25 Comments

1. 

   Stixman

   Dec 12, 2017 at 5:12 am

   Our family line is more-or-less ambidextrous, playing sports other than golf lefty to a good standard. I can chip lefty with a LH club and turn a RH wedge upsidedown fairly normally.
   I’ve always said that if anthing happened to my body which made playing the game RH impossible/ difficult, then I would turn around to lefty That never happened, fortunately. but it left me wondering. And since I don’t want to die wondering, I bought a set of Ping clone irons in Lefty to see what I can do. In the UK we have precedents for that, both laura Davies and Ian Woosnam turned around so they could have a game with their mates. They were too successful, as it turned out, and were better than good lefty as well

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2. 

   Kit Lefroy

   Dec 11, 2017 at 9:48 pm

   I am glad someone pointed out that close to 40% of Canadian golfers are lefties. That is a bit of a stretch, as the national figure is somewhere in the mid-twenties. In Quebec it is slightly higher, probably because of hockey. Left handed equipment is for the most part readily available in Canada. Some limitations, e.g., drivers tend to come only in two or three lofts 9.5 to 12. However, if one is willing t o look past the major brands there are lots of options, e.g., I have a 14 degree driver and a strong 3 wood (12 degrees). I do remember going into a big golf shop in San Diego some years ago. No left handed clubs, no, wait there were a few in “Lefties Corner”.

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3. 

   lee jones

   Dec 11, 2017 at 8:17 pm

   Cant understand why they cant publish golf Magazines with a lefthanded version.I tired of reading insruction articles and have to change the illustrations around

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4. 

   Edge Of Lean

   Dec 11, 2017 at 6:35 pm

   I don’t mind the tired jokes and snide comments. Pretty much done deaf now. A worthy saying that is just as old: It’s not how, it’s how many. I usually have the last laugh (and a few in between).

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5. 

   Bill

   Dec 11, 2017 at 4:01 pm

   My standard comment is that I come from Canada, and it’s legal to Golf left handed in Canada.
   But when people ask why there are so many left handed golfers in Canada, I turn it back around on them. “Why are there so few lefty golfers in the US? Look at all the guys who bat left handed in baseball.” Completely stumps them.

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6. 

   Tom54

   Dec 11, 2017 at 3:46 pm

   Although I am a right handed golfer I certainly can empathize with the lefties. We definitely have the advantage when it comes to purchasing clubs. I can’t imagine trying to find latest clubs in left handed versions. When ever my buddies who are all right handed get some new clubs we just try each others to try them out. Plus growing up l could never have started without my dads hand me downs. My friends kid is just learning and he is steering his boy away from swinging left handed for that very reason

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7. 

   John

   Dec 11, 2017 at 3:40 pm

   I can tell you as a lefty I wish I would have learned to play right handed. It’s probably too late though. Way too much time & money invested playing left handed. My golf buddies always lament the fact I’m left handed because of all the clubs I buy and they don’t get to try. We do miss out on some nice equipment though just due to the fact it isn’t offered in left hand. I did have the pleasure several years ago to be part of a golf foursome & 3 of us were lefties. We were the majority that day & made fun of the right hander all day.

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8. 

   Robert

   Dec 11, 2017 at 3:32 pm

   My dad always tells me this story of how he put a Fisher-Price plastic club in my hands when I was really young. I could barely make contact and looked completely uncoordinated. In that moment my dad jokes that he was fairly certain “sports weren’t going to be your thing”. Then he said heck with it and turned me around (lefty) and there was no looking back. Easily the most frustrating part of being a lefty golfer is the equipment selection. OEMs just don’t offer a lot of great stuff (i.e. Mizuno blades, TaylorMade “Tour” specs, certain stock lofts on everything from woods to wedges) with the same variety as the righty versions. The jokes are what they are, but I wouldn’t trade it for the world. As an ex-baseball player, batting lefty was a godsend. Never had an issue dealing with instruction always being from a righty perspective, but that was what I was used to. To this day, it still looks funny watching other lefties golf, even though I know I’m on that side of the ball too. We do make things look prettier/smoother though.

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   • 

     Terry Dunlap

     Jan 12, 2019 at 9:55 am

     I totally agree. The selection of clubs and configurations are in short supply. Try going to a pro shop and look at lefty clubs. All I usually see are off brand clubs primarily for the beginner and those without the funds for the better clubs. I am currently trying to get vokey sm7 wedges. I used the wedge finder on t by e vokey website. But now I can’t find left handed in the lofts and bounce they recommend. FRUSTRATING.

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9. 

   Joro

   Dec 11, 2017 at 11:40 am

   I do most things right handed, but throw, swing, and kick with the left. I play left because my throwing hand is the best one for the swing. You don;t pull a club, you hit with it, so for a lefty that is the way. Sure, in my over 60 yrs. of playing everything is not perfect, but getting the best clubs have improved a lot, and I have heard all the jokes and my response has always been, good, let’s double the bet.

   And by the way, we stand on the RIGHT side of the Ball, not the left. So to all you Lefties, Good on you.

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10. 

    jim morus

    Dec 11, 2017 at 11:32 am

    My wife and I are both left handed. My father taught me to bat right handed with the logic that left handed power hitters were almost all right hand dominant. It took me an extra year to catch up to my friends but I did all right.

    If you want to really be impressed with left hand dominance you need to go to a professional photography convention. Close to 75% of the photographers are left handed. Apparently creativity is housed in the right hand side of the brain which is the dominant side for lost natural left handers.

    My wife hits left handed and is much more consistent than could ever hope to be.

