Who the HELL actually chips and pitches with LEFT HAND LOW?

[BenSeattle]

I just don't get it... every few months one of the golf magazines or websites will offer up and article tellling readers to chip and pitch "cross-handed" or Left Hand Low. Even David Leadbetter suggested this and now here's one more:

 

https://www.golf.com/instruction/2018/10/03/increase-control-around-green-left-hand-low-grip/

 

Is it just me or is this a ridiculous idea whose time Has Not Come? Putting cross-handed? Sure, makes perfect sense but anything more than that seems like a real stretch. (I actually tried this method a few times in practice and it was an awkward, unsuccessful waste of time.) So why do these instructors keep serving up this One Weird Tip?

 

I've never seen ONE person anywhere try to chip cross-handed so my question is: have YOU?

[SEP1006]

I do and have been doing it for a couple of years now, will never go back to conventional. Anything within 50 yards I'm cross-handed, whether it's a 7i, PW or SW. And not trying to brag but I am very consistent and good at getting up and down. No fat / thin shots no matter the lie, hard pan or soft turf.

 

The reason I even tried it was because I had gotten the chipping yips so bad I was ready to quit golf. I figured WTH, don't have anything to lose. Turned out to be the best thing I ever did, never even thought about going back conventional.

[MtlJeff]

I go cross handed for putting.

 

I could see it being ok for <50 yards. I don't do it for anything but putting but i bet I could pitch short ones cross handed and lose nothing with a bit of practice

[SelahVi]

Years ago I played in a USGA qualifier (can't remember if US Am or Open local) with a guy named Craig Welty who was left hand low for EVERY SHOT! And he advanced. Hit 3 shots from 140+ inside of 5 feet on the last 9 holes.

[sdandrea]

No........ever, never, ever.

[Mcgeeno]

I putt that way but I have never thought of chipping or pitching like that.

 

Come to think of it I'm a good putter and a poor chipper. Maybe I'll try it hahaha.

[sprcoop]

I saw a golf vlog on YouTube recently that one of the guys chipped left hand low. I think it was a Crossfield video.

 

There was a Big Break contestant that was left hand low on everything, full shots etc.

 

I played 18 with a random twosome that both of them played everything left hand low. Both out drove and played much better than I did/do. Of course that is not difficult.

[bobcat]

I use LHL for short chips (15 feet or less) from level ground in the fringe! For chips longer than that, I use my conventional Vardon grip, however! I have seen some PGA Pros do the same thing!

 

Note: I putt LHL as well!

 

 

:golfer:

[br61]

I just don't get it... every few months one of the golf magazines or websites will offer up and article tellling readers to chip and pitch "cross-handed" or Left Hand Low. Even David Leadbetter suggested this and now here's one more:

 

https://www.golf.com...-hand-low-grip/

 

Is it just me or is this a ridiculous idea whose time Has Not Come? Putting cross-handed? Sure, makes perfect sense but anything more than that seems like a real stretch. (I actually tried this method a few times in practice and it was an awkward, unsuccessful waste of time.) So why do these instructors keep serving up this One Weird Tip?

 

I've never seen ONE person anywhere try to chip cross-handed so my question is: have YOU?

 

There's one very good senior amateur out of KC that does it. Works very well for him. He chipped one in from about 20-25 yards to beat me and my partner in a bestball playoff few years ago.

[jjgott]

Vijay

 

[DavePelz4]

Used to play in Ireland and 2 employees played cross handed.

[Obee]

I wish more people would try it. I have a buddy who has always been between a 2 and a +1 who, if he didn't have the chipping yips, would never have been above a 0. LHL is GREAT for people with chipping yips.

[bobcat]

Check out the LHL thread in the link below...

 

Just click on the link to access it

 

New to -left hand low- (cross handed) putting; a couple questions - Instruction & Academy - GolfWRX

[gators78]

No........ever, never, ever.

