Figuring out whether you should be swinging a golf club from the right or left side can feel surprisingly confusing, especially if your body has never given you a clear signal. You’re not alone in this uncertainty. This guide is designed to a-little-more power through the noise with simple, practical tests, helping you understand your natural motion and choose the set of clubs that will set you up for success and enjoyment in the game.
The first and most important thing to understand is that the hand you write with doesn't automatically determine which side you should golf from. This is the most common point of confusion for new golfers. We see players sign their name with their right hand and then naturally pick up a club to swing left-handed all the time. Why? Because the motor skills for writing involve fine, precise movements of the wrist and fingers, while a golf swing is a full-body, rotational, athletic motion.
A golf swing is much more similar to other two-sided actions like swinging a baseball bat, shooting a hockey puck, or even shoveling dirt. In these activities, one side of your body leads and guides the action, while the other side acts as the trail side, providing a powerful push. For a right-handed golfer, the left side of their body (arm, hip, shoulder) leads the swing toward the target, while the right side delivers the power. For a left-handed golfer, this is simply reversed.
Don't get bogged down by what feels normal for everyday tasks. Instead, your goal is to find which direction your body naturally wants to rotate and unwind to generate athletic power.
The best way to begin your discovery is with a simple test you can do right now, without any special equipment. The goal is to see which direction your body swings instinctively, before you have a chance to overthink it. This first, untainted reaction is often the truest indicator.
Find a common household object you can hold like a golf club - a broom is perfect, but a yardstick or a rake will also work. If you have nothing, you can simply clasp your hands together and mime the motion.
Do this five or six times. Try a few swings a-little-more power-fully. Try to make a balanced finish. Your body will likely favor one side pretty consistently. This instinctual motion is the one your brain and muscles have already decided is the most efficient and coordinated path for this type of rotational movement.
As you take these test swings, ask yourself a few key questions:
Trust what your body is telling you here. If swinging right-handed feels forceful and fluid while swinging left-handed feels like trying to write with your opposite hand, you have your answer.
If the broom test still leaves you wondering, look for supporting evidence from other sports or activities you’ve done in your life. The way you perform other two-handed, rotational movements is an excellent predictor for your golf swing.
If you've consistently performed one of these activities from a certain side your whole life, it’s a very strong sign that your golf swing should follow suit.
While motor skills are the primary driver, your eye dominance can also play a subtle role. In a target sport like golf, having a clear line of sight is helpful. Your dominant eye is the one your brain prefers to use for processing visual information, especially for lining things up.
A right-handed player often benefits from having the dominant eye as the rear eye during the turn, which can help with viewing the target line. For example, a right-handed golfer with right-eye dominance has their dominant eye further from the target, providing a good perspective down the line. However, this is far from a strict rule. Many of the greatest golfers in history, including Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, play right-handed but are left-eye dominant. You should treat eye dominance as a minor data point, not a deciding factor. If it conflicts with what feels physically powerful and natural, always ignore it and go with the feel.
You’ve done the research and have a strong hypothesis. The final and most conclusive step is to get your hands on actual golf clubs. Heading to a local driving range or a golf retail store with a hitting bay or simulator is the best way to get definitive proof.
This is a an-and-mortar test where theory meets reality. When you arrive, tell the staff you’re a total beginner trying to figure out which side to play from. They are completely used to this request and will be happy to help.
Occasionally, new golfers who feel naturally left-handed will ask if they should just force themselves to learn right-handed since it’s more common. The answer is an emphatic no.
While it’s true that there is a wider selection of right-handed equipment available both new and used, this minor inconvenience is nothing compared to the lifelong frustration of fighting your body's natural mechanics. Choosing your non-dominant side will severely limit your potential for power, consistency, and ultimately, enjoyment. Players like Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson have had incredible careers playing left-handed. The most significant advantage you can give yourself in golf is to swing from the side that your body was built for.
In short, finding your correct orientation in golf comes down to trusting your body's athletic instincts, not your writing hand. By using simple swing simulations, looking at clues from your other activities, and trying a couple of a-little-more proper swings, you can confidently determine the path that’s right for you, giving you a solid foundation for your game.
Once you’ve figured out whether you’re a righty or a lefty, a whole new world of questions opens up. As you move from choosing your clubs to actually using them on the course, we built Caddie AI to be the perfect companion. You can ask us anything, anytime - from clarifying what "a draw versus a fade," means to getting guidance on how to deal with an uphill lie. We provide simple, clear answers right when you need them, taking away the uncertainty so you can play with more confidence from day one.
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