# Is it cheating to carry a left handed golf club?



## mike13a (Jun 24, 2010)

Is it cheating to carry a left handed golf club?

I have myself in a few bad position where I just can not hit the ball with my right handed clubs and if I had a left handed club i'd be able to hit my ball. One of the group said you need a left handed club. 

Now some people say that is cheating but if that would lower my score because I would have to take a drop surely that would be a good thing. 

Can anyone tell me if that is cheating?

I want my score to drop but I do not want to cheat.


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## Robobum (Jun 24, 2010)

No. As long as the total doesn't exceed 14.


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## bigslice (Jun 24, 2010)

only cheating if its you 15 th club


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## mike13a (Jun 24, 2010)

Many thanks for your help. I only carry 12 clubs so that should be fine if I decide it will help me.

again thanks for your help


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## USER1999 (Jun 24, 2010)

Is carrying 14 of them cheating too? I think so.

Seriously, does this happen often enough to warrant carrying one? If so, you need to work harder on hitting fairways.


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## drawboy (Jun 24, 2010)

It can't be Mickelson carries 14 of them!


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## Jabba (Jun 24, 2010)

The cricketer Brian Close played to single figures right or left handed. Whichever set he played with, he always carried the 7 iron from the opposite set for such eventualities.


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## USER1999 (Jun 24, 2010)

It must be cheating, as neither Mickelson or Leftie (odd to mention the two in the same sentence, seeing as one can play golf, and the other....) are actually left handed. If it wasn't cheating, they would play right handed like the rest of us.


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## Smiffy (Jun 24, 2010)

I want my score to drop but I do not want to cheat.
		
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That's no fun


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## 19th (Jun 24, 2010)

I know of a seasoned golfer who plays all his woods right handed and his irons left handed.

Unlike hockey when playing shinty (a similar Scottish sport) you hit with both sides of your 'stick' hence the ability to play both left and right handed.

In the shinty playing area it is not unusual to see three out of a four ball playing left handed and indeed the left handed open is normally played in the Newtonmore/Boat of Garton shinty area.

So having a left handed club amongst their right handed ones will be quite common up there or vice versa.


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## huttonline (Jun 24, 2010)

Mickelson had to play a right handed shot last week in the US Open (to save himself falling off the cliff), he simply turned the club face upside down and chipped out of the rough.


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## RGDave (Jun 24, 2010)

It can't be Mickelson carries 14 of them!
		
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Come on lads - this deserved a mention.


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## pablo123 (Jun 24, 2010)

All I will say is if you can hit it go for it there's a couple of guys at my club who play right handed yet putt left handed lol


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## daymond (Jun 24, 2010)

Dont knock it. I play right handed and putt left. I wish I had learnt to play left handed.
In reply to the OP don't bother with a left handed club just select an iron, turn it face down ie reversed TAKE A LEFT HANDED GRIP and hit it. A little practice helps!


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## HomerJSimpson (Jun 24, 2010)

I didn't use to carry a left handed club but did have for a while an old 8 iron for use when I played at Wimbldon Common from stony pathways and near trees. I struggle to hit it conventionally without chucking in the left handed shot into the equation


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## Leftie (Jun 24, 2010)

It must be cheating, as neither Mickelson or Leftie (odd to mention the two in the same sentence, seeing as one can play golf, and the other....) are actually left handed. If it wasn't cheating, they would play right handed like the rest of us.
		
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I'm not going to take the bait.  I'm not going to take the bait. I'm not going to take the bait. I'm not going to take the bait. I'm not going to take the bait.

Oh, what the heck.

It's you right handed people playing golf "right handed" that are doing it wrong.  Just to take 3 "lefties" at random who are right handed   - Mickleson, Weir, me - we could hardly be in better company.

I never thought that I would see myself being likened to big Phil (particularly by Murph), let alone in the same sentence


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## RGDave (Jun 24, 2010)

It's you right handed people playing golf "right handed" that are doing it wrong.
		
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I agree. Left handed is the way to go. I'm left handed but play almost every sport right handed. That's clearly where I'm going wrong.

My first proper golf pro was left handed. He played right and went for a lesson with Denis Pugh. Pugh said "something's not right here, are you left handed?" The pro replied "yes I am" so Pugh got him to relearn left handed.

+1 right handed. Two years later +3 left handed.


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## Oddsocks (Jun 25, 2010)

what about one of the dual sided chippers, they can be reversed to be played left or right, and with the correct technique may come in usefull around the greens, atleast it has the option of being used more than once a round?


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## Twire (Jun 25, 2010)

what about one of the dual sided chippers, they can be reversed to be played left or right, and with the correct technique may come in usefull around the greens, atleast it has the option of being used more than once a round?
		
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Go and wash your mouth out immediately.


