The next generation of lefties

We are approaching the deadline for entry into the 2025 NALG National Tournament in Fort Worth.  If you have not yet signed up, please do so now.  You will have a great time!  There are a large number of left-handed golfers across the country yet the tournament is nowhere near full.  How do we attract more players?

I just watched the round of 64 for the United States Amateur and saw Miles Russell win his first match 4&2.  He is one of the future of great left-handed golfers.  On the women's side, Lyla Lauderbaugh made it to the semi-finals and past Augusta National Women's Amateur champion Anna Davis made it to match play.  It would be great if our national tournament would attract players such as these.

Our event seems to have lost its prestige.  There are efforts to try to bring that back.  There is also a need for increased publicity as a majority of lefties do not even know that the NALG or the various state tournaments exist.  We need all lefties to help spread the word.

When I was in high school my parents bought me a set of golf clubs.  I only had two choices - either Ryder Cup II or Ping.  I chose the Ryder Cup II which I now regret as the Pings would have been collectors items!  Lefties do not have the small number of left-handed club choices I had as a kid although there are still more options for righties.

Today it seems that there are a lot more lefties playing.  We need to attract some of them.  Back in May I volunteered as a rules official at the National Junior College Division II National Championship at Swan Lake Resort in Plymouth, Indiana.  While there I estimated that there must have been about 15 lefties playing.  A couple of months later I volunteered for the Indiana Junior PGA and saw another half-dozen or so lefties.  I spoke with one and said he should play in our Indiana State Leftys tournament.  His eyes lit up as he was totally unaware that there was such a tournament.  He stated that there are three lefties on his high school team - and they are one of the top teams in the state!  I told him to go to nalg.org for more information.

While the NALG is not 125 years old like the U.S. Amateur, we are almost 90 now.  We should be a prestigious event like we used to be.  But it takes good players.  Those I witnessed playing above would all be capable of winning.  I know that they can drive the ball well past this 67 year-old!  We need to determine how to attract them.  Why would they want to come to an event where they might spend up to two thousand dollars travelling and staying at the tournament site?  And what would they win.  In my early days of playing the national they gave away a set of Ping irons to the winner.  Unfortunately some past board member took advantage of the Ping generosity and the NALG lost that sponsorship.  Today we do award a cash prize but it must still be below the limit allowed by the Rules of Amateur Status which is $1000.  Maybe pushing the top prize to that level would attract better younger players.  Maybe moving the event back to the summer would help younger players play as they would not be in school or that the time would be better for a family vacation for those out of school.

Please share your thoughts in how to help the organization grow.  We do need and appreciate your help.

In the meantime, if you are a lefty, please tell all the lefties you see and play with about the NALG and our state tournaments should you be near one of those states.  Better yet, bring one with you to one or more of our tournaments!  Even better, if there is not a state tournament in your site, help to organize one.  The NALG is willing to help you.