From the Fairways: Sympathy for the eft-handed golfer

Left handers in the world are supposed to include 10 per cent of the population. If you are a left-footed footballer or left-handed tennis player, equipment to play the game is not affected. Do us right-handed players, realise wh-at left handers have to go through in pursuit of the game of golf?

Perhaps many left handers revert to playing the game right-handed because of the lack of availability and choice of equipment.

The great golfer Johnny Miller was left-handed but played the game right-handed – technically I understand a strong left side can be beneficial to a right-handed player. An inspection of the local shops revealed a less than 10 per cent stock level for the left hander.

Left handers tend to stick together and credit must be given to them for organising themselves as a separate minority group against the right-handed world.

Many associations have been set up for left-handed golfers including the World Association of Left-handed golfers that have held 14 world championships and have affiliations throughout the world including Australia, U.S., Canada, England, Germany, Japan, Finland, Sweden, New Zealand and Taiwan.

Websites are also in their abundance for left handers for the exchange of equipment and other essential information to be shared – there is even a dedicated website for left-handed golfing tips to play the game – is golf that different when it is played left-handed?

The choice of equipment is perhaps the left handers' biggest gripe. Tournament professional Steve Flesch (U.S.), commented recently, "New clubs are made almost exclusively for right handers and left handers must wait to see if they will sell.

"It takes about six months for a manufacturer to see if a club's right-handed version will lead to a left-handed version and understandably so. They make the right-handed version, and then they decide if they will make it lefty.

"Because there may be no market for it, especially a high end club, which is meant for better ball striker that has been less spin and high launch. The general public cannot hit balls like that. Just to make them is a $100,000 for the molds. By the time you do the castings, there is a lot to dedicate to a club, which only one guy might use to make one set of clubs is an expensive exercise."

On the local UAE scene, left-handed golfers are prominent particularly in the national game with Ismail Sharif and Khalid Al Halyan, both playing that way. The local lefties also hold a regular annual event supported by Byrne which keeps the minority together.

The right handers of the UAE and elsewhere do not appreciate the struggles of the left handers. The industry and fellow golfers must appreciate the challenge for the left handers.

Flesch's frustrations in the above quote, are plain to see however, with Phil Mickelson, currently No. 2 in the world, Mike Weir, Greg Charmers, Russ Cochran and Kevin Wentworth all currently high-profile in the world of golf, the left hander is perhaps in for a better deal in the future.

It is the professionals and their desire and demand for equipment that will eventually feed down to the amateur game.