Right handed shoots lefty golf clubs?

[atqhunter]

Hi,

My daughter is 13 years old. She was highly ranked in tennis in the nation for her age. Then she started golfing 18 months ago. She is right handed, and she shoots golf right handed. She already has 3 injuries due to golf. First was left wrist. It took 2 months to recover. Then right shoulder, it took about 1 month to recover . Right now, it is rib cage on the right side, She trains about 2 hours a day. I limit her 15 driver shots a day as max. I am not sure why she gets injured so often. I guess one reason is she has too much power, and she is hurt by her own power. She regularly drives 220 yards on trackman, and sometimes she can do 240 yards. I already change to lady’s shaft to protect her wrist.

 

I am wondering whether I should let her to shoot lefty on irons and wedges. Almost all chiropractors or sports medicine  tell me that the problems come from imbalance of muscle.  In tennis, although she trained very hard (much harder than training in golf now), but she barely got any injury. Tennis has forehand and backhand, so that kind of balance out. However, there is only ‘forehand” in golf, meaning all shots have the same direction of body rotation. After a long period of time, people’s spine and muscles around it got twisted.

If I let her shoot lefty clubs on hybrids,  irons and wedges, and righty clubs on woods (including driver), then every day, her body has two directions of rotations, and those kind of balance out. I am not worried about whether she can adapt to lefty clubs. She is young, she has plenty time to practice on lefty clubs and become good at it. I am more worried about long term golf training that may hurt her spine too much.

 

Any thoughts? Much appreciated.

[tchat07]

Wrist and shoulder injuries are very common in golfers in general so that isn't surprising. I would question whether the injuries are from acute trauma or overuse type injuries. Acute you cannot do much about, overuse I'd suggest differing the routine, adding in corrective exercises, and starting a strengthing program. Common misconception with strengthening programs are they're meant to make you stronger but technically there 1st purpose is injury mitigation.

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[atqhunter]

TCHAT07, thanks for the reply. Her injuries were not from acute trauma. She trains about 2 hours a day, and I limit her to have 15 driver shots a day. She spends more times on irons and wedges. That training load seems OK to me. Tiger woods trains 9 hours a day. Morning on the range and afternoon on the course. Lot of South Korea girls train 8 to 10 hours a day. 

 

I would love to know more about corrective exercises and strengthing programs. Any links? Thanks

[tchat07]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.golfdigest.com/story/fitness-avoid-injuries/amp


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[tony@CIC]

8 hours ago, atqhunter said:

TCHAT07, thanks for the reply. Her injuries were not from acute trauma. She trains about 2 hours a day, and I limit her to have 15 driver shots a day. She spends more times on irons and wedges. That training load seems OK to me. Tiger woods trains 9 hours a day. Morning on the range and afternoon on the course. Lot of South Korea girls train 8 to 10 hours a day. 

 

I would love to know more about corrective exercises and strengthing programs. Any links? Thanks

Would it make sense to consult with a physical therapist to see if there are some things that would minimize her injuries?  Also does she have a good golf coach that is teaching her the proper swing techniques? Just asking. 

FYI there are a number of righties that play left handed - starting with Mickelson. So this may be less of an issue with hand orientation and more with proper technique. 

[cnosil]

Based on my interpretation of yours posts you are trying to develop a professional golfer. Yes, professional golfers practice the entire day and that day is generally broken into the various aspects of the game as well as workouts. I would suggest you research golf specific training/exercises or seek out a professional athletic trainer that specializes in golf to help train the whole body to minimize injury. I would also consult with a golf coach to ensure you entrain the appropriate golf techniques to avoid injury as well.

[atqhunter]

Thank you all for the reply.  Here is our situation.

1. Playing professional golf is not the goal, but if she is that good, I will support her.

2. Although she is done golf for  a short period of time, her level is about low D1 or D2 player. In tournaments, she already beat a few who signed up for D2.

3. We live close to a very strong D1 university. The Chiropractor who is helping her has known us for a long time. He treated my daughter when she did tennis. Himself is a scratch golfer, and was on PGA tour for two years treating those pros. According to him, he treated all the famous golfer.  He treats University varsity team (D1) golf and tennis players. So my daughter is in good hand, He believe my daugter's injury was caused by overuse, but he does not understand why she got injury so often. My daughter is strong. 

