In this video, Golf Monthly's Dan Parker talks through the eight most frustrating problems and situations that only left-handed golfers face. Whether it's a lack of choice in the pro shop or some unnecessary remarks from your playing partners, left handers have certainly got the short straw when it comes to golf so hopefully right handers will be more sympathetic towards them after watching this video!
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00:00 Do you use one of these?
00:02 It's a left-handed golf club.
00:03 Now, around five to seven percent of golfers
00:06 are left-handed and they face a lot of problems.
00:09 I'm one of those golfers and I find there's so many problems
00:12 left-handers face that right-handers don't.
00:14 I'm gonna give you eight examples today
00:16 here at the beautiful Peter Milton Golf Club
00:18 about the eight problems that only left-handers face.
00:22 Right, so the first and the biggest problem for left-handers
00:24 is getting hold of this and it's golf equipment.
00:27 All left-handers will know that as much as pro shops
00:29 and retailers try their hardest,
00:31 there just isn't that much stock equipment for left-handers.
00:33 Your right-handed mate can walk into a shop
00:35 and pick up pretty much whatever they want,
00:37 whereas us lefties have to sit and wait and order it.
00:40 It's really quite frustrating
00:42 and as much as you can get demo clubs tried out
00:44 and you can get your custom fitting done,
00:46 you can't pick it up stock.
00:48 And it goes the same for gloves as well.
00:50 You'll see in a pro shop, loads of gloves for right-handers,
00:53 all the left-handed gloves stocked up,
00:54 but when it comes to right-handed gloves,
00:56 you'll find a couple in some scrappy old packets
00:58 that'll be size XL to double XL and nothing in between.
01:02 So equipment, gloves, anything for us lefties
01:05 that's a bit awkward is really hard to get hold of.
01:08 The next problem only left-handers face
01:10 is that they can't get any hand-me-down clubs
01:12 from their often right-handed parents or grandparents.
01:15 Now, I've got my dad's old JPX 900 irons here
01:18 that he's just finished with, he's just upgraded.
01:20 Maybe I'd like to have a go with them as his son,
01:22 maybe he'd give them to me.
01:23 Obviously, 'cause I'm a lefty, I can't use them.
01:26 It's very frustrating.
01:27 And a lot of beginner left-handed golfers
01:29 will understand that as well,
01:30 that perhaps they wanna try their first set
01:32 and they don't wanna invest in a parent
01:33 or a grandparent plays.
01:35 They're often right-handed, the clubs often don't work,
01:38 and it's really, really frustrating for left-handed golfers.
01:41 One of the next problems only left-handers face
01:43 is people forgetting you're left-handed,
01:45 especially at the start of the round
01:46 and especially on the first tee box,
01:48 where they'll stand right behind where you wanna swing.
01:50 Now, people will ultimately learn throughout the round
01:53 that you're left-handed
01:53 and start standing in the right position,
01:55 but that can take a while.
01:56 So right-handers, remember we're left-handed
01:59 and remember where to stand.
02:01 Right, my playing partner just said
02:04 I was very fortunate to be on this side of the tree.
02:07 And this is another problem that left-handers face,
02:08 is right-handed playing partners
02:10 forgetting they're left-handed and saying,
02:12 "Oh, you're fine, you got a great shot here."
02:14 Obviously, for a right-hander, they do.
02:16 But for me as a lefty, another lefty's out there,
02:19 what am I supposed to do with this?
02:20 I'm in a terrible position.
02:21 And doubly, I'm wound up, 'cause he just said
02:24 I was very fortunate to be here.
02:26 So, let's see what I can do with this.
02:28 Not bad in the end.
02:35 So another problem only left-handed golfers face
02:38 is overhanging trees on a tee.
02:40 Now, I'm on the 15th hole here, and there's a great example.
02:42 And as a left-hander who likes to fade the ball,
02:45 I come nice and left on the tee,
02:46 and I'll often find there's little branches
02:48 and bits of tree overhanging my sight line.
02:50 Now, of course, some right-handers might find this as well
02:53 on certain tee boxes,
02:54 but I think it happens to lefties a lot more.
02:57 People who are right-handed won't see that,
02:58 and so they won't get trimmed away
03:00 and give me some more space.
03:01 Now, that's in my sight line.
03:04 How would I get on hitting it?
03:05 Let's have a little go.
03:06 Well, I've hit a perfect draw by accident,
03:16 but they were certainly in my eye line,
03:18 and it's certainly very annoying for left-handers.
03:21 So another problem for us lefties
03:23 is our right-handed playing partners,
03:25 again, forgetting we're left-handed,
03:26 and offering us their shiny new driver to have a hit.
03:29 Now, this annoys me so much,
03:30 'cause I'd love to try the driver.
03:32 It looks lovely.
03:33 They've been hitting it really well.
03:34 They'll hand it over to me, have a go with that,
03:36 and I can't.
03:37 And it's very frustrating,
03:38 and it's another thing that right-handers do to lefties,
03:40 is they forget.
03:41 So another problem for lefties,
03:43 not being able to try out your mate's shiny new equipment.
03:45 So whilst this map might be an exception to the rule,
03:48 because it's been very well looked after,
03:50 another problem that left-handed golfers face
03:52 is having to play their ball out of right-handers' footsteps,
03:55 especially on winter maps on a little par three like this,
03:57 when I wanna play with the ball off the deck.
04:00 I've gotta rummage around
04:01 to try and find a half-decent lie on this map.
04:04 On the other hand, right-handers,
04:06 have got a beautiful clean lie.
04:07 Yet another problem for lefties.
04:09 Now, another annoying thing for left-handers
04:12 is their playing partners comparing their short game
04:14 to the great Phil Mickelson, because he's left-handed.
04:17 And that, unfortunately,
04:18 isn't the reality for most left-handers.
04:20 I don't compare right-handers' drives
04:22 to every single Bryson DeChambeau bomb, do I?
04:24 So I don't think it's fair
04:26 to compare left-handers' short games to Phil Mickelson.
04:28 So shall I give you a bit of an idea
04:29 of what our short games are really like?
04:31 Bunker in front of me,
04:32 about six feet of green to work with.
04:35 Let's see how we actually get on, us lefties.
04:37 Turns out I'm actually quite good.
04:46 So those are the eight most annoying things
04:48 that left-handers face out on the golf course.
04:50 A lot of them were about right-handed golfers
04:52 forgetting that we're left-handers.
04:54 And even my cameraman, Howard,
04:55 kept setting up on the wrong side of me
04:56 throughout this whole shoot.
04:58 So what do you think at home?
04:59 Am I just moaning too much?
05:01 Or have I come up with some really good ideas there?
05:03 And are you left-handers relating at home?
05:04 Let me know down in the comments below.
05:07 But for now, from Peter Milton Golf Club,
05:09 see you next time.
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