Lefties vs Righties

[Texas Carom Club]

im A lefty that plays pool and guitar right handed
but we think with the right side of our brain

 

[Chili Palmer]

You’re right Tim, that was quite the slog. I guess what I get out of it is that handedness is more important in an interactive sport where early recognition of your opponent’s movements allows you to predict what’s coming and counter accordingly.

As far as the pool table goes, I think it’s important to keep your opponent’s handedness in mind; don’t try to leave a shot that would be hard for you, but one that would make it hard for your opponent to set up naturally for. We have to think about reflections and mirror images regardless, right?

On the flip side, when working with someone try to put them in a comfortable position to slot for their next shot. I screw this up all the time with my wife, who shoots opposite of me. I’ll set up a pattern or drill and when she steps up to the table, I can see her struggling to settle into her stance.

Being a lefty this is something I think of all the time, especially during pushouts and safeties, no reason you can't make them stretch or get a bridge

 

[Chili Palmer]

I can attest to the bowler's scenario. When the overwhelming majority of bowlers are right-handed, they first spread the lane dressing (the oil used to lubricate the wood or synthetic lane material), down the lane, delaying the bowling ball's hook and power into the 1-2 pocket. Then, as more bowling is done on the lane, the oil begins to get picked up by the bowling balls, forcing the bowlers to move left and/or change equipment with different hook potential or break points as their normal delivery hooks more. This redistribution and removal of the lane oil by the balls was even more pronounced with the advent of reactive resin bowling balls in the 90s.

As has been stated, lefties (assuming there are few), don't need as much adjustment or wild and numerous equipment changes during matches.

It's one of the reasons I gave up bowling: I'd walk into a bowling alley with two bowling balls and adjust to the changing lane conditions with technique; other bowlers would simply break out a different $200-250 bowling ball of the four or six they'd bring in, and continue to use the same speed, hand positions, releases, or lines.

I'd be interested to know your take on jump cues?

 

[Chili Palmer]

I agree and me being a lefty has nothing to do with that, I promise.

On topic, I heard many times that lefties are more creative, something to do with the corresponding brain half. But I don't know if I'm much more creative than any righty I know, so don't know how much truth there is in that.

I've heard that also. A buddy of mine is a true lefty (everything he does is left handed) and he's done all kinds of research and has mentioned that to me but in my opinion that would fall more inline with some of the theories in Freakonomics.

A girl named Shaniqua doesn't become a criminal because her name is Shaniqua, she becomes a criminal because of her surroundings. A lefty doesn't become creative simply because they're a lefty, they become creative (and attribute it to being a lefty) because their surroundings.

Growing up I was about as creative as a concrete slab but as I get older I am starting to enjoy the creative process much, much, more and that's not because I'm a lefty. Or is it?

 

[Chili Palmer]

Same as well. I recently started playing darts - wasn't sure which hand to use. I throw a baseball right handed, but stuff like shuffleboard I would use my left. Ended up going left with darts, but I think right would have been just as easy to pick up.

LOL, I throw darts right handed.

 

[Geosnookery]

There’s been recent ranking Snooker tournament semi finals where the final 4 players have all been left handed.

The odds of that are 10x10x10x10 or 1 in 10,000

The usual explanation is that there is some connection between left handed mathematics and spatial awareness.

I’m left-handed, in the sciences, and I always noticed more fellow lefties in advanced math classes.

Boxing , tennis might just be ‘experience’. A right handed opponent rarely faces a leftie but a leftie is most playing righties. This gave me an advantage beyond my abilities in Judo.

 

[Geosnookery]

im A lefty that plays pool and guitar right handed
but we think with the right side of our brain

I’ve played guitar since I was 14. Only reason I play right handed was the guitar. I never knew of left handed stringing.

It was easier at first as beginner difficulty is in finger dexterity forming chords with the left hand. However, as I progressed I never have the speed picking strings with the right hand.

 

[dquarasr]

I'd be interested to know your take on jump cues?

Based on my position on bowling balls, you'd think I'd be against jump cues, but I have no problem with them. Actually, I have no opinion on them, because I don't know how to jump. I don't feel as though I'm at a skill level where my opinion is relevant; I don't know enough about them to understand whether they represent an unfair advantage.

 

[westcoast]

I think I heard that Mike Segal is actually right handed.

I've seen videos in which he switches to his right hand when using a bridge- I've noticed Shaw does that too. I have a friend who does everything right handed except shooting pool and he does the same thing using a bridge- I pointed it out to him once that he was using his right hand to shoot with a bridge and he said he didn't even notice- he switched subconsciously

 

[Chili Palmer]

Based on my position on bowling balls, you'd think I'd be against jump cues, but I have no problem with them. Actually, I have no opinion on them, because I don't know how to jump. I don't feel as though I'm at a skill level where my opinion is relevant; I don't know enough about them to understand whether they represent an unfair advantage.

LOL, I was thinking the same and excellent response

The traditionalist in me says no jump cues (jumps with playing cue is ok) but the technicalist in me loves the science (force, angles, distance, etc.) behind it.

