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Wondering how many TBPI play golf. My 22 yr old son, left TBPI, (13 months post accident) right hand dominant has decied to try playing. He used to be a pretty good golfer. Question is, do you play with regular right hand clubs, or would it be better to play with left hand clubs because of the ease of following thru ? He seems to think he will use both, some for distance some for accuracy. Any sugestions would be deeply appreciated

Steve, I can't offer advice since John (LTBPI) doesn't (yet) play. He's also right-handed. My husband thinks golf would be feasible since the power would come from the right side. So bottom line, please keep us posted!

Ellen

Hi all,

I am left handed and use left clubs. I do a straight swing and not a cross over swing.

I can get good distance on a good day, on a bad day I am a spectacular duffer.

Nonetheless, much fun is had.

And that is the point.

H

Steve - I have played golf one armed since 1990, I play with left handed clubs,because my right arm is my good arm. I have a right handed club for close up chipping and also putt right handed as I find I get a smoother putting stroke. I don't practice at all nowdays but when I was keen, my handicap was down to 13. I won several competitions including the medal final at my local club. The principals are the same as able bodied golfers, trust in your swing and don't try to force it, 200 yrds+ drives will not be a problem.

I had my arm amputated last year and now I am having to re-adjust my swing as my flail arm used to get in the way.

I think this is an awesome post. I'm going to have to try it now as I was an avid golfer before my accident!!! I wonder if anyone has any extra advice.

Hi Mike,

I once had an older fella come up to me in my small town post office and ask if I wanted to do a round with him and two of his friends. All three of them were one armed and they were looking for a fourth.

I couldn't make it but still get a good laugh at the way that would have looked and the reactions this 4 armed foursome would have gotten.

holly zombie thread batman!

(a zombie thread is one that died out many moons ago and since the last post to this thread was in 2003 it's certainly a zombie)

But! I didn't want to start a new thread since a golf thread had already been started. I have been asked to go golfing by a friend of mine. I think it is partly for his amusement to see the one armed map swing a club but it is mostly because he's competitive and always looking for good company during a round.

Golf has been something I've been thinking about attempting for a while. Anyone have any new suggestions? I'm left TBPI so I believe going with left handed clubs for range and right handed clubs for accuracy seems like a plan. Other suggestions or bits of knowledge?

Hi All,

It is amazing this got re-posted as I just talked to Steve last week about his son and playing golf. We were talking about the sling I make for more active athletics and this exact conversation came up.

A quick comment is to agree with Duncan, "The principals are the same as able bodied golfers" 100% agree!!!!

With the above comment as the most important thing to remember, here comes a bit more detailed comments.

Of all the sports I have played after my accident, this one was the easiest for me to do, the main reason is I didn't have to adapt anything, no sling, no harness, no adjustments to a bike or anything else, I just grabbed a club and started swinging.

I did have a little head start as I was a low handicap player prior and was going to play college golf, so I had the "principals of the swing" down. But this game is hard and it takes tons of practice for ANYBODY, so don't be discouraged, just know you have to practice and it isn't your one arm that make the game hard, it just is!

Over the past twenty years playing with one hand, I have fluctuated between a 14 and a 22 handicap, which corresponded exactly with how much I was playing and practicing. I currently play with a 67 year old man who is a 7 handicap who plays with one arm. He also plays every year in Europe in a one arm golf tournament sponsored by the "Society of one armed golfers" You can look it up, but he usually finishes near the top and was second place this year. I say all this to give you his comments to me about the best way to play.

To do this, let me give you a quick description of the words used in the Society. There are two ways to play, forehand or backhand. Forehand is a right hand golfer using right hand clubs. Backhand is a right hand golfer using left hand clubs. Opposite for lefties. Forehand is a left hand golfer using left handed clubs. Backhand is a let hand golfer using right handed clubs.

So what does he say the best way to golf is: Doesn't matter. What ever you are comfortable with and works best for you. If you don't know what that is, you need to try both ways. Some years a forehanded guy wins, some years a backhanded guy wins. Right now the best player is a backhander. He is a young guy who is very athletic and he plays all the time. Most of the best players do stay on the same side for all their shots, both long and short.

Me personally, I play forehanded, just like the older guy I play with. I have my right arm, he has his left arm. You should see is on the range, we look like a mirror image, except he is so much more consistent than I am, that is because he plays about four times a week, I play about once every fourth week.

Just so you know what is possible, the guy who is currently winning everything, he drives the ball about 300 yards. I drive it about 230 and hit my 7 iron 140 yards.

As far as the type of clubs, I would reference the above comment, "the principals are the same" Which means to get the right clubs, you need to get tested and fit. If you don't want to spend the money, then I will give you a very general comment. You should be using either medium or senior flex shafts. I would use as many hybrid clubs as possible, down to the 5 or 6 iron, they are great.

What to do with your bad arm, what ever works for you to get it out of the way and allow you to swing freely. For me that is to put it in my pocket. I work my hand all the time to keep the fingers and wrist as loose as possible so the hand lays flat in my pocket and I am able to bend the wrist over the top of the pocket.

I hope this helps and remember, if you can get good enough to play consistently to a handicap(golf handicap), winning bets is easy because most guys hate loosing to a one armed golfer. So they try so hard to not loose, they end up ruining their swing. It is really fun, so you might as well take advantage of it.

And I will say it again, practice, practice, practice and then practice some more. If you do, you will be lovingly called " The one armed bandit"

All the best,
Dan

hi all.
i just got my first birdie with my 1 arm last week. i played every chance i could get before my accident and was a 6 handicap. after the accident i was really reluctant to play again. my wife found me a glove for my bad hand that gives you a grip with some velcro straps. so i tried it and it works pretty good. it allows me to swing with both arms. the one arm does'nt give me any power, but it helps with the natural golf swing and balance of swinging with both arms.i am back to playing as much as i can and i beat alot of able body golfers. i will look for the website for the glove if anyone is interested.
jim trbpi

I'm totally interested. I'm starting to get a little movement back in my arm post op. So I might even be able to help out my lft arm wih my right!

cheers,
joel