PERSONAL FITNESS ARTICLES

Left-Handed Golfers

Left-handed golfers do have their challenges, as this article explains ...

Leftie Golfers, Arise!

Let’s face it the majority of the world is designed for right-handed people, with the lefties, or southpaws, virtually ignored. If a right-handed person wants to take up the game of golf, getting equipment is no problem. They can go virtually anywhere to find clubs. The same can’t be said for the left-handed person who wants to play golf from his or her natural side.

Of course, there are those lefties who can, and do, play from the right side. This is fine for those people who can accomplish this feat. But for the majority of southpaws, the only real option is to play from the left side. (Actually, this is a misnomer as the leftie will be on the right side of the ball, while the right-handers are on the left side. Left and right, in this instance, is being used in terms of a person’s dominant side.)

Buying golf clubs for those who play left-handed can be a challenge. Unless he or she lives in a reasonably large city with a good, hopefully, national golf supply store, he or she will most likely wind up having to order his or her clubs, whereas the right-handed person can walk in off the streets, make his or her selection and leave.

Most golf stores, though, carry a selection of left-handed sets of clubs, with some left-handed putters (this is important as well, because it is as difficult to putt from the subordinate side as it is to hit from there. Basically, it does not feel natural to the player, and this will result in poor putting.)

However, should the southpaw want to upgrade individual clubs, say go from a metal shaft to a graphite shaft, he or she will most likely have to order the club. The right-hander, though, will simply be able to walk in, select the club he or she wants and leave, unless he or she is looking for custom clubs and has to get measured, in which case the club will have to be ordered.

Because the majority of people in the world - 90 percent at last count - are right-handed, it only makes sense that golfing equipment would be designed for them. After all, this is where the money is, and golf is an industry as well as a game. But there are companies who realize the lefties of the world want and deserve quality equipment, and quality golf equipment for the left-handed player is available.

When on the golf course, the lefty can expect to be razzed by his or her right-handed counterparts and be told he or she is playing on the wrong side of the ball. There will likely be other jokes made about the person’s left-handedness as well.

But, golf is a game that makes no exceptions as to a person’s dominant side. Courses are designed to be challenging, and challenging they are to both right-handers and left-handers.

Some would argue right-handed golfers are better players, but this has no bearing in fact. A good golfer is a good golfer regardless whether he or she plays from the right or left side. Statistics, however, will show right-handers to be better, simply because there are more of them and the statistics are weighted accordingly.

For more information about golf and golfing, visit the "resources" section of this website, or go to articles about golf.