| NALG HISTORY
It appears that the first organized lefty tournament occurred
in New England in 1925, exact date unknown. There were approximately
twenty aspirants who dared the scorn and derision of their right-handed
brethren by attending such an event. The following years saw more
left-handed tournaments in various parts of the United States,
but still only regional tournaments. It wasn’t until 1934 that
Ben Richter, an active left-handed professional from the Triple
A Golf Club in St Louis, Missouri staged a tournament at the White
Sulphur Springs Golf Course in West Virginia.
The 1935 tournament was played in Cleveland, Ohio. While neither
the 1934 nor 1935 tournaments were a great success, they nevertheless
encouraged Ben and his Missouri amateurs to pursue the notion
of establishing a national organization encompassing all lefty
golfers throughout the United States. This vision of a national
organization became a reality with the inauguration of the First
National Left-Handed Championship Tournament at the Norwood Hills
Country Club, St Louis, Missouri in September of 1936.
Ben Richter did his own promotion to attract all left-handers
in the land. He mailed requests for names to 1300 fellow professionals
at their home clubs; he enlisted representatives of golf equipment
manufacturers to carry blank forms in their sample cases and to
fill them out whenever they found a left-hander. Altogether he
secured about 5000 names and sent them invitations to participate
in the First Left-Handed Championship Tournament at Norwