Most right-handed players have been told that a right-to-left putt is better for them. Or, at least, better suited to the eye. This is a common perspective in the golf world.
There is certainly some truth to this view or opinion, especially for a right eye dominant golfer.
Do righties really shoot shots better from right to left? Let’s find out.
R2L vs. L2R
Over the years, our golf putter testing has given golfers an understanding of which golfers are the best from an exceptional perspective. Now, with the help of PuttViewwe can extend shooter testing beyond the scopes themselves by including the ability to test placement SCRIPT.
This lab aims to provide statistical data for discussing right-to-left and left-to-right shots for a right-handed golfer. Do players really perform better from either of these scenarios? Is the performance negligible? We’re about to find out.
Test parameters
If you’re new to MyGolfSpy, data is the heartbeat of our operation. Here are the parameters for this right-to-left vs. left-to-right shooting lab:
- 10 testers (handicaps between 0-15)
- 20 nails taken from each condition
- ~ 12′ shot only
- Each tester used his own gauge
Right-to-left vs. left-to-right shots – the data
There are three main metrics that we will focus on in this particular lab:
- The average distance of Miss
- Hole Shot / Average Hole Shot
- Shots won
With PuttView technology, we can measure and collect each of these three key metrics. Each of these gives us insight into how each individual tester performs on a right-to-left putt and a left-to-right putt. More importantly, these data reveal the overall performance from both of these shot break conditions.
Average loss distance
This is simple. You hit a putt and then PuttView calculates a “missed distance” for that putt. Average miss distance is a metric we didn’t have access to in the past. It gives us a clear picture of which test condition produces a closer proximity to the hole on average.
Overall, testers had a closer proximity to the hole on average on a right-to-left putt. Here are some key notes:
- R2L – 0.81′
- L2R – 0.93′
- The closest and farthest approaches to the hole were on a left-to-right putt (0.47 feet and 1.37 feet).
This is the placement metric where we see the biggest advantage in favor of a right-to-left putt. More on that later.
Total Hole Shots and Average Hole Shots
Total putts and average putts are eye-opening stats in this test. In this case, they are surprising because we have a dead connection between our two test conditions.
- R2L – 64 total hole shots
- L2R- 64 total shot holes
Similarly, the average hole shots between the two conditions are identical.
- R2L – 6.4 average for holeshots
- L2R – 6.4 average for holeshots
As you can see, making paws in either condition is less likely than placing uphill or downhill. Not only that, but the performance is rock solid. Some golfers will shoot well on a right-to-left putt. Others will be more efficient on left-to-right breaking shots.
Shots won
Another key metric is hits earned. It is a straightforward representation of performance over 18 holes.
Once again, neither condition separates itself from the other:
- R2L -0.01 Shot gained
- L2R -0.01 Hit gained
Now, a loss of 0.01 Strokes Gained is obviously negligible, but it shows how similar performance can be on right-to-left and left-to-right breaking shots within this lab.
Which shot do you want? Right to left or left to right?
The facts are clear: Performance from any condition is situational to the golfer.
It really is a coin flip in performance. Most testers were one to three shots better depending on how the broken shot was shot. Some were better from right to left and some were better from left to right. A 50-50 split at most.
However, there are specific insights into the data that suggest the greatest performance gains come from a slight right-to-left stroke for right-handed players.
During your next round, track how many right-to-left and left-to-right shots you have and see how your performance improves. See if you excel at one versus the other. Maybe, you end up performing about 50-50. Or maybe you see a substantial performance difference in one of the two scenarios.
Post Tested: Right-to-Left Shots vs. Left-to-Right Shots appeared first on MyGolfSpy.