Between 10% and 15% of the World's population is left handed but there is an anomaly here in that the percentage of golfers who play this way is actually quite a lot lower than this at somewhere around 8%. It is probable that one of the main reasons for this is that it simply hasn't been that easy or affordable to buy appropriate golf equipment until quite recently. So, we have a situation where many left handed people learn to play golf like a right handed person. Another reason is that some 'lefties' consider that although they are playing the same way a right handed person would, they are actually playing in a natural way for them. This is because they are essentially taking a left hand lead when they play their shots and the ball leaves their body off to the left. That actually raises the question why right handers play this way. In fact there are some famous cases of right handed people playing golf as left handers. The two obvious ones being Mike Weir and Phil Mickelson. Both are right handed at pretty much everything else they do, but they actually play golf the 'wrong way around'.
Having said that though it is normally difficult to change something that comes so naturally to you. If it feels natural to play as a left hander then that is really the way that you should play isn't it?
The problem is that the left handed golfer doesn't have as much choice of equipment as the right handed golfer. Simple economics means that it is not profitable for the golf equipment manufacturers to produce the same amount of left handed equipment as they do right handed equipment, although there are a few companies that have identified this as a niche and only concentrate on the left handed market. However, this still doesn't give you a huge amount of choice as a left handed player and it is likely that the equipment you have invested in is more expensive than that which another player uses to play the same shots. It's all rather unfair really isn't it?
How about this then for a novel approach. Why not switch over and play right handed? Ludicrous I hear you shout. However, take a step back and think about it for a minute. If you have grown up with the game and are essentially self-taught you will have inevitably picked up a number of bad habits along the way. What if you learned the game again from scratch? With professional tuition those bad habits simply wouldn't occur as you develop your right handed game. What's more you will also now have the same choice of equipment as every other player.
Remember what I said earlier about Mike Weir and Phil Mickelson who lets not forget have both won their fair share of majors? Well, why couldn't that work the other way around for you? Maybe you are left handed but that doesn't mean you won't be a better golfer by playing right handed.
Wayne Armstrong is the owner of GBGolf.com, a Golf resource website which includes lots of information on improving your game and links to some of the best golf equipment and clothing at some of the best prices you will find.
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