Dilemma

[TonyN]

Ok lads and lass.

As you may know i had my first lesson the other day and was told to change my grip by the pro, from right hand on top (caggie handed) to left hand on top like normal right handers.

But, it just feels too weird, i cant get the hang of it and it is actually hard work to play golf.

I come away from the range frustrated the other day not wanting to return, this is not normally the case.

I know the pro knows best but it seems to have taken the fun out of golf, and all i want to do is go out and play, and improve on what i have already taught my self.

I don't think i am that bad considering i have only been playing real golf since oct 2007. I play to the 16-18 mark consistently.

Thing is, just before my lesson, i had been striking the ball really well too and was ready to test the water at a few private clubs. Now it seems i will have to wait for another six months before i may be able to even pick up a full bag and start going round again.

Do i trust the pro and stick at, being miserable and missing out on the rounds or

Do i just tell him i want to play with my right hand at the top and ask him if he can work around that.

I realize i will never be good enough to play at a decent level and will probably struggle to get to single figures. But that doesn't bother me, i just wanna play!

 

[SS2]

Tony,

The tone of your post suggests that you want to stay cack-handed. The shift to a more normal grip is a major change: I still remember changing to interlocking from cack when I was 12 years old and thinking "this doesn't feel right, why can't I stick with the way I hold the club just now."

My advice to to make a definite choice one way or another. Either stay cack handed and enjoy your golf (and indeed your recent good form) or commit to the change. Don't sit on the fence and delay a decision. I suggest changing your but only if you are prepared to suffer for a few months (it feels really weird) and have the willpower to see it through.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[TonyN]

yeah but this is what i cant decide so have put it to a majority vote.. kinda.

 

[madandra]

Tony if you are serious about being the best golfer you can be, then you must persevere with the right hand low however if you want to improve slightly with more practice and keeping the hands the way they are.

 

[Nico]

Tony, my opinion is change and suffer the short term pain.

I would advise getting hold of a training grip somehow, either by putting one on an old 7 iron or buying a club with one already fitted. Hold it when at home etc. and it will help the transition.

 

[teetime72]

Tony.

I play with a cack hander,he`s an o.a.p.and currently plays off 11/14, at his best he played off 4 and he tells me he wished he had changed, but only because of all the comments he had to put up with when he was younger with people trying to change him,and maybe he MIGHT have been better.He still strikes a mean ball.You truly have a dilemma,at the end of the day it can only be your decision,one year playing crap against a lifetime of golf ???

 

[teetime72]

Go for the change

 

[brendy]

Change matey, it will shortly be second nature...or go left handed, clubs an all.

 

[Tommo21]

Okay, before I started playing more serious I went out with me Uncle and I picked up the club cackhanded……I’m a natural left hander and I play golf right handed. I changed almost from the off and it’s the way to go.

Let me put it this way, if you don’t change you will always wonder how good you could have got. Now, you might not get any good, you might be worse after a few months, but at least you will have given it a good shot and you won't wonder how it could have been.

It’s as big a change in golf as anyone will ever get.

 

[rgs]

Any change suggested by a pro will take time to perfect-just go with the pros advice and commit to the change.

Remember Tiger has gone through about 3 major swing changes in his pro career to say ahead of the rest and also it took two years or so to get his latest change right.

Faldo did the same in the 80's to ensure he played to a higher standard.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Change

Simple as that. A proper grip will take away so many of the possible swing errors (says the man playing like a complete numpty).

Any major change (you'll find this everytime the pro makes a big change to your set up) feels so wrong and you have no confidence to hit the ball. Stick with it. Thats what ranges are for to go and hit ball after ball until it feels second nature

 

[TonyN]

Ok guys, i guess i just needed a little encouragement. I will persivere. I just know i am gonna miss out on playing for a good few months and didnt like the thought.

Training grip is a good idea, cheers, i will look into this!

 

[bunkered]

Tonyn, dont know if you have heard this before but there is a guy up in Scotland who plays of +4 and plays cackhanded, i am sure he got to the final of the britt amateur a couple of years ago, i can remember reading a story about him where he was saying when he was a boy and playing for Scotlanrd the coaches tried to change the way he griped the club, his game fell apart and he went back to playing cackhanded.

 

[TonyN]

sure wouldnt mind speaking to this guy. My pro says he used to teach a guy who played off 7 and another pro told me he taught a guy off 4. Makes me wonder why i shouldnt do it.

 

[StuartD]

Tonyn, dont know if you have heard this before but there is a guy up in Scotland who plays of +4 and plays cackhanded, i am sure he got to the final of the britt amateur a couple of years ago, i can remember reading a story about him where he was saying when he was a boy and playing for Scotlanrd the coaches tried to change the way he griped the club, his game fell apart and he went back to playing cackhanded.

John Gallacher from Swanston GC in Edinburgh. Won the Scottish amateur matchplay this year. Won it just months after recovering from a broken wrist

 

[viscount17]

Tony, give it a fair go, you've only been at the new grip a few days and it's bound to feel strange. Try a training grip as it can't but help.
If after a while it's just not working, then change back but do it in consulation with your pro.

 

[TonyN]

yeah ok, i will do. Its just crazy at the moment, each time i go the range its like starting again, i dont even pick bits up from the previous session.

 

[Gasp]

TonyN if you were a fair weather golfer who could take it or leave it I would say stick to what you've got and live with it.

But you seem to have the passion to improve. So make the change and work at it. Yes, it will feel strange for a time but like any change to a swing it will become second nature eventually, esp if your as dedicated as you seem to be.

 

[Gazzery]

Hi Tony

I used to have a grip like yours, and changed over to right below left, which yes did feel odd for a while, but i did get used to it and now when i have any probs (many) at least i have a fighting chance to iron out a few of the gremlins and although my grip is far from perfect it gives me some percenatge of consistancy and i drive longer, give it a go mate

 

[TonyN]

Yeah i am sticking with it, its now feeling a bit easier to pick a club up but not so much actually swinging it.