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## USER1999 (Jun 25, 2010)

Strictly speaking, a two faced chipper is a non conforming club.
Appendix 11, page 159, d: striking faces: The club head must have only one striking face, except that a putter may have two....etc.

Note: a putter has less than 10 degrees loft.


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## 19th (Jun 25, 2010)

One of the old boys up our way who used both left and right handed clubs was asked how he decided which set to use for a round.

He confided in the chap that he used nature.

If he woke beside the wife in the morning and was hanging to the left, he used the left handed set and if hanging to the right, the right handed set....

If hanging neither right or left....

He missed golf that day!!


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## freddielong (Jun 25, 2010)

all I can think is why?

Why would you want to?
& Why would it be cheating?


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## SwingsitlikeHogan (Oct 17, 2014)

freddielong said:



			all I can think is why?

Why would you want to?
& Why would it be cheating?
		
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Going back in time a little to pick up on this as it was a topic of conversation at the club earlier today.  Why would it be cheating?

Well let's pick an easy scenario - a path from which relief is given runs very close on it'd LHS (as playing the hole) to the course boundary.  No relief from the boundary markers/posts/fence is given.  My ball lands on the narrow strip of grass between boundary and path.  As a right-hander there is no room for me to address the ball.  But if I was a left-hander I would be standing on the path and therefore can take full relief and drop my ball RHS of path and then be clear to play my next shot.  So why as a right hander can I not stand on the path and reverse my club saying I am playing the shot left-handed and so claim relief.  And if that is not allowed due to me reversing my club - I carry a left-handed club.  Yes it might only be of use once in a blue moon - but maybe that is not my concern.

Is this allowed? Am I breaking any rule?  Also let's just say for the moment that I am not interested in the 'spirit of the game'


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## Region3 (Oct 17, 2014)

SwingsitlikeHogan said:



			Going back in time a little to pick up on this as it was a topic of conversation at the club earlier today.  Why would it be cheating?

Well let's pick an easy scenario - a path from which relief is given runs very close on it'd LHS (as playing the hole) to the course boundary.  No relief from the boundary markers/posts/fence is given.  My ball lands on the narrow strip of grass between boundary and path.  As a right-hander there is no room for me to address the ball.  But if I was a left-hander I would be standing on the path and therefore can take full relief and drop my ball RHS of path and then be clear to play my next shot.  So why as a right hander can I not stand on the path and reverse my club saying I am playing the shot left-handed and so claim relief.  And if that is not allowed due to me reversing my club - I carry a left-handed club.  Yes it might only be of use once in a blue moon - but maybe that is not my concern.

Is this allowed? Am I breaking any rule?  Also let's just say for the moment that I am not interested in the 'spirit of the game'
		
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If playing the shot left handed (either with a lh club or a RH one reversed) is deemed to be a reasonable choice of shot then I'd say yes, relief granted. If there are clearly better options then no because you're trying it on, like the bloke that tried to show me he should get relief from a staked tree by swinging his driver in the rough.


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## HomerJSimpson (Oct 17, 2014)

SwingsitlikeHogan said:



			Going back in time a little to pick up on this as it was a topic of conversation at the club earlier today.  Why would it be cheating?

Well let's pick an easy scenario - a path from which relief is given runs very close on it'd LHS (as playing the hole) to the course boundary.  No relief from the boundary markers/posts/fence is given.  My ball lands on the narrow strip of grass between boundary and path.  As a right-hander there is no room for me to address the ball.  But if I was a left-hander I would be standing on the path and therefore can take full relief and drop my ball RHS of path and then be clear to play my next shot.  So why as a right hander can I not stand on the path and reverse my club saying I am playing the shot left-handed and so claim relief.  And if that is not allowed due to me reversing my club - I carry a left-handed club.  Yes it might only be of use once in a blue moon - but maybe that is not my concern.

Is this allowed? Am I breaking any rule?  Also let's just say for the moment that I am not interested in the 'spirit of the game'
		
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I stand to be corrected but surely if you have a legal club in your bag it is up to you to decide how to play the shot and so could use the left handed one and carry on with the relief. I think it goes against the spirit for certain but seems legal. Personally I'd rather fill any gaps with right handed clubs I might need and not waste one anymore (did have a battered old 8 for playing off paths) that may be a once in a blue moon occurence


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## palindromicbob (Oct 17, 2014)

Oddsocks said:



			what about one of the dual sided chippers, they can be reversed to be played left or right, and with the correct technique may come in usefull around the greens, atleast it has the option of being used more than once a round?
		
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And are illegal.


If you really want a left handed club then go for it but I don't think your score will drop that much thanks to it and you'd need to be very proficient to get a real advantage.


