left hand bow for right handed person?

[tikvah]

Hello,

I am right handed, left eye dominant. Should I be condidering getting a left handed bow?

Right now all i have is a cheap hunting recurve. 55#s at 28" my draw is 29-30. I feel this is the wrong bow for me.

I want an entry level or compitition recurve for FITA type archery. I have little knowledege of archery but this style sparks the most interst. I have little interest in hunting and if I wanted a trigger I would buy a gun.

So, becuase of an archer I talked to and an article I read I am considering a left handed bow, but I don't want to waste my money? I'm right handed? I wish I could try before I buy but I guess I can't. Holding my sons micro midas compound in my left hand feels natural, but pulling my 55# recurve is tough with either hand.

I'm new to the forum and am wondering if you might give some thoughts or advice?

Jeff

[Marcus]

Geez, this is a hard question.
I think you should go with what feels more natural. I've met many archers who shoot left handed because they are left eye dominate, and struggle. If you are naturally right handed I would shoot right handed and close your left eye.
My Dad is the same, yet he shot recurve with both eyes open, and made the Olympics.
Nicole Bartlett was the same, right eye dominate but shot left handed, and has a World top 20 score.

[marty]

Well, the theory is that you will aim more naturally if you shoot according to your dominant eye. In your case that means you should shoot left handed. Unless you can't do anything left handed, Of course you can shoot right handed but close your left eye and many people shoot successfully with one eye closed. Again, the general feeling is that you should shoot with both eyes open if you can.

But before you go and buy anything, I would suggest finding yourself a shop with an indoor range, or a club and learn a bit more about shooting before buying a serious recurve setup. Used archery equipment, especially left handed stuff, doesn't hold it's value very well.

Good luck.

[OldDog]

Go with what feels best, I am right eye dominant but shoot left handed, over a period you can train yourself to shoot with both eyes open, I switched briefly to right hand a few years ago and while I could shoot the same scores after a bit of practise It never felt really comfortable, shooting with the off eye is a pretty small hurdle to overcome if you love the sport enough.

[mike]

I know of one archer who shoots right handed but uses his left eye to aim!!


I would go with the one that feels comfortable, and if you can comfortably draw 55 lbs right handed then I don't think there is any point in going left handed. Unless you actually have a physical problem with your right eye then you'll be able to aim well with it given practise.

By the way, from what I know of recurve (which, granted, is bugger all) 55 lbs is huge for target recurve and so you could get a 45 - 50 lbs bow and shoot really good scores quickly because of the better arrow speed (I think most people start at around 35 lbs and work up to the high 40s, I have tried a 38 lbs bow and have struggled if that gives you a clue -- I am a compounder!!!)

Perhaps I better leave this thread to those who actually have a clue about what they are talking about!!!! :roll:

[Kuru]

I am also left eye dom but shoot right handed. Never had the strength to shoot left handed but right hand not a problem. I have shot a light poundage bow left handed and it did feel a bit more natural. If you can shoot dom eye you should go for it but of course it's personal choice

[James Park]

I think the predominant theory now is that you should shoot the way round that feels best.

[Kyle Power]

I too was faced with this decision when I began archery.I am right handed but left eye dominant,I decided to shoot left handed,it only took a few weeks of shooting back then for it to feel natural,now i pick up a bow and draw it right-handed, it feels so unnatural !!.The only down side to my decision is availability of gear for lefties, and the luxury of being able to borrow a club mates equiptment to try(for the majority of archers are right handed).All in All going with my eye dominence was the best decision i have made.

[tikvah]

Well, I still havn't purchased due to the lack of fita style bows. But after lots of thought, I have decided on a left handed bow. It's crazy how many times I have changed my mind, left, right, recurve, compound? The problem is forking out the 5 bills. I better be sure of what I want.

jeff