 

Tobacco spit on the shirt, cross handed with the glove on, Chris Couch chipped in to win in New Orleans.

 

(Getty images is really cramping my style)

 

https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/chris-couch-chips-in-on-the-18th-hole-to-win-the-zurich-classic-of-picture-id85957771?k=6&m=85957771&s=612x612&w=0&h=nkETrVL8WYYcx0bPNV5yV69sN-5lTC0vh0tzvILSESI=

[Dan Drake]

Vijay and Chris Couch both have chipped/pitched cross handed at the highest level. Josh Broadaway plays cross handed for every shot and has made it on the Web.com for quite a few seasons. Plenty of am's have done it with success and, IIRC, South Africa's junior programs include it as part of their curriculum due to the high number of children who naturally grip a club that way. And Joe Hallett is a very, very fine teacher who has worked with a #1 in the world as well as tons of other golfers of all ability.

 

I would have no issue going cross handed for chipping and pitching, if it was better for me.

 

Lowest (legitimate) score wins.

[Obee]

I played against a solid plus-capper last(?) year in scratch league who was NAILS cross-handed.

[PreppySlapCut]

Vijay and Chris Couch both have chipped/pitched cross handed at the highest level. Josh Broadaway plays cross handed for every shot and has made it on the Web.com for quite a few seasons. Plenty of am's have done it with success and, IIRC, South Africa's junior programs include it as part of the system due to the high number of children who naturally grip a club that way. And Joe Hallett is a very, very fine teacher who has worked with a #1 in the world as well as tons of other golfers of all ability.

 

I would have no issue going cross handed for chipping and pitching, if it was better for me.

 

Lowest (legitimate) score wins.

 

Vijay and Chris Couch both have chipped/pitched cross handed at the highest level. Josh Broadaway plays cross handed for every shot and has made it on the Web.com for quite a few seasons. Plenty of am's have done it with success and, IIRC, South Africa's junior programs include it as part of the system due to the high number of children who naturally grip a club that way. And Joe Hallett is a very, very fine teacher who has worked with a #1 in the world as well as tons of other golfers of all ability.

 

I would have no issue going cross handed for chipping and pitching, if it was better for me.

 

Lowest (legitimate) score wins.

Every club I’ve worked at had one solid player (~5hdcp or better) who played cross-handed through the bag.

[MonteScheinblum]

Former tour player Doug Barron

[alcap26]

I do and have been doing it for a couple of years now, will never go back to conventional. Anything within 50 yards I'm cross-handed, whether it's a 7i, PW or SW. And not trying to brag but I am very consistent and good at getting up and down. No fat / thin shots no matter the lie, hard pan or soft turf.

 

The reason I even tried it was because I had gotten the chipping yips so bad I was ready to quit golf. I figured WTH, don't have anything to lose. Turned out to be the best thing I ever did, never even thought about going back conventional.

What he said

[Socrates]

Suffering from the yips, I've used LHL chipping before. This year I seemed to have really figured out how to do it better and now committed to LHL chipping and pitching. Clubface doesn't require any manipulation and I've found I can make a really aggressive swing and the ball doesn't as far and has plenty of height and spin. Funny thing is that I can't putt LHL. Weird.

 

Although I still sometimes chip it like crap because the brain gets in the way. The other day from a tight lie and 20 yards from the cup - I chunked it. Dropped another and had a do-over. Holed it. Life ain't fair some days.

[marcwhu]

Euro Tour player Matthieu Pavon hits everything inside 100yds left hand low and nips that cr*p out of it. Impressive to see in person.

[jgonz69]

This thread not going the way the OP planned :rofl:

[skraly]

I just don't get it... every few months one of the golf magazines or websites will offer up and article tellling readers to chip and pitch "cross-handed" or Left Hand Low. Even David Leadbetter suggested this and now here's one more:

 

https://www.golf.com/instruction/2018/10/03/increase-control-around-green-left-hand-low-grip/

 

Is it just me or is this a ridiculous idea whose time Has Not Come? Putting cross-handed? Sure, makes perfect sense but anything more than that seems like a real stretch. (I actually tried this method a few times in practice and it was an awkward, unsuccessful waste of time.) So why do these instructors keep serving up this One Weird Tip?

