Opinion & Analysis
Life as a left-handed golfer
“My bad, forgot you were a lefty,” my cart partner says, driving to the wrong side of the ball for the third straight hole.
“All good. Let me just grab my wedge and putter and you can head over to your ball,” I say, realizing I left that wedge on No. 2.
“Too bad you can’t use one of mine!” my hilarious buddy jokes. And just like that, we’re off. The life as a lefty.
Saturday morning rounds usually start casually enough. Tees are thrown and partners drawn. As I approach the ball, my laser-like focus after a terrible range session is typically interrupted by everyone’s favorite knee-slapper.
“Did anyone ever tell you you stand on the wrong side of the ball?” ZING!
“Actually, I’m standing to the right of the ball if you really look at it,” a younger me once quipped, a joke that would confuse and embarrass all involved. And then, with the confidence of an awkward night at the improv, I dead block one that nestles next to a tree.
As we cruise down the rough, my chauffeur politely asks, “You pulled your drive, correct?”
“Yeah, missed left side,” I mumble, preferring not to get into that brain teaser.
Now, this ball may be perched to the right of the tree, giving me a lucky angle in. “Man, what a time to be left-handed, eh?” Or, to my chagrin, settled just to the left of it forcing me to play it sideways. “Ugh, what a tough break being left-handed, huh?”
Lather, rinse, repeat.
Now, I don’t fault anyone for making these observations; even I think left-handed players look outrageous on the golf course. The most experienced golfer will still see a fellow lefty in the middle of their ensuing fairway and wonder, “Why is this guy hitting it toward us?”
We’ve been conditioned to think this way. I like to call it The Ugly Duckling Syndrome. Maybe someday, we too will turn into swans and have the beautiful swings that all right-handed golfers like to say we have (we don’t). The compliment usually comes in around No. 6 as he’s starting to get the hang of this cart thing and your wedge is still holes behind.
“You have a good swing there. You remind me of Phil Mickelson. I bet you are a big fan of his?”
Sure, why not. I also have a Mark Brunell jersey, Mike Vick fathead, and I exclusively watch James Harden play basketball.
Sarcasm aside, us lefties are a proud bunch and really do love playing with or seeing another lefty on the course. For many of us, it’s the only chance we have to try different equipment. We take full advantage.
Seeing another lefty at the club is like seeing a long-lost friend on Thanksgiving Eve. We might wave, give a head nod or take an air swing, but I promise you we are acknowledging each other. Have you ever been out on the lake and pulled off the friendly wave to a fellow boater? That’s being a lefty on the golf course.
Now, we like you righties; we know your charm. You provide us an endless supply of dad jokes and sometimes you have an original one. And when we finally have a second to go grab that wedge left on No. 2, we know you’ll return it with a smile. “Well, at least you knew I wasn’t going to keep this one, Mickelson!”
Lather, rinse, repeat.
Aronimink is not a storied club, but when Donald Ross himself proclaimed it to be as good as he can design and build, one had to take notice. Jay Sigel was the pre-eminent male amateur golfer from the mid-1970s to the mid-1990s. He might have called any number of Philadelphia clubs home, but he chose Aronimink. It served him well. Gary Player won a PGA Championship here in 1962, and was followed by the 1993 winner … nobody. Aronimink gave that event away to Inverness, for reasons of which it is certainly not proud. So be it. We had to wait sixty-four years for the PGA to return to Newtown Square, but here we are. Aronimink has been neo-restored by Gil Hanse and team, to return Ross features with an eye toward defense against the dark arts, errrr, high-tech equipment.
Day one saw Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau dig big holes, to the tune of plus-four and plus-six, respectively. Since the first-round lead will be minus-three at worst, many shots will need to be made up for the power couple to reach contention. By nightfall, seven golfers held the day-one lead at three-under par 67. Shots and sticks caught our attention, and we are proud to present Five Things We Learned on Tech Thursday at the 2026 PGA Championship. Thanks to InsideTourGolfer, Today’s Golfer, and GolfWRX for initial equipment research.
First, meet Min Woo Lee
Min Woo Lee, aka Dr. Chipinski, has once again thrust himself into the conversation of Can he, will he, when will he? Lee has so much talent, wins not nearly as often as we believe that he should, and has no major near-misses (much less titles) on his wiki. The young Aussie is getting older and wiser, but is he able to avoid the scarring that holds the older and wiser back from breaking through? Philadelphia offers another opportunity. Min Woo signed for five birdies and two bogeys on day one, and grabbed a share of the opening-day lead at Aronimink. Winners transcend history and the moment, and Lee will need that sort of ascent to lift the Wannamaker on Sunday.
Second, meet Aldrich Potgeiter
The young South African golfer can rip driver with the best of them. Aronimink tips out at nearly 7400 yards, but beyond the fairway bunkers that ensnare only the mortals, Potgeiter can take his chances with wedge from the rough. On Thursday, he spent plenty of time in the spinach. Like Popeye, he used his muscles to gouge and thrash and dig his way out. Six birdies against three bogeys on the card brought AP in a three deep.
