Due to a recurring Diabetic Foot Ulcer, as some of you know I’ve contemplated learning how to swing left-handed.

There’s one theory that’s been offered why it happened (most notably from my Diabetic Foot Care nurse Paul). Of course, there is my pre-existing condition of Peripheral Arterial Disease, but another has been that I create so much torque with my trail foot and toe that it causes pressure wounds to occur. So it made me think about working towards the change.

After talking to my coach he said that it would be possible but that it would take a ton of work. So last week I went for a ride with him to a dome where he was working with one of his students. A left-handed golfer. I was offered to make a swing or two but I initially declined. After a bit, I decided to grab a club and make swings without a golf ball in front of me. I made swings and here is what I learned.

  • The ball looks weird from the left side
  • The club looks even more strange in the address position. It looks like there is massive offset or something
  • It definitely feels foreign
  • There’s a lack of power for the moment. It’ll take some training

At any rate, as my coach was watching me make passes he pointed out something again that he said two years ago. “Your swing is more mechanically sound from the left than the right”. At the time, I was swinging my Orange Whip Trainer. Apparently, I stay in the shot better and my body lines/set-up are better than from my right-side. Even at the top of the swing and the transition are much better. To sum up his overall feelings, here’s what he said.

“You onionhead. You’re swinging way better from the left side and you should have been playing left-handed this whole time”.

Eventually, I would put a ball down in front of me and make a pass. The result wasn’t ideal. I cold-topped it. My coach figures that in about a year I would have a very playable swing from the left side.

Then this past weekend happened. I went to the Niagara Golf Show with my friend Randy. It was a great day out and we haven’t seen each other for some time. While I was at the show, I would end up making swings with a few products. Honestly, it was a lousy time to be trying this.

IMG_20200123_101610549

I would end up making swings with PING Golf Glide 3.0 wedges and the new G710 irons. Surprisingly enough, I was puring the wedge and the strikes were pretty solid with the G710s as well. I was shocked.

I would also make left-handed swings with the T-Rail hybrid irons and COBRA Golf SPEEDZONE ONE Length irons. I mentioned to the rep that I was trying to pick up the game left-handed. He saw the boot on my foot and then I explained to him why. He really liked the action that I had and he was surprised when I told him that it was my first day swinging left-handed at golf balls. The SPEEDZONE irons came off pretty nicely but the T-Rail hybrid irons are stupid easy to swing and hit. They are so easy to elevate. Especially for a “new golfer”. I admit that I did top a couple of shots with the SPEEDZONE ONE Length 5-iron in my hand.

t-rail-7i-hero-min_1_3
The T-Rail hybrid irons. They’re like cheating.

There was a gentleman at the show that has known me and has watched my swing develop over the last several years. Bill was swinging on the mat next to me and then he stopped. He asked, “Are you really swinging left-handed?” to which I said yes. He asked, “How long have you been working on it?” so I informed him since Thursday and that that was my first day trying to strike the golf ball. All that he said was “It looks really good, it looks natural”. If only it felt like it.

At this point, I think the change is all about “muscle memory” and getting used to the foreign “feels”. I am regularly practicing my pivot (my wife busted me at the mall today doing it) and I do pick up the Orange Whip Trainer to get used to drawing the club back. I am… A “new golfer”. This is going to be fun.

Until The Next Tee!!

#fightandgrind #seeuonthenexttee

Advertisement