Cack handed

Anyone know of anybody who has managed to go from a cack handed grip to a normal grip, and if so how long did it take for them to progress to the same standard they were playing to before the grip change.

I ask as i am cack handed and grip the club as if playing left handed but play right handed, and although do alright on the course and am always progressing i do often wonder how easy it is to change. Tried few balls now n then the correct way at the range but feels so awkward i cannot ever think i could be better that way.

I would say try and change to a fundementally correct grip, cack handed is just wrong, I have been playing golf for years and have never seen any single figure of professional players with a cack handed grip, if it were possible to become a decent player using that grip method I am sure someone would have done it, but I can't remember seeing anyone, I personally don't understand why you would continue to play in a fashion that is just plain wrong, if you want to become good then learn the proper techinque, simple.

Sorry Nick I have just re read my post and it reads a little aggressive, it is not ment to be, I just think if you want to reach your full potential you need to be giving your self the best chance, and playing cack handed is always going to be an uphill battle and will almost definatley stop you reaching your full potential.

In the early sixties there was an Essex county player, off scratch, using the Cack handed method. He was a member at Wanstead golf club and his name was O'Connor.

He was a very impressive striker of the ball and could check up nine irons flighted in very low. I was always waiting for the bounce through the green, but it never came.

I am impressed that you are playing to 13.7 with a "cack handed grip"

However I agree with Russell in that you would be better off in the long run with a traditional grip. It will take time to get used to and require a fair amount of practice but in time your handicap will drop further.

I had my grip completely changed in July, it felt totally wrong in that I did not feel I could put any power into my shots. However I practised 3 times a week for a month and it slowly started to feel right.

I now hit the ball further and more accurately that I did prior to the grip rebuild.

I agree with the other comments that changing you grip will help you to get better in the long run. To speed up the transition one thing you can do is to get a club, grip it correctly then sit down in front of the TV with the club resting on a table in front of you.

Do it for at least a 1/2 hour a time, after a few times doing this it will feel much more natural.

Nick, i'm left handed but play right handed with a right handed grip, I play cricket (Bat) right handed but bowl left handed. The best advice I have had is that a right handed grip with dominant left side is an advantage as you bring your dominant arm into play.

I'm interested how you set up to the ball with a left handed grip using right handed clubs - I've tried it and it looks to me that your weight must start forward of the ball - therefore you must surely be losing power as you try to transfer weight to your left foot on the downswing?

Greg you are similar to me as regards being left handed writing wise and play golf right handed. However I play racket sports (tennis , squash) left handed so I am totally mixed up!!

Anyhow I am left eye dominant which caused a lot of problems golf wise but now with new grip and new putting stance taking into account left eye dominance things are a lot better.

In truth I probably should of started playing golf left handed when I was younger....

Nick, there have been a few good cack-handed golfers, one of whom was Sewsunker Sewgolum a black South African . He won in his home country and in Europe (Dutch Open: 59,60 and 64). As a retired schoolteacher it is interesting to note that the majority of young children will adopt this grip naturally but lose it when coached. Whatever you choose to try, good luck with it.

cheers for the replies guys some really good advice. To answer few of your points, i too have heard of many good low handicap players using the same grip, and most pro's i have ever had the pleasure to have a lesson with have also mentioned players they knew. One pro saw me hitting drives 200 plus yards straight and stopped to ask me why i use this grip, and tried to teach me quickly how to do it "the correct way" and gave me the advice that do whatever feels natural until you cant progress anymore, tehn if you want to get better, change to the normal way and start again.
In regards to how i set up, the grip is my own i just hold the club left hand below right with quite alot of over lapping of my hands and the club and face are all the same as you would set up any way. Every lesson ive had when we have just decided to try and improve my general game as it is, the pro has just given me all the same tips and techniques he would with a normal swing.

Maybe i will try it soon but having spent few years getting to a half good handicap and seemingly still improving i guess will just continue until i cant improve anymore?

Finally, to me, someone who is left handed playing right handed is more alien i think.

Nick, I to am CAC handed and have been for 15 years. I think we are of a similar standard and often wonder what if... If I have a practice swing orthadox I honestly think I couldnt hit a ball let alone a barn door with the ball. It feels so unnatural. I have reached a standard now that when I am playing well I love the game and expect to par all but long par 4s. ( on my day ). I would hate to have to start again 28 hcap, struggling to break 100 ( those days are long gone ). It would be sheer hell. I dont know how our games compare but im not a long hitter. 220 yds is a good drive. 7 iron abou 150 yds. My normal playing partner is also CAC handed and he can hit 240yd but he has a full backswing. I dont. I dont think i will now try to play orthadox but who knows. Keep us posted if you decide to change and I may give it a go. Dave CAC handed Geordie.

Cheers Dave nice to know im not alone. I probably drive a good 250 plus sometimes, esp with nice new driver recently purchased, say 190 7 iron, so yeah i feel like i am playing well, first round under 80 last weekend, so i too just cant imagine changing and going back to not enjoying golf and struggling. I also have a full backswing and as i say am still improving so think i will stick to it till i have to change, if ever.

