Gretzky - Righty Golfer/Lefty Hockey Player

[MichiganMike]

I recently saw an interview segment where Wayne Gretyzky was interviewed on the golf course. I noticed he played right handed, but was a lefty shot hockey. Virtually all the lefty hockey players I know also play golf left handed. Gretzky's approach struck me as odd. I wonder if this is more common that I'd think?

[nbg352]

[size=6][sub]Yes, it's very common. Most left hand shots in hockey are actually right handed. The majority do everything else right handed including golf. Approximately 20% of right handed people who shoot left in hockey, actually play golf from the left side as well. [/sub][/size]

[MichiganMike]

[quote name='nbg352' timestamp='1392307322' post='8659523']
[size=6][sub]Yes, it's very common. Most left hand shots in hockey are actually right handed. The majority do everything else right handed including golf. Approximately 20% of right handed people who shoot left in hockey, actually play golf from the left side as well. [/sub][/size]
[/quote]

I'm aware most lefty hockey shots are right handed, but just assumed the golf swing would generally follow the hockey swing.

[crcunningham]

One of my friends that i played high school and college baseball with and is now in the minors with the tigers is a lefty batter and plays golf righty. i thought it was weird the first time i played with him on the course and he strolled up to the ball righty.

[WhiZ]

Very common to have the dominant hand at the top of the hockey stick. Jamie Sadlowski also shoots left in hockey but obviously is a rightie for golf.

I shoot right in hockey but also right in golf. I'm a bit weird though.... I'm not ambidextrous by any stretch, but I'm right eye dominant, right handed in golf/hockey/baseball, write right handed, yet I wear my watch on my left wrist and deal cards left handed. Who knows how these things happen?

WhiZ

[nbg352]

[quote name='MichiganMike' timestamp='1392307701' post='8659557']
[quote name='nbg352' timestamp='1392307322' post='8659523']
[size=6][sub]Yes, it's very common. Most left hand shots in hockey are actually right handed. The majority do everything else right handed including golf. Approximately 20% of right handed people who shoot left in hockey, actually play golf from the left side as well. [/sub][/size]
[/quote]

I'm aware most lefty hockey shots are right handed, but just assumed the golf swing would generally follow the hockey swing.
[/quote]
No, it certainly isn't a given ( I am a good example...shot left play golf right), but it is the reason why one out of five golfers in Canada play left handed while only 5% of the global golfing population plays from the left side.

[Big L]

Same here, grew up playing hockey as a lefty, but do everything else as a righty. Took about 3 swings with a friends lefty set and that eliminated any thoughts of playing lefty. I did however, get very close to buying a left handed belly putter that I gripped like a hockey stick (ala Happy Gilmore)

[GHIN n Juice]

While never a hockey player I am a lefty in everything I do except golf. Growing I learned the golf swing on my grandfather's right handed clubs. It was actually quite nice since my golf swing and baseball swing never really effected the other since I was swinging from different sides of the ball.

[IrishGolfer14]

I play hockey lefty but I do everything else, including golf, righty. When I first played golf I wanted to play lefty, but we only had an old set of right handed clubs in our garage

[Krt22]

Another tally for lefty hockey player but right handed golfer

[MagnumGolfer]

I bat in baseball lefty side
when my dad got me into golf in the 60's there were no kid clubs for lefty's
swinging lefty feels soooo unusual now

[Fellaheen51]

Always had a left handed hockey shot when I played. But since I was a defenseman, not many shots (on goal that is), more just passing and moving the puck up ice. Also batted left handed playing ball (still in a once a week seniors slow pitch league).

I cannot hit a golf ball left handed to save my life. There are moments of ineptitude right handed as well!

[martinbns]

[quote name='MichiganMike' timestamp='1392306756' post='8659443']
I recently saw an interview segment where Wayne Gretyzky was interviewed on the golf course. I noticed he played right handed, but was a lefty shot hockey. Virtually all the lefty hockey players I know also play golf left handed. Gretzky's approach struck me as odd. I wonder if this is more common that I'd think?
[/quote]

I know lots of lefty hockey players where that is the only thing they do left handed, I am one.

The unusual thing about hockey is many righthanded people pick up the stick and start playing lefthanded. That shows up in more sports like golf and baseball, but nowhere near all the time.

[duffer987]

I'm right-handed and do everything right-handed, except hockey and putting.
When I started playing golf in my mid-20s, I felt putting was similar to hockey (not in an OTT Happy Gilmore way), so I putt left-handed.
I think amongst the Canadian golfing population there are more lefties than found in the general golfing population because of hockey.