    Try finding left handed ladies specialty clubs if you think left handed men are ignored.

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11. 

    Ron Forest

    Dec 11, 2017 at 11:15 am

    The brain is “cross-wired” so that the left hemisphere controls the right handed side of the body and vice-versa and hand dominance is connected with brain dominance on the opposite side – which is why we say that only left-handers are in their right minds!

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    • 

      Kit Lefroy

      Dec 11, 2017 at 9:37 pm

      Love your comment Ron. As a right handed person who hits left – thank you baseball – I still get the occasional “wrong side” of the ball comment. My Usual retort is, “actually I hit from the right side of the ball”. Your retort is more counter-attack ammunition.

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12. 

    Dean

    Dec 11, 2017 at 12:48 am

    Most of us left-handers must take note when we see one of our own. What I’ve really taken notice of is how many lefty golfers I know are actually right hand dominant. I don’t know how pervasive it is, but I know a dozen people who fit this description (including a lot of hockey lefties and tennis players with really nice two-handed backhands). I haven’t looked to see if anyone has data on this, but I’d be interested in the stats.

    Next article: how courses are set up in favor of righties and they don’t even notice! 😉

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    • 

      L Smith

      Dec 11, 2017 at 11:12 am

      We left handers know the frustration of eternally going into pro shops all over the world (except perhaps, Canada) and being lucky if we see a single left handed club. We can’t “try out” new clubs – we just have to take the risk of ordering online or always paying the extra for a fitting.

      Right handed golfers have absolutely no idea of what it is like for us.

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      • 

        Joro

        Dec 11, 2017 at 11:44 am

        The Big Box Stores have plenty of Leftie stuff, and much cheaper than the Pro Shops, who are getting out of the hard goods as they know their money is in soft goods.

        Try it, you will find plenty of Leftie clubs.

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13. 

    Brent

    Dec 10, 2017 at 10:43 am

    I think the stats here in Canada are pushing close to 40% lefties – due predominantly to hockey. Like many people I know, I swing left, but I’m right handed.

    Forgotten from that list, fellow lefty Canuck Mike Wier…probably forgotten because he forgot how to golf after winning the Masters…

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14. 

    Underachiever

    Dec 9, 2017 at 8:03 pm

    Lefties have a brain 1/2 the size of righties… I’m sorry it’s science.

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    • 

      Dave

      Dec 10, 2017 at 9:03 am

      Yes, but we use all of it.

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15. 

    chris franklin

    Dec 9, 2017 at 7:37 pm

    Sorry but as a vintage left-handed golfer I can tell you nothing new has been said about portsiders since 1963 when the mighty Charles won the Open and showed that winning major titles was not limited to our right-handed brethren.
    If you are not graceful and elegant then you should probably be playing right-handed and leave this exclusive club to those of us who are.

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16. 

    rex235

    Dec 9, 2017 at 7:19 pm

    Matt-

    “The game isn’t how, it’s how many.” Thanks for the article. Glad someone asked.

    There is nothing wrong with playing golf left handed. Ask Bob Charles, Phil Mickelson, Russ Cochran, Bonnie Bryant, Brian Harman, Cody Gribbles, and a host of other people that should be named. So it’s the road less traveled, and you’re on it.
    If you ever decide to peruse the Classic and Persimmon section in Golfwrx Forums, there is at least one person who points out a RH ONLY caveat to those past inquiries in the various Equipment sections. Very few companies devoted their master craftsmen and luthiers in making LH golf equipment when it was just persimmon woods and forged blades, but indeed, some of these gems were made and are coveted. Weren’t changes in technology were supposed to increase production and decrease costs? LH golf equipment was and is the last to be offered if at all, and the first casualty. Try to find a set of LH Ben Hogan Apex PC model irons. Co$t was always the given reason, and a TV Golf Announcer remarked on air LH golf equipment is “..take what you can get.” At this time it is important to note more people play golf left handed than ever. Yet Wilson, in 2014, after making signature LH Staff Dynapower Forged blade irons for generations, chose to offer their FG Tour 100 Forged blade iron model, supposedly to celebrate their 100 years in golf, RH ONLY.

    Just keep celebrating the game. You are not alone.

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17. 

    Kurt Kruithof

    Dec 9, 2017 at 6:19 pm

    I’ve often heard the ‘wrong side’ comment. When they stand behind me I just casually step to ‘their’ side and aim right back at them and ask “Like this?”
    Had one guy yell from the green on an approach shot (60 yds) so I stepped to the right side, flipped my wedge over and miraculously hit it to three feet!
    What really frustrates me is companies (Bombtech) who make great new products, but not in left hand.

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    • 

      henry

      Dec 10, 2017 at 2:09 pm

      This was a worthy comment until you specified Bombtech as a great company.

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    • 

      John

      Dec 11, 2017 at 3:47 pm

      What’s funny is the fist generation of Bombtech drivers had a left hand option. I still have mine. I think that was the only club they ever made for lefties. I know that they have abandoned lefties going forward. Even bigger companies are doing close to the same thing. Look at tour edge for instance. Hardly anything in left hand. Ping is the best oem for lefties in my opinion.

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18. 

    Derek

    Dec 9, 2017 at 5:08 pm

    Finally a left handed golf article! Us lefties never get these, I have also used the “actually I’m standing on the right side myself” line myself…always gets a weird look until they realize what I meant. Let’s also not forget about having to flip-flop in our heads which arm/leg when watching instructional videos since 99% of them are from right handed golfers. P.S. I’m also in Pittsburgh, and work in IT….weird. Is that a lefty thing as well? Take care!

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