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## SwingsitlikeHogan (Oct 17, 2014)

HomerJSimpson said:



			I stand to be corrected but surely if you have a legal club in your bag it is up to you to decide how to play the shot and so could use the left handed one and carry on with the relief. I think it goes against the spirit for certain but seems legal. Personally I'd rather fill any gaps with right handed clubs I might need and not waste one anymore (did have a battered old 8 for playing off paths) that may be a once in a blue moon occurence
		
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That's indeed what I was asking.  So even not carrying a left-handed club I could turn my club over and claim relief as playing left handed I stand on the path.  I take my relief and play my next shot right handed.  Sorted.  Same would then apply for such as staked trees; immovable obstructions etc.


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## palindromicbob (Oct 17, 2014)

SwingsitlikeHogan said:



			Going back in time a little to pick up on this as it was a topic of conversation at the club earlier today.  Why would it be cheating?

Well let's pick an easy scenario - a path from which relief is given runs very close on it'd LHS (as playing the hole) to the course boundary.  No relief from the boundary markers/posts/fence is given.  My ball lands on the narrow strip of grass between boundary and path.  As a right-hander there is no room for me to address the ball.  But if I was a left-hander I would be standing on the path and therefore can take full relief and drop my ball RHS of path and then be clear to play my next shot.  So why as a right hander can I not stand on the path and reverse my club saying I am playing the shot left-handed and so claim relief.  And if that is not allowed due to me reversing my club - I carry a left-handed club.  Yes it might only be of use once in a blue moon - but maybe that is not my concern.

Is this allowed? Am I breaking any rule?  Also let's just say for the moment that I am not interested in the 'spirit of the game'
		
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No need to carry the left handed club. You can't fairly take you stance due to the boundary fence but by adopting a left handed swing you could make the shot towards the green. The is reasonable and a similar situation is described in decision 24-2b/17.  A time when this is unreasonable is discussed in 24-2b/18

Q. A right-handed playerâ€™s ball is so close to a boundary fence on the left of a hole that the player, in order to play towards the hole, must play left-handed. In making a left-handed stroke, the playerâ€™s backswing would be interfered with by an immovable obstruction. Is the player entitled to relief from the obstruction?

A. The player is entitled to relief since use of an abnormal (left-handed) stroke is reasonable in the circumstances - see Exception under Rule 24-2b.
The proper procedure is for the player to take relief for a left-handed stroke in accordance with Rule 24-2b(i).
The player may then use a normal right-handed swing for his next stroke. If the obstruction interferes with the swing or stance for the right-handed stroke, the player may take relief for the right-handed stroke in accordance with Rule 24-2b(i).*

As for this 'not in the spirit' idea. Please read this and tell me where the above actions are in conflict? 

"Golf is played, for the most part, without the supervision of a referee or umpire. The game relies on the integrity of the individual to show consideration for other players and to abide by the Rules. All players should conduct themselves in a disciplined manner, demonstrating courtesy and sportsmanship at all times, irrespective of how competitive they may be. This is the spirit of the game of golf."


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## HawkeyeMS (Oct 18, 2014)

There's nothing to say you can't as long as you only carry 14 clubs but without wanting to be rude, but equally unable to think of a way to say this without sounding so, your scores aren't going to drop by carrying a left handed club. As a 24 handicapper, there are many many more ways you can improve your scores that will be much more effective than simply carrying a LH club (like learning to hit it better right handed)

Besides, can you actually hit a left handed club? I would suggest taking a drop would be less costly most of the time.


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## Paperboy (Oct 18, 2014)

HawkeyeMS said:



			There's nothing to say you can't as long as you only carry 14 clubs but without wanting to be rude, but equally unable to think of a way to say this without sounding so, your scores aren't going to drop by carrying a left handed club. As a 24 handicapper, there are many many more ways you can improve your scores that will be much more effective than simply carrying a LH club (like learning to hit it better right handed)

Besides, can you actually hit a left handed club? I would suggest taking a drop would be less costly most of the time.
		
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Lol Hawkeye, the topic was started 4 years ago, but resurrected!!


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## backwoodsman (Oct 18, 2014)

SwingsitlikeHogan said:



			Going back in time a little to pick up on this as it was a topic of conversation at the club earlier today.  Why would it be cheating?

Well let's pick an easy scenario - a path from which relief is given runs very close on it'd LHS (as playing the hole) to the course boundary.  No relief from the boundary markers/posts/fence is given.  My ball lands on the narrow strip of grass between boundary and path.  As a right-hander there is no room for me to address the ball.  But if I was a left-hander I would be standing on the path and therefore can take full relief and drop my ball RHS of path and then be clear to play my next shot.  So why as a right hander can I not stand on the path and reverse my club saying I am playing the shot left-handed and so claim relief.  And if that is not allowed due to me reversing my club - I carry a left-handed club.  Yes it might only be of use once in a blue moon - but maybe that is not my concern.

