Which hand should dominate the golf swing?
James Craig
Published Jan 09, 2026
The left-hand dominant golf swing is known to be very powerful, and it will help correct some misses golfers have in their game. If you are a player who wants power and you like the classic methods of pulling the golf club through your swing, then left-hand dominance is the right idea for you.
Which hand should I golf with?
You will probably most comfortable swinging a golf club from the same side of the ball. As a right-handed hitter, or golfer, you will stand to the left of the plate or ball with your left hand at the bottom of the bat or club. The opposite is true if you are a lefty.
Which hand provides the power in a golf swing?
The right side is the power side. We only get in trouble and hit crazy shots when the right hand and right side of the body get involved in accelerating too early, If you are very right-side dominant, go ahead and use your right side, and your distance will improve by just being natural.
Which hand leads the downswing in golf?
indeed, the world's longest hitters lead with the left. The best way to feel the proper start of the downswing is to imagine that your right arm is being pulled by the left for as long as possible.
Which hand is dominant in Chipping?
For years it has been taught that when you're chipping, the left arm governs the motion and controls the clubface.
15 related questions foundWhich hand controls the clubface?
The left hand (the right for southpaws), is responsible for the rotational movement of the golf club, which, in turn, controls the direction of the clubface.
Should left arm be dominant in golf swing?
The left hand and arm must play the dominant role in the swing at all times. If it does not, you have no alternative but to over employ the right hand, The right hand can only dominate if the left hand and arm fails to play its controlling role.
What should your right arm do in a golf swing?
On the backswing, the right arm and elbow should stay relatively close to your body. On the downswing, the right arm should tuck so that you can shallow the golf club. This allows you to rotate your body through the swing and provides a great position at impact.
Should arms be straight in golf swing?
So, what is the correct way to do it? Golfers should try and keep their left arm as straight as possible without it being rigid, or locked, but some bend is fine. Most professional players start with a straight left arm at address, which bends to around five degrees at top of their backswing.
How do I know which way I golf?
If you're right-handed, the clubhead's grooves should point to your left. If the club is a putter, the smooth side should face left. If both sides of the putter appear smooth, check the clubface's angle, because the hitting surface should be lofted very slightly.
Is golf harder for lefties?
Is golf harder than lefties? I would have to answer yes. While it's better than it was the past 15-20 years, the sport is still more challenging for lefties. In fact, a lot of players are lefty and choose to play right handed just to make the sport easier.
Which arm is more important in golf swing?
You keep your left arm straight to get the maximum arc out of your swing. The more arc you get from your swing, the more power you will have. Allow the left arm to push the club into the back swing and keep your right arm tight to your body to keep the swing straight.
Should elbows be tucked in golf swing?
Your right elbow should be consistently tucked throughout the backswing and downswing, because that arm position will help you trace the proper swing path with the club. If you let the right elbow get away from your body early in the swing before trying to recover later on, it will be too late.
Should your right arm be straight at impact?
A. You are correct, the left arm should be straight at impact. But let's not confuse straight with stiff. The straightening of the left arm is the response to a proper release of the golf club, not something you will need to try to do at the moment of impact.
Do you hit the golf ball with your right hand?
Actually, it isn't so much that they over‐use the right hand as it is that they don't use the left hand enough. The good player hits the ball hard with his right hand, but makes sure the left leads the swing. The left hand largely supplies the control, the right hand the power.
Should lefties play golf right-handed?
As GOLF Top 100 Teacher Terry Rowles explains here, there's no right or wrong way of doing it. When a right-handed plays golf left-handed, or vice-versa, your dominant arm becomes your lead arm, which can make it harder to release the club.
Should you roll your wrists golf swing?
Roll the Wrist
During the swing, the left wrist rolls over as the golfer transfers from the takeaway to contact and then the follow-through. If the wrist rolls too forcefully, the shot likely will hook to the left. If the wrist does not roll enough, the shot likely will slice to the right.
What should wrists do golf swing?
How should your wrists work in the golf swing and what are the consequences of improper wrist action? A golfer's wrists act as a hinge between the arms and the golf club. Such a hinge can provide an advantage for moving the golf club faster, necessary for longer distance golf shots.
Should you bend your wrist in golf swing?
The Ideal Wrist Position
Regardless of which position you choose, it's important to make sure that the back of the front wrist and the angle of the club face stay relatively parallel. This will allow you to hit shots straight while still maintaining plenty of distance.
Should left arm be straight when chipping?
1 In Chipping. The left arm controls the chipping stroke, both back and through. If you're struggling to hit crisp chips that track toward the hole, work on this basic principle.
Why am I chipping to the left?
The simplest way to explain why you are shanking chips shots is that the clubhead has been moved closer towards the ball than were it started to be. This will cause the strike point on the clubhead to be on the hosel (learn what the hosel is here) of the wedge, and that is a shank.
Why do I chip better with one hand?
Removing your right hand from the club, and placing it on your legs, as GOLF Top 100 Teacher James Sieckmann explains, will give you a greater sense of awareness of your lower body movement on your chip shots, and help you stay more stable.
Why is Phil Mickelson left-handed?
was practicing his chipping in the back yard when his son and future six-time major champ picked up a golf club and started swinging — left-handed. The legend goes that Phil was trying to be a “mirror-image” of his right-hand swinging father, so even though he does everything else right-handed, the lefty swing stuck.
Why are there no lefty golf clubs?
But why are there so few left-handed golfers? There are several answers, from a lack of equipment to parents, coaches and pros encouraging young players to switch to the right side. Some lefties even feel the courses themselves are biased against them.