utilizing the left arm to swing in an arc on plane. Most of the speed is produced by the left side Latissimus dorsi muscle. The right hand/arm adds extra power at the point of impact.

Yes, Hogan actually said also "Hit the ball as hard as you can with both hands. The left is a power hand, too." And "You must hit as hard with the left as with the right." I don't think he emphasized one side being dominant, but rather he emphasized the hands being passive in the early part of the downswing, until they are at about hip level. With the arms, I don't think he emphasized one side, only that they should work together. For Hogan, the hips initiated it and got him on the right plane in the downswing, at that point he thought only of hitting the ball, with both arms.

[Torres9]

Yes, Hogan actually said also "Hit the ball as hard as you can with both hands. The left is a power hand, too." And "You must hit as hard with the left as with the right." I don't think he emphasized one side being dominant, but rather he emphasized the hands being passive in the early part of the downswing, until they are at about hip level. With the arms, I don't think he emphasized one side, only that they should work together. For Hogan, the hips initiated it and got him on the right plane in the downswing, at that point he thought only of hitting the ball, with both arms.

I agree with this. Personally my right side is very passive, I only use it in the end at bottom of downswing when striking at last second in impact zone with left. On a side note, mvmac analyzed my swing in the member section and noticed my wrist hinge is a little late after takeaway in part of backswing , which I think is a result of my very passive right side. I think I may need a little help with right hinging sooner get more on plane after my club is down line on takeaway. Guess I'm not strong enough in left.. I definitely initiate my downswing with the lower body (hips) and feel my downswing plane is solid and do not want to change it. Before I was left side dominate I was inconsistent personally because in stressful situations or fatigue, I tended to not complete a full backswing and hurried it with inclusion of my right hand/arm.