 

[BRussell]

As far as the pool table goes, I think it’s important to keep your opponent’s handedness in mind; don’t try to leave a shot that would be hard for you, but one that would make it hard for your opponent to set up naturally for. We have to think about reflections and mirror images regardless, right?

On the flip side, when working with someone try to put them in a comfortable position to slot for their next shot. I screw this up all the time with my wife, who shoots opposite of me. I’ll set up a pattern or drill and when she steps up to the table, I can see her struggling to settle into her stance.

I wish I could remember the exact game or find the video, but I watched a game where someone who play an after-break push on a short player, maybe Alex. They pushed it to the right side of the table near the side pocket, leaving an easy jump for a left-handed player. Alex had to turn it back because he couldn't reach that far over the length of the table and he couldn't jump because it was on the wrong side. The other player, who was left-handed, got back to the table and made an easy jump shot to make the ball.

 

[David in FL]

I know that In boxing and fighting in general lefties advantage is attributed to being more familiar and use to an right handed opponent. A righty is not use to fighting a lefty but a lefty is use to fighting a righty.

I can't see pool having an advantage. Head to head competitive sports like boxing or tennis creates repeated actions that a lefty will do differently so it throws off the opponent's game when they react to it. I am a lefty and i dont see ant advantage. I am jealous of those right handed pool cues. Guys with those cues beat me every time.

I never thought about bowling. But that makes sense about the oil breakdown. The less use side of the ally is more reliable.

Pretty much this ^^^^

I was a pretty high level collegiate fencer back in the day. The challenge against lefties was in not competing against them as often as they competed against us righties.

If they had all been drowned at birth, like they should’ve been, we wouldn’t have this problem!

 

[fastone371]

Since the lane and pins are the same left-to-right and right-to-left, it must be physiological (can’t imagine how).

pj
chgo

Its because the left side of the bowling lane is used very little compared to the right side. The oil is broken down and carried to the pins on the right side much quicker and the wood itself has much less wear on it too. On the other hand if you are a leftie is that (pun intended) you need a pro shop who knows what they are doing to drill the ball properly as bowling balls have asymmetrical weights in them.

 

[8cree]

Another one here that only eats and writes lefty, everything else righty. It's called mixed handed I believe, because ambidextrous means equal on both sides. It's even more weird as I can write on a chalk board better right but anything needed done in detail or small must be done with the left, except a keyboard mouse, it feels strange and not steady at all.

Not sure how or if it correlates with billiards but maybe there's something there...

 

[Patrick Johnson]

There are fewer left handed bowlers so the oil on the lanes tends to break down slower. This enables left handers to play their initial line longer as opposed to right handers who have to move left as the oil on the right side breaks down and their ball curves differently.

Very interesting. Thanks, I never knew that.

pj
chgo

 

[dirtvictim]

I'm just going to say it because everyone is thinking it anyway, lefties are simply better at everything especially at being humble.

 

[dquarasr]

... ambidextrous means equal on both sides

Attributed to Yogi Berra as one of his "Yogi-isms": "I'd give my right arm to be ambidextrous."

 

[Geosnookery]

Another one here that only eats and writes lefty, everything else righty. It's called mixed handed I believe, because ambidextrous means equal on both sides. It's even more weird as I can write on a chalk board better right but anything needed done in detail or small must be done with the left, except a keyboard mouse, it feels strange and not steady at all.

Not sure how or if it correlates with billiards but maybe there's something there...

I’m a lefty who writes left on paper but writes right on a chalkboard. If throwing a frisbee overhand then as righty but if underhand then left. Hockey I shoot left or right...likely started that when 2 years old. I can play table tennis with two paddles but tennis only as a lefty. Darts it doesn’t matter...not that great with either hand. Weird one is I hop on a bike like a lefty but get off like a righty...can’t get off like a lefty even though I cycle every day.

Anything like threading a needle then left.

 

[Chili Palmer]

I’m a lefty who writes left on paper but writes right on a chalkboard. If throwing a frisbee overhand then as righty but if underhand then left. Hockey I shoot left or right...likely started that when 2 years old. I can play table tennis with two paddles but tennis only as a lefty. Darts it doesn’t matter...not that great with either hand. Weird one is I hop on a bike like a lefty but get off like a righty...can’t get off like a lefty even though I cycle every day.

Anything like threading a needle then left.

You're weird

 

[filerunner]

Have studies been done to see if left handed players have an advantage over right handed players or vice versa. I was reading that left handed bowlers, boxers and fencers have an advantage due to the differences of left/right brain functions in interactive sports. Something to do with spatial dexterity, 3D imaging, and attentiveness. Weird stuff!

I do everything right handed except shoot pool and rifles. I can't shoot left handed with a mechanical bridge, I have to switch over to the right. My right hand is stronger and steadier. When I shoot a rifle, it's my right arm that does the work, steadying etc., the left hand just pulls the trigger. I guess that's why I also shoot pool left handed, I feel like I'm aiming with my stance, alignment, and good steady bridge hand, and just swinging the cue straight thru with my left hand.