 

We also has university rehap center. That's more like physical therapy. They treat university D1 teams as well.

3. My daughter has golf coaches. I have tried to get her the best coaches I can find in the area. I have a feeling that now all coach know how to deal with injury. Myself has very strong sports background (not in golf). The more I talk to different coaches, they more I feel they have different methods. They believe in different swings. I am not sure who has the "correct" techniques. Everybody believes in different things. 

[atqhunter]

Thank you all for the reply.  Here is our situation.

1. Playing professional golf is not the goal, but if she is that good, I will support her.

2. Although she is done golf for  a short period of time, her level is about low D1 or D2 player. In tournaments, she already beat a few who signed up for D2.

3. We live close to a very strong D1 university. The Chiropractor who is helping her has known us for a long time. He treated my daughter when she did tennis. Himself is a scratch golfer, and was on PGA tour for two years treating those pros. According to him, he treated all the famous golfer.  He treats University varsity team (D1) golf and tennis players. So my daughter is in good hand, He believe my daugter's injury was caused by overuse, but he does not understand why she got injury so often. My daughter is strong. 

 

We also has university rehap center. That's more like physical therapy. They treat university D1 teams as well.

3. My daughter has golf coaches. I have tried to get her the best coaches I can find in the area. I have a feeling that now all coach know how to deal with injury. Myself has very strong sports background (not in golf). The more I talk to different coaches, they more I feel they have different methods. They believe in different swings. I am not sure who has the "correct" techniques. Everybody believes in different things. 

TCHAT07, Many thanks for the link. It is great. I read it, and will read it again.

[cnosil]

Based on that last response it sounds like you have the information that you need. I would suggest that if it is overuse Injuries that she take a break and heal.

You are correct about golf coaches/instructors, they may teach different methods. The best will identify the best method based on your daughter. There are lots of ways to get to a solid result.

[tchat07]

Thank you all for the reply.  Here is our situation.
1. Playing professional golf is not the goal, but if she is that good, I will support her.
2. Although she is done golf for  a short period of time, her level is about low D1 or D2 player. In tournaments, she already beat a few who signed up for D2.
3. We live close to a very strong D1 university. The Chiropractor who is helping her has known us for a long time. He treated my daughter when she did tennis. Himself is a scratch golfer, and was on PGA tour for two years treating those pros. According to him, he treated all the famous golfer.  He treats University varsity team (D1) golf and tennis players. So my daughter is in good hand, He believe my daugter's injury was caused by overuse, but he does not understand why she got injury so often. My daughter is strong. 
 
We also has university rehap center. That's more like physical therapy. They treat university D1 teams as well.
3. My daughter has golf coaches. I have tried to get her the best coaches I can find in the area. I have a feeling that now all coach know how to deal with injury. Myself has very strong sports background (not in golf). The more I talk to different coaches, they more I feel they have different methods. They believe in different swings. I am not sure who has the "correct" techniques. Everybody believes in different things. 
TCHAT07, Many thanks for the link. It is great. I read it, and will read it again.

Not a problem. Good luck to your daughter!

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[atqhunter]

Thank you for all the advice. I came here mainly to ask whether this has done by other players or if it is feasible:

Right handed player to shoot hybrids, irons and wedges with lefty clubs, and to shoot righty woods (drive included)

 

The reason I am considering that is to prevent her injury. This allows her to have more balanced muscles and use different sides of muscles each day. She will rotate her spine both ways. I am not worried that he needs some time to get used to lefty clubs. It is an  acquired skill. She has not started golf for long, and she is young. 3 months she can make a lot of progress shooting lefty clubs.

[cnosil]

You may want to look at something like superspeed golf, orange whip, or specific exercise programs designed to train both sides of the body.

I know there are golfer that can play left or right handed, but to my knowledge no one does it to avoid injury.

[puttingpirate]

Does she practice on a matt? I had wrist, shoulder, back and rib injuries due to steep angle of attack and hitting few hundred balls a day on a matt. As soon as I moved to grass it disappeared. As soon as I hit too many balls on the range matt it's back and takes 3/4 days to recover. So now when I do range practice I take 2/3 minutes between shots. Not sure if it'll help but it might.