Third, meet Martin Kaymer
Not a major event takes place without a where’s he been throwback moment. We know that Martin Kaymer left the PGA and DP World tours for LIV golf, but the two-time (US Open and PGA) major winner has a lifetime exemption into at least one major event, and he seizes the opportunity each May. Kaymer joined the six-seven brigade with four birdies and a solitary bogey on day one. Kaymer was never a long hitter, and the years are kind to no golfer. The German champion will need to uncork every bottle of guile and strategy in his cabinet to remain in contention. For today, though, he occupies a rung on the ladder of Tour Tech.
Fourth, meet Scottie Scheffler
Let’s see, he’s the defending champion at the PGA, and he found his way back to the top tier with five birdies against two bogeys. To be a favorite and then play up to that stature and expectation is quite difficult. Just ask Rory, Bryson, and some of the other pre-tournament heartthrobs. Scheffler’s game is complete, and to knock him off the OWGR #1 pedestal, one needs to defeat him at the majors. Aronimink is the sort of course that fits Scheffler’s game. Better yet, it unfits the game of many of his challengers. Don’t expect Scheffler to go away anytime soon. Come Sunday, he’ll be around.
Fifth, meet Stephan Jaeger
Clocking in for the unheralded players shift are Ryo Hisatsune and Stephan Jaeger. Hisatsune logged seven birdies on day one, but gave most of them back with four bogeys. Still, he’s tied at the top for a time. Jaeger pitched five birdies against two bogeys, including a run of three consecutive, from holes four through six. Odds are that one of the two will hang around through 36 holes. Odds also suggest that both will be gone by Saturday evening. Still, the PGA Championship has historically been the major most likely to be won by an under-known. Both Hisatsune and Jaeger feature on that list, so good luck, lads!
On this episode of the Club Junkie Podcast, I head to the Titleist Performance Institute for a full driver fitting with the new Titleist GTS lineup. We dive into the fitting process, talk about what made the biggest difference in performance, and break down how the different GTS heads and shaft combinations compare on the launch monitor. If you are thinking about a new driver setup for this season, there is a lot to take away from this one.
I also get into Brooks Koepka and the gear setup he brought to the PGA Championship, including the putters that caught my eye during the week. There are some interesting equipment trends showing up at the highest level right now and we break down what stands out.
To wrap things up, I talk about reshafting a few wedges, what I learned during the process, and swapping an adaptor onto a new shaft for another build project in the shop. A gear packed episode from start to finish for anyone who loves golf equipment and club building.
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Excited for this week’s WITB as we get to add the new Titleist GTS woods to the bag! I was fit at Titleist’s TPI facility in Oceanside California a few weeks ago and my new clubs just showed up. I am also adding a cool set of irons that I built last year some wild custom wedges into a new golf bag. Speaking of the bag I have a new Ghost Anyday Black Ops stand bag that I will be using on my Motocaddy Remote M7 electric cart.
Driver: Titleist GTS3 (11 degrees @ 10.25)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 6s
3-wood: Titleist GT1 3Tour (14.5 degrees)
Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD CQ-7s
5-wood: Titleist GTS (18 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 7s
9-wood: Titleist GT1 (24 degress)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Red 7s
Irons: Bettinardi CB24 (5-PW)
Shafts: KBS C-Taper Lite 110 stiff
Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (50-09 SB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff
Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (56-12 SB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff
Wedge: TaylorMade MG5 (60-08 LB)
Shaft: Mitsubishi MMT 125 Stiff
Putter: Dan Carraher ZT Proto
Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour
Bag: Ghost Anyday Black Ops Stand Bag
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Photos from the 2026 PGA Championship
Patrick Reed WITB 2026 (May)
Driver: Titleist GT3 (9 degrees) Buy here. Shaft: Aldila Rogue Silver 130 M.S.I. 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi35 (15 degrees)...
Aaron Rai’s winning WITB: 2026 PGA Championship
Driver: TaylorMade M6 (9 degrees) Shaft: Aldilda Synergy Blue 70 TX 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (15 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue...
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Driver: TaylorMade Qi4D (9 degrees) Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Black VeloCore+ 5 X 3-wood: TaylorMade Qi4D (15 degrees @14.25) Shaft: Mitsubishi...
Bryson DeChambeau WITB 2026 (May)
Driver: Krank Formula Fire Pro (6 degrees) Shaft: Project X Prototype 3-wood: Krank Formula Fire (10 degrees) Shaft: LA Golf BAD...
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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
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”.
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
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).
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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! 😉
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.
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.
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…
Underachiever
Dec 9, 2017 at 8:03 pm
Lefties have a brain 1/2 the size of righties… I’m sorry it’s science.
Dave
Dec 10, 2017 at 9:03 am
Yes, but we use all of it.
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.
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.
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.
henry
Dec 10, 2017 at 2:09 pm
This was a worthy comment until you specified Bombtech as a great company.
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.
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!