It wasn’t that long ago that finding left-handed putters, drivers, and irons was a difficult task. If you walked into a local pro shop, you wouldn’t expect to find more than one or two options for left-handed clubs. Take a look at a putter rack and there will only be one left-handed putter at the end. You had to take it or leave it. The same goes for irons, controllers, and golf club sets. If you needed help with your golf swing, you were alone because the guides and lessons were only taught to right-handed players. For years, the inaccessibility of left-handed clubs and instruction caused left-handed golfers to naturally lean toward learning the right hand, or the left hand to play at a disadvantage due to uncomfortable equipment. 10-15% of the population is left-handed, and in the world of golf, this market is being ignored.

If you go back a few decades, it is almost impossible to find left-handed records in the more than 800 years of golf history. Lefties went unnoticed on tour until the 1960s when Bob Charles became the first southpaw to win a major PGA tournament. Now, lefties like Mike Weir are more prominent on tour. The most notable southpaw is Phil Mickelson, who recently scored his third Masters victory at Augusta and fourth Major overall, making him one of the best touring players of his generation. With additional media attention, the left-handed option is becoming more widely recognized, and not just for lefties. Phil Mickelson, the best left-hander on the tour, does everything else as a right-hander. He just learned to play a left-handed swing that mirrors his father’s right-hand golf swing. Mike Weir, another noteworthy left-handed golfer on the PGA Tour, is also naturally right-handed with everything he does. This trend of right-handed people picking up left-handed clubs is becoming more popular as some golfers find that they can use force on the right side of the body more effectively with a left-handed swing. A while ago this would not have been possible.

While brick-and-mortar stores don’t yet offer the same options on both hands, luckily left-handers can find left-handed putters, drivers, and irons online. Although there is still a small list of low-production clubs that can only be found for a right-handed golfer, most brands and models of clubs are now offered for both right-handed and left-handed use. In addition to large online retailers that target players of either hand, there are many specialty stores that target only left-handed golfers, and specialty products like golf instruction manuals that specifically target left-handed players.

As the options continue to grow, left-handed golfers should find the game of golf getting easier. Not only will clubs and instruction for lefties be more accessible, there will be more players to look up to as lefties continue to make big changes to the golf record books.