Righthanded shooting lefthanded

[Roy Steffensen]

I am a righthanded person, and am helpless with my lefthand in normal activities like for example writing.

However, I play pool lefthanded. But when I use a Rest I can't use my left hand, because it feels weird, so then I shoot with my right hand. (Because of this, I almost never use the Rest, I just change hands, because I shoot pretty ok with both hands)

I had never seen anyone else play like this before I saw Mike Sigel on tv, he did the same thing, and in January I saw Roberto Gomez from the Philippines also change hands while using the Rest.

Does anyone else know of other players that do this, and why???

Another funny thing; I have never been good on jumpshots, but on Friday a friend spent some time teaching me. So now I do normal jumpshots with my left-hand, and the "dart-jump" with my right-hand. That's the way I have to do it so it feels natural for me. Am I weird or am I not?!

 

[cajunbarboxplyr]

I am the same way. Im right handed but shoot lefthanded.........Im left I dominant so it helps quitttttttttteeeeee a bit.........I myself cant explain it...


Mike Sigel is the same as I know of.......

 

[Ballistic Billiards]

yes

I didn't see a poll but mark me down for "weird".

I'm ambidextrous but only with my right hand,
how weird is that?

 

[emtguy]

im right handed but shoot lefty...dont know why or how i picked up the habit, just always shot lefty.

 

[rayjay]

Yes. Agree with wierd.

 

[third_i]

I can shoot well left or right handed. It just takes a bit more concentration left handed. I probably can't jump or masse very well left handed but I can break.

I'm what I call "slightly ambidextrous." I was a switch hitter in baseball, I can shoot left handed or right handed in hockey, I can throw left handed... Although, I can't write left handed very well, heck I can barely write legibly right handed.

 

[gaz1210]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95YZw4HgcS4

No one else will ever come close to this playing with both hands

 

[JesPiddlin]

I am right-handed and used to envy those who could shoot left-handed, when they needed it. One day, I decided I was going to master it for those awful long shots on the right-hand side of the table. (I'm short.) I started playing whole games left-handed, for practice. Talk about aching arms!! But, I did it. I learned that by slowing down and taking the time to really focus on that shot and the angles, I could do it. Now, I am very casual about taking that left-hand shot and I shoot with more accuracy and confidence. I used to shake, when I shot left. Not anymore. If I shake now, it means I'm about to lose my balance!

I know this doesn't quite fit what you guys are talking about, but I can see where I could easily learn to shoot left, if I just kept practicing it, so I think it would be easy to not think about it and pick up a pool cue for the first time and just automatically be a lefty. I've seen fishermen do it, too. I think things like this give you guys a little edge on everyone else... especially if you learn to master the right-hand shots, too.

 

[Tim5000]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=95YZw4HgcS4

No one else will ever come close to this playing with both hands

Very interesting video. I was trying to see some kind of pattern or reason why and when he changes from left to right i.e., left cuts or right cuts, but I don't see any particular pattern. It just seems random when he switches. Does anyone see a reason for him switching when he does?

 

[Big Perm]

Have a friend who claims to be ambi - he shoots poorly with either hand

Phil Mickelson is right handed, but plays golf lefty, which I found to be pretty incredible...

If it works, go for it....

 

[third_i]

In hockey most non-americans that are right handed shoot left handed. The reason being that the power hand is on top and the power is better generated because the power hand is where it is. The sacrifice is accuracy on certain shots... I'd imagine that golf would be similar.

When it comes to pool, I'm sure most people can do it if they try. Just focus on a textbook bridge and a solid stroke, at this point most of us already know how to pocket balls so it's not like learning how to play pool all over again. It definitely adds a nice weapon for your game, as good as I can be with the bridge I try to avoid it when I can.

 

[BVal]

Have a friend who claims to be ambi - he shoots poorly with either hand

Phil Mickelson is right handed, but plays golf lefty, which I found to be pretty incredible...

If it works, go for it....

The reason Phil shoots lefty is he learned from his dad who is righty. He would imitate his dad like looking in a mirror and that is why Phil shoots lefty.

BVal

 

[worriedbeef]

ery interesting video. I was trying to see some kind of pattern or reason why and when he changes from left to right i.e., left cuts or right cuts, but I don't see any particular pattern. It just seems random when he switches. Does anyone see a reason for him switching when he does?

usually he plays a series of shots left handed after the first one requires it. probably just to do with his rhythm i suppose. but in this clip he was just being his slightly eccentric self and shooting left handed the whole frame for what ever reason he felt like.

when it comes to pool, i just don't see the point tbh though. all the hours and hours of practicing to get even remotely decent - why not just use the rest? it's not that difficult and proficiency with it can be gained far quicker than with your opposite hand.

 

[akaTrigger]

I'm right handed and shoot pool left handed. I don't know why, but that's just how I picked up a cue the first time. Oh, I use a bridge right handed.

 

[Paul Juarez]

I am also right handed, but shoot left handed. When my father showed me how to play, he always stood on my right side, so instead of telling my dad to move out of the way, i just switched the cue to my left hand and have been playing left handed ever since.

 

[Tinbender]

I'am left-handed but shoot pool right-handed,bat right-handed, shoot guns right-handed,and hold the bridge in my right hand,can shoot left-handed on some shots,and type with both hands,well one finger on each hand anyways.

 

[3andstop]

On an interesting side note, consider this....

Try shooting opposite handed for a while, one poster above mentioned aching muscles, thats very true, but beyond that, knowing all the things you currently know about the game such as aiming point, tangent lines, draw, follow, and whatever else, try to shoot well and accurately and apply your knowledge to your ability to shoot opposite handed. Its just not easy to co-ordinate yourself. Even equipped with a solid foundation of the games physics.

Now, picture removing all traces of knowledge of the game from your mind, and this must be how a beginner feels with a stick in his hand.

This is an example of the hurdles beginners face when learning the game! When we show someone how to play, often this muscle memory, physical mechanics portion of the game is taken for granted by us and we expect them to perform the relatively easy things we show them.

Its really hard for someone to learn this game and considering how poorly most of us do opposite handed, even with all our experience at the game, imagine the complications to teaching a new comer who has none of these aids in terms of knowledge to help them through a stroke.

This is one difficult game to play.

Its no wonder there are so many bowlers.