[atqhunter]

Puttingprivate,

Right now, it is winter for us, so she is training indoor on a matt. It is hard to do outdoor with this temperature. Yes, golf range is still open, but even  that, matt only here. 

Her attack angle is roughly -2 degree. I think it is pretty good. She does not hit on the matt hard, it is more like sweeping. 

Yes, other people also  told me matt hurts. 

[atqhunter]

Cnosil,

Thanks for the reply. I firmly believe that she needs to work on both sides. All chiropractors told me muscle imbalance is the #1 cause for any injury. 

[atqhunter]

Cnosil,

Thank you very much for your advices. You got me looking up superspeed golf tonight. Interesting is its main goal is to help golfers to gain club speed, but the drills have both right and left swings. That's what I want. 

 

Although I don't understand the idea of this superspeed golf. Why does this drill to help golfer to gain club speed? Golfers swing hard on drivers already. Swinging on the driver everyday should improve club speed over time. Why does superspeed golf need to swing lefty to gain club speed. 

 

Anyway, I already bought her a lefty lady shaft 6H. It is very light. I will let her do some left swings everyday. 

 

Many thanks again. 

[EthanSterlingPrice]

Thank you for all the advice. I came here mainly to ask whether this has done by other players or if it is feasible:
Right handed player to shoot hybrids, irons and wedges with lefty clubs, and to shoot righty woods (drive included)
 
The reason I am considering that is to prevent her injury. This allows her to have more balanced muscles and use different sides of muscles each day. She will rotate her spine both ways. I am not worried that he needs some time to get used to lefty clubs. It is an  acquired skill. She has not started golf for long, and she is young. 3 months she can make a lot of progress shooting lefty clubs.

First may I recommend looking into the Tour Performance Institute? They have some great online resources for stabilizing the body and you might could even reach out to them and get some back and forth going. From experience I would advise against trying to play from both sides at the same time. I have had similar situations that were solved when I started really focusing on a full body workout with the golf swing taken into consideration. Working both sides of the body equally by doing other activities outside golf that require a different motion is also something y’all might try.



In the bag
Driver: Callaway Rogue Subzero 9.5 Stiff flex
3 wood: Callaway Rogue Subzero 15 degree
Hybrids: 17 degree titleist 816 h2
Irons: Ben Hogan Ptx 22-46 degree (4-pw)stiff flex standard lie
Wedges: Callaway Mac Daddy 4 50,54,58 degrees
Putter: Odyssey EXO seven

Gig’em Aggies!

[SteddyGolf]

Puttingprivate,
Right now, it is winter for us, so she is training indoor on a matt. It is hard to do outdoor with this temperature. Yes, golf range is still open, but even  that, matt only here. 
Her attack angle is roughly -2 degree. I think it is pretty good. She does not hit on the matt hard, it is more like sweeping. 
Yes, other people also  told me matt hurts. 

I know a couple guys who are left hand or right hand dominate that switched to the weaker side. They did so because they found the game easier from their weaker side. I did meet a guy once who told me he switched because of injury and simply never went back to his strong side.


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[tony@CIC]

Keep us posted on her success with the Chiropractor/physical therapist. 

[cnosil]

9 hours ago, atqhunter said:

Cnosil,

Thank you very much for your advices. You got me looking up superspeed golf tonight. Interesting is its main goal is to help golfers to gain club speed, but the drills have both right and left swings. That's what I want. 

 

Although I don't understand the idea of this superspeed golf. Why does this drill to help golfer to gain club speed? Golfers swing hard on drivers already. Swinging on the driver everyday should improve club speed over time. Why does superspeed golf need to swing lefty to gain club speed. 

 

The premise of superspeed golf is to increase swing speed,  but it does have an aspect of training both sides of the body.   It is designed based on overspeed training.  Essentially by using different weight "clubs" you teach your body to swing faster.   I specifically mentioned it because the protocol has the individual do swings with the non dominant side.   

There is a group of forum members that are testing the product to see its benefits,   I would suggest reading through the thread and asking questions on the fitness side of things.   The company also responds occasionally to questions within the thread.

I just think improving fitness of the left side instead of learning how to hit the ball left handed would be a better approach.