I started playing golf at about 6 years old and was cack handed up until about 14 when I got my first set of Max Faulkners and was told that I would not get any better unless I changed to the traditional way of things. (I think I was about 16 handicap then). It certainly did take a long while but I did eventually get down to 6. I can't really say if I noticed the benefits as I was still growing. As for whether it's right or wrong, I don't think anyone can say. This game is about getting the ball in the hole with as few shots as possible, you don't get shots knocked off for aesthetics.

Good point Patrick. I actually like the fact i am a bit different on the course and invites alot of comments and intrigue. I also think maybe changing at a younger age is the better idea as for me to start again and go back to playing poorly and being frustrated and maybe taking 2-3 years just to get to the same standard is daunting to say the least. They say you can't teach old dogs new tricks and in this case i have to agree!

You guys seen John Gallager before

http://www.johngallaghergolf.com/

Just looked at the link, well judging by Mr John Gallagher's record it appears you can reach a good level playing cack handed, I can't say I will be trying it, but for all those who are already using it, well I guess if it works for you then fair play to you, stick with it, and see how low you can go.

Nick don't worry about it possibly taking a long time for your game to get back to its current state if you change your grip.

I had my first lesson in July last year, my handicap at the time was 17 and I was playing to about 24. I had my grip completely rebuilt, in fact everything was changed from grip upwards.

Yes it took 2-3months of solid practice for it to start to feel right and for my game to start to catch up on the new process.

Now 8 months later things are going really well and my handicap is much lower and more importantly my grip/swing is very solid.

So if you ever decide to change things and you are dedicated to practice then its not as bad as you may fear timewise.

Russel it is more of a thing that just happens i never planned to be cack handed so wouldnt be something for ayone else to try im not advocating it but rather just saying or wondering what level you can get to with this grip/swing. I was about 7 when an elderly gentleman taught me the full linking fingers grip and how to hold the club and really made a mark on me as he also gave me my first club. The only thing he forgot to tell me was he was left handed!!!! so everything was set up on his left handed club and his left handed grip, i just used the right handed club he gave me the same way, and hadn/t realised it was the wrong way round until i was about 15 at the driving range, having played more football than golf. So its not something i feel anyone would purposely chose to use but equally i'd also say its not something i think needs to be changed if you are used to playing cack handed.

Nick, as I remarked on my first post first post, I didn't know of any low handicap or pro's using the cack handed method, but it appears some others do, I am surprised that it is possible to get to pro level playing that way, but obviously it is, judging by John Gallagher's web site. I think if you were trying to improve your game to play at the top level, then I would still recommend changing your grip, as there are more top player with traditional grips than cack handed, but if you are just playing for the enjoyment of the game, and the fact, I now know that it is possible to get to a good level playing cack handed, then stick with it and enjoy your golf, after all if you don't enjoy it, at what ever level your are, then what is the point of playing. Best of luck and I hope you keep improving.

Cheers guys, will let you know if i change.

One of my own club's most consistent golfers plays cack handed. He's off 2. Don't think he'll be changing anytime soon and I'd happily swap my game for his! It's not how, it's how many!

Some years ago, a friend played cack-handed and got to the verge of 'scratch'. He changed and within a year was a 'plus' player and in a Great Britain team.

I wouldnt change until you feel it is a problem, if its not holding you back then why bother. few of us play golf as a job and were all out there to enjoy the game. If your not struggling with it and your enjoying playing I wouldn't change.

Ross Groomy Reply : Tue 23rd Sep 2014 11:39 Could anyone please help me out here I am a cack hander left below right my driver off the tee is awsone I can hit it 280 striaght and my hybrids are good my very shirt chipping is good too it's just when I play shots at about 50 to 80 yards using a half or 3 quater swing I shank the ball of I take a full swing I'm fine I just shank it all the Time when I'm trying to pitch also I go through stages iv been playing very well lately shooting 80 to 86 but then I started shanking and the led to me then hitting my 5,6,7 irons hooking left so it seems the shanks had really affected my swing maybe it out my full swing out cos I was trying to cure the shank any body changed from the crack handed swing to the normal I don't know what to do cos when u hold the normal way it just doesn't feel right at a all ?? Help please

Last edit : Tue 23rd Sep 2014 11:39

Sorry to drag up an old post but I'm new on here, I would also encourage us 'cack handers' to persevere with the grip, it it feels comfortable then go with it, I recently started played again after a long break was an 18 hcp but the last 2 years have got down to scratch and ny distance is not at all affected by my grip, in fact it's longer than most people I play with... Few stats... Longest drive this year 373yds 5 drives over 300 today, hit my wedge 145, and dropped to 3 feet on a 221yd par 3 this morning with a 6 iron. So persevere, play often and find a stance and set up that suits the nature of us outcasts