Left-handed golf tips
Quick answer: Left-handed golfers can easily use right-handed tips by simply swapping lead and trail sides and mirroring ball curves. Your lead side is the one closer to the target, meaning your right hand is lead. While slices, hooks, and curves reverse directions, standard checks like fat or thin shots read the exact same way.
Left handed golf tips are the same checks, mirrored. Every note on this site is written for a right-handed player; swap lead and trail and they all work for you.
03 Hands
The situation
You play left-handed and the notes say the slice curves right and the lead hand is the left. For you, lead and trail swap sides, and so does every curve. The checks themselves do not change.
A check you can do
Before you open a note, say which side faces the target. Your lead side is the one closer to it, your right side. Then swap every left and right in the note. If the note says the ball curves right, for you it curves left.
The fix
- 01Swap lead and trail Lead is your right hand, arm and foot. Trail is your left. Every note uses lead and trail, so read them that way and the hand pictures work.
- 02A slice curves left For a left-handed player, a slice starts right or straight and bends left. The checks are on the slice, mirrored.
- 03A hook curves right Your hook bends hard to the right. The checks are on the hook, mirrored.
- 04A shank shoots low and sharp left The hosel strike sends your ball left, not right. The checks are on the shank.
- 05Count the knuckles on the right hand On a weak grip, count the knuckles of your right hand, your lead hand. One or none is still weak. Two is still a workable place to start.
- 06Strikes do not mirror Fat, thin and topped shots read the same on both sides. Use the fat shot, the thin shot and topped as written.
Left-handed translation table
| Tip says | For you |
|---|---|
| Lead hand = left hand | Lead hand = right hand |
| Ball forward, toward the left heel | Toward the right heel |
| A slice curves right | A slice curves left |
| A hook curves left | A hook curves right |
| Out of bounds left is the danger for a hook | Out of bounds right is the danger for your hook |
| Weight finishes on the left foot | Weight finishes on the right foot |
Left-handed or right-handed: which should you play?
Many people who write left-handed play golf right-handed and vice versa. A useful test: swing a club both ways without a ball and see which feels more natural, or think about which side you swing a bat or a hockey stick. If both feel the same, right-handed clubs are easier to find, borrow and buy used. If one side is clearly better, play that way; there is little disadvantage to being a left-handed golfer once you have clubs.
Finding left-handed clubs
Left-handed clubs are less common in shops and on the used market, so allow more time. Ask for left-handed demo clubs at a range, and check online used listings, which often have more choice. The checks on used golf clubs apply the same way.
Common questions
Why do left-handed golfers need to swap lead and trail?
Left-handed golfers should swap lead and trail in all right-handed instructions because the lead hand is the one closer to the target, which is the right hand for left-handed players.
How does a slice curve for a left-handed golfer?
For a left-handed golfer, a slice starts right or straight and curves left, which is the opposite of how it curves for a right-handed golfer.
What is the correct ball position for a left-handed golfer?
Mirror the right-handed position: where a tip says left heel, use your right heel. It still changes with the club; for the driver it is opposite your right (lead) heel.
Are left-handed golf clubs harder to find?
Yes, left-handed golf clubs are less common in shops and on the used market, so it's advisable to allow more time when searching for them.
Last updated: 2026-10-21
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