Thursday, July 25, 2002
Cincy Lefties combine golf, socializing
By Carey Hoffman
Enquirer contributor
When it comes to promoting his favorite cause, Ed Martin isn't shy.
“When it comes to left-handers, I can spot one from six fairways away now,” says Martin, a Florence resident and president of the Cincinnati Left-Handed Golfers Association.
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WANT TO JOIN?
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To become a member of the Cincinnati Left-Handed Golfers Association, call Herman Bowling Jr. at (513) 232-8628.
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“I carry information cards about the association with me and try to get them to join. Invariably, the reaction is, "I had never heard of this organization.' ”
Cincinnati might be the unofficial left-handed golf capital of the nation. In addition to being the home of one of the top five left-handed players in the world, PGA Tour pro Steve Flesch, the Cincy Lefties, as they're known, are by far the largest city-based organization in the National Left-Handers Golf Association.
When that group held its national tournament last month in Las Vegas, more golfers from Cincinnati attended than from any other state association.
“The biggest bond, of course, is that we're left-handers, but this is also a very social organization,” says Herman Bowling Jr., the group's treasurer. “We're amateur golfers there for the social aspects of it, and we try to foster and assist younger golfers in picking up the game and learning golf from a competitive viewpoint.”
The Cincy Lefties have been around since the 1960s. They sponsor six outings for their members each golf season, with events remaining this year at Weatherwax on Aug. 18, at the Willows course at Kenton County on Sept. 15, and at Twin Oaks on Oct. 20.
Members range from scratch golfers to 36-handicappers and span all age groups. The group has about 75 members, including two women.
“All our events are broken down by flights and handicaps, so that everyone has a shot,” Bowling Jr. said. “We have modest prizes, and over 50 percent of the people competing win something. But it's just a very social group of people. Once they come, they seem to continue to come.”
State associations also sponsor tournaments. The Ohio championship took place two weeks ago in Lima. The Kentucky championship is coming Aug.10-11 at Lexington's Marriott Griffin Gate Golf Course.
Martin is also the chairman of the national association's board and spends most of his time in the summer traveling to tournaments.
“This is about camaraderie and the joint realization that we as left-handers have felt left out or been a severe minority for all our lives. To come across an organization where everyone is left-handed is great,” Martin said.
About 10 percent of all golfers play from the left side.
Equipment is the largest problem facing left-handers. Many older lefties can recall having great trouble locating left-handed equipment when they were learning the game.
Cincy Lefties member Don McIntosh, apparently haunted by those experiences, buys almost every club he can find, Martin said.
“He's the supreme left-handed equipment owner in the world. Last time I was over, he had five or six full sets of irons and 30 or 40 drivers. I counted four sets of Ping irons. The Cincy Lefties love him - they know where to go when they want to get good left-handed used equipment cheap.”
Manufacturers such as Ping and Calloway cater to lefties now. They've provided support and equipment for the national association's efforts, including junior clubs.
The group's national tournament has been featured on the Golf Channel. Five years ago, Sports Illustrated ran a feature that included a photo of 300 lefties hitting simultaneously on a driving range.
“From my travels, one reason I've seen why we've been so successful in Cincinnati is because it's a far more social event than a lot of other tournaments,” Martin said.
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Cincy Lefties combine golf, socializing
