Are switch hitters in baseball also switch golfers?

Question

At the driving range this evening, I was starting to wonder. If someone is a switch hitter in baseball, like Mark Teixeira or Ben Zorbist, also golf both lefty and righty? I don't know if necessarily Teixeira or Zobrist play golf, but I just mean anybody who is a switch hitter in baseball (or even in softball), can they also be switch golfers?

Answer 1

I was a switch hitter in baseball but I golf right handed. I do everything else left handed though. The reason I golf righty is because my dad got new golf clubs, gave his to my older brother, and I got his. So I was pretty much forced to learn to golf as a righty.



Edit to add that the advantage of being a switch hitter in baseball is so that the ball is always coming toward the batter. In golf there is no advantage since you're hitting a stationary ball. So there's really no need to be a switch golfer.



edit2: Well, I have messed around and hit a golf ball left handed. The more I do it the better I get but I'm still not anywhere near as good as I am right handed. I suppose if I worked on it enough, eventually I could be as good as I am righty. Basically the more you do something the better you get. I don't think switch hitters would have an advantage over non-switch hitters when it comes to hitting a golf ball both ways. If Mark Teixeira and Derek Jeter were to try golfing lefty it would probably take them the same amount of time to be able to be good at it (assuming both golf pretty good now as a righty).

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

I don't think so but very interesting question.

As someone else pointed out, the ball is just sitting there in golf. So no particular advantage switch hitting in golf.

I know not everyone of switch hitters but I think majority of switch hitters are natural right hand hitter who is fast as well as they possibly got superior hand-eye coordination to be able to hit with NOT natural born right hand hitting. And of course the pitch comes from open side - easier and quicker to see the pitch.

I wonder if possible one advantage of switch hitting in golf is when the ball went into the woods and the ball is sitting right beside a tree and there's no way the player can hit with his/her normal right hitting. S/he says "OK, no problem. I am a switch hitter. I will hit other way round". Well, is s/he has got a golf club(s) of other way round

Answer 4

I was a switch hitter in high school and college and I ve always had great irons and struggled mightily off the tee. I have a very downward swing and simply didn t practice enough with my driver to have a more comfortable sweeping swing that felt in a good plane. When practicing my driver and making swing adjustments, it started to affect my iron play negatively and I decided to try out your theory. It took a lot of work, but I now have righty irons, lefty woods, and a lefty driver. It works for me, but even with this mixed bag, I would not consider myself a "switch golfer" because I do not own or effectively hit lefty irons or righty woods.

Answer 5

creighton pitcher Pat Venditte has a custom glove with 4 fingers and two thumbs on either side. He only allowed one hit to Northern Iowa in 5 and a third innings. He is the only switch handed pitcher in college baseball as far as i know.

Answer 6

Probably not...given the limited availability of LH clubs. The whole idea of a swatch hitter means they should be equally good from both sides...but in golf, this would be much harder.



But if you mean could they hit it LH...I would assume yes.

Answer 7

Every ball player I've heard interviewed about this always plays golf from one side or the other, usually right handed because it's more common...

Answer 8

they could probably adjust quite easily but probably not as good as the natural side

Answer 9

I haven't known one yet

Answer 10

No but the Yankees will buy and inject them with magical steroids so they can. BAM!

Answer 11

i would have to dount it.