Is this allowed? Am I breaking any rule?  Also let's just say for the moment that I am not interested in the 'spirit of the game'
		
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Palindromicbob has given one answer. But in addition, if the proximity of the bounary fence prevents a right handed shot towards the green, then a right handed shot away from the green is not unreasonable. For which you can have relief. And after relief, there is no requirement to continue playing away from the green.


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## Hacker Khan (Oct 18, 2014)

Leftie said:



			I'm not going to take the bait.  I'm not going to take the bait. I'm not going to take the bait. I'm not going to take the bait. I'm not going to take the bait.

Oh, what the heck.

It's you right handed people playing golf "right handed" that are doing it wrong.  Just to take 3 "lefties" at random who are right handed   - Mickleson, Weir, me - we could hardly be in better company.

I never thought that I would see myself being likened to big Phil (particularly by Murph), let alone in the same sentence   

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Me too.  Play golf and cricket left handed. Rest of the time I'm so right handed or footed for everything.


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## garyinderry (Oct 18, 2014)

I can't make contact with a left handed driver, never mind a smaller headed iron.


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## Liverpoolphil (Oct 18, 2014)

One of the guys on the HC com carries two left handed clubs in his bag and hits them just as well as the right handed ones


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## need_my_wedge (Oct 18, 2014)

Liverpoolphil said:



			One of the guys on the HC com carries two left handed clubs in his bag and hits them just as well as the right handed ones
		
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I've played him in a comp when he used right hand clubs whilst carrying a left handed 7 iron. He used the left handed club a couple of times during the round. He hits equally well left or right handed, plays off about 18 and is very handy off it.......


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## SwingsitlikeHogan (Oct 18, 2014)

OK so all fine.  One of these things in the rules that seems to give the player 'unfair' level of relief and that could be a 'get out of jail free card' - but over the piece the rules balance out these sort of scenarios where the rules seem to be a little unfair to the player.  I can see situations through the green where a free drop under relief in these circumstances would enable me to play a straightforward shot to the green when actually playing it left handed would probably put me deeper in trouble and a penalty drop costs me a shot.  And in matchplay where the impact of shots is limited to a hole this could be significant. between losing and halving or winning the hole.


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## Maninblack4612 (Oct 18, 2014)

Don't think so. I've got a mate who carries a whole set of them.


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## duncan mackie (Oct 18, 2014)

SwingsitlikeHogan said:



			OK so all fine.  One of these things in the rules that seems to give the player 'unfair' level of relief and that could be a 'get out of jail free card' - but over the piece the rules balance out these sort of scenarios where the rules seem to be a little unfair to the player.  I can see situations through the green where a free drop under relief in these circumstances would enable me to play a straightforward shot to the green when actually playing it left handed would probably put me deeper in trouble and a penalty drop costs me a shot.  And in matchplay where the impact of shots is limited to a hole this could be significant. between losing and halving or winning the hole.
		
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you could also look at it this way - there are more instances where the ability to play some sort of a shot with a reversed club will save a shot than there are rules advantages to doing so. Yet strangely (to me) few people practice it at all!


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## CMAC (Oct 18, 2014)

SwingsitlikeHogan said:



			OK so all fine.  *One of these things in the rules that seems to give the player 'unfair' level of relief* and that could be a 'get out of jail free card' - but over the piece the rules balance out these sort of scenarios where the rules seem to be a little unfair to the player.  I can see situations through the green where a free drop under relief in these circumstances would enable me to play a straightforward shot to the green when actually playing it left handed would probably put me deeper in trouble and a penalty drop costs me a shot.  And in matchplay where the impact of shots is limited to a hole this could be significant. between losing and halving or winning the hole.
		
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..and if you turn the club around and play it left handed....also unfair?










for the avoidance of doubt, I dont think its unfair and anyone who thinks it is is mistaken


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## HawkeyeMS (Oct 18, 2014)

Paperboy said:



			Lol Hawkeye, the topic was started 4 years ago, but resurrected!!
		
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Jeez, what is it with old posts being resurrected at the moment. Can't we get them locked after a certain period. You shouldn't have to check the date before responding to a post.

I stand by what I said though


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## CMAC (Oct 18, 2014)

HawkeyeMS said:



			Jeez, what is it with old posts being resurrected at the moment. Can't we get them locked after a certain period. You shouldn't have to check the date before responding to a post.

I stand by what I said though 

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think theres a scalliwag or scamp (possibly an ex member or banned member) who's digging out ancient threads. Dont know how as I cant see threads older than about 6 mths


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## palindromicbob (Oct 18, 2014)

CMAC said:



			think theres a scalliwag or scamp (possibly an ex member or banned member) who's digging out ancient threads. Dont know how as I cant see threads older than about 6 mths
		
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Actually think this one was a genuine revive to avoid repost as SLH was the one that resurrected it and explains why.  Still though anything older than 12 months should be locked. It's perfectly acceptable to start a new thread by that stage.


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