[martinbns]

Many Canadians are semi ambidextrous due to hockey as well. I can hit a golf ball so so left handed, I can hit a baseball either way, free throws in basketball back in the day either way and I have putted lefthanded many times and notice no difference in my ability.

[backtees]

[quote name='nbg352' timestamp='1392307322' post='8659523']
[size=6][sub]Yes, it's very common. Most left hand shots in hockey are actually right handed. The majority do everything else right handed including golf. Approximately 20% of right handed people who shoot left in hockey, actually play golf from the left side as well. [/sub][/size]
[/quote]

Absolutely - that's exactly me.

[cdnrockies]

I'm another left handed shot in hockey that golf's right.

What I find interesting is that I can't switch over at all. Shooting right in hockey is a no go, and swinging lefty in golf is laughable. Always amazed at those that can switch back and forth.

[596]

I was a left handed hockey player and play golf right handed as I do everything else. Hockey was the only thing I ever did left handed.

[Imp]

I'm a lefty in hockey, but right in baseball & golf.

--kC

[browne11]

I'm lefty in hockey, golf and batting in baseball but righty in everything else. I have 3 buddies I played hockey with that were lefty but golf righty and I've always thought it was strange too. I always thought the swings were fairly similar and never understood why they felt comfortable standing on the other side of the ball, after being on the ice every day for years playing lefty. Not that I ever had a choice though. When your a kid and your dad cuts his lefty golf clubs in half and tells you to hit them, they don't go very far swinging righty.

[drake47]

I'm a lefty in hockey and play golf from the right side. I'm pretty sure the dominant hands are actually reversed in the two actions. But a lot of left handed hockey players just assume they should be lefty in golf, so there are a lot more lefty golfers in Canada. BTW, only 3-1 against Norway today, wow!

[browne11]

[quote name='drake47' timestamp='1392336832' post='8663231']
I'm a lefty in hockey and play golf from the right side. I'm pretty sure the dominant hands are actually reversed in the two actions. But a lot of left handed hockey players just assume they should be lefty in golf, so there are a lot more lefty golfers in Canada. BTW, only 3-1 against Norway today, wow!
[/quote]

I wouldn't quite hit the panic button yet. These first 3 games are glorified practices for them.

[duffer987]

[quote name='browne11' timestamp='1392337310' post='8663293']
[quote name='drake47' timestamp='1392336832' post='8663231']
I'm a lefty in hockey and play golf from the right side. I'm pretty sure the dominant hands are actually reversed in the two actions. But a lot of left handed hockey players just assume they should be lefty in golf, so there are a lot more lefty golfers in Canada. BTW, only 3-1 against Norway today, wow!
[/quote]

I wouldn't quite hit the panic button yet. These first 3 games are glorified practices for them.
[/quote]

That would be the ladies "competition". They should just have the US and Canada play a best of 3 for that gold medal.

[Quasimoto]

Lefty hockey and right-handed golfer - well, some days it might be called golf!

Interestingly, I had a friend that played goalie and was pretty much ambidextrous. He played golf RH to about 10hc and refused to switch even though he had an awesome swing from the left side and could probably have been a 2 LH.
He used to hit shots with LH players clubs on course when they were struggling with a club to "check it out and see if the club had a problem". Of course it never did and it would blow everyone away that he was playing RH and piped a LH driver out there.

[Even Further]

I play all sports lefty, except I golf righty.

[pmo09]

I shoot left in hockey, left in golf

My dad shoots right in hockey, swings right in golf but putts left

My brother shoots left in hockey, swings left in golf, swings right in baseball

Weird...

[goaliescott]

another lefty hockey player and righty in everything else, writing, baseball, golf, tennis, fishing, etc.

I've tried playing hockey right handed and while I can catch with my right hand (goalie) I can't shoot at all.
I can hit a golf ball left handed but don't get much distance.

[leftygolfer15]

He hits is pretty damn good lefty too. He liked what I had in the bag and asked if he could try a few clubs. Awesome to see someone whose ambidextrous in golf. Seems so foreign to me to try to swing righty.

[farmer]

If you shoot right handed in hockey, is the right hand at the top or at the bottom? As you can tell, I've never played hockey, although I have been on ice skates twice. As a general question, how long are hockey sticks?

[rabbit111]

+1 for the same.
Except being Aussie it's cricket not hockey.