 

I've never seen ONE person anywhere try to chip cross-handed so my question is: have YOU?

Craig Perks managed to win the 2002 Players Championship chipping crosshanded. So it can definitely work.

[Bobalu]

http://www.australia....com.au/8033-2/

 

Matt Fitzpatrick

[buckeyefl]

LHL can be great for trying to learn what certain things should feel like if done correctly. The faults it can correct in putting are also corrected in chipping. Taking. LHL practice swing can give you some great feels for what your swing should feel like if things are operating correctly.

[Swisstrader98]

This thread not going the way the OP planned :rofl:

 

I like how OP got all worked up about the concept but then says but I tried it?

[596]

LHL can be great for trying to learn what certain things should feel like if done correctly. The faults it can correct in putting are also corrected in chipping. Taking. LHL practice swing can give you some great feels for what your swing should feel like if things are operating correctly.

 

I have to agree. You can learn a lot about the your swing if you try different things. You don't need to use it on the course, but try it on the range. It will produce feels and positions that you may be missing and will benefit your swing overall.

[RichieHunt]

This wasn't one of my finer moments as a teenager...but, here goes.

 

A friend of mine was a few years younger than me. Good kid, but very gullible and could be annoying at times. So of course, me and my friends liked to mess with him once in a while.

 

He started putting left hand low back when that became en vogue and he got a little obnoxious about it.

 

Eventually he started struggling with his chipping and I started to tell him that he should chip cross handed. He didn't believe me at first, and then I talked about how it's becoming the rage on Tour. I then pitched one cross handed pretty close to the green. A couple of my other friends caught on and they chipped cross handed on the practice green.

 

Then we played 9 holes and me and my 2 other friends chipped cross handed the entire 9-holes. He sees this and he starts chipping cross handed.

 

We laughed about it and he kept chipping and pitching cross handed, playing in AJGA events that way. Adults got pissed at us because we had taken the joke too far.

 

But, the joke was on us...he became a very good chipper and pitcher of the ball doing it cross handed.

 

However, he eventually figured out that we had played a joke on him and a lot of people at our club got to witness the joke and I don't think he ever quite forgave us (or more specifically, myself) for doing that to him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RH

[gators78]

I just don't get it... every few months one of the golf magazines or websites will offer up and article tellling readers to chip and pitch "cross-handed" or Left Hand Low. Even David Leadbetter suggested this and now here's one more: https://www.golf.com/instruction/2018/10/03/increase-control-around-green-left-hand-low-grip/ Is it just me or is this a ridiculous idea whose time Has Not Come? Putting cross-handed? Sure, makes perfect sense but anything more than that seems like a real stretch. (I actually tried this method a few times in practice and it was an awkward, unsuccessful waste of time.) So why do these instructors keep serving up this One Weird Tip? I've never seen ONE person anywhere try to chip cross-handed so my question is: have YOU?

Craig Perks managed to win the 2002 Players Championship chipping crosshanded. So it can definitely work.

 

Craig definitely chipped in in 2002, he definitely wasn't cross handed.

 

[jonsnow]

I saw a golf vlog on YouTube recently that one of the guys chipped left hand low. I think it was a Crossfield video.

 

There was a Big Break contestant that was left hand low on everything, full shots etc.

 

I played 18 with a random twosome that both of them played everything left hand low. Both out drove and played much better than I did/do. Of course that is not difficult.

 

I saw that, too. It was a Crossfield vlog, the guy was a local amateur named Lester & he was a good player. Think they said he was scratch. Good ballstriker, even left hand low his putting & chipping were still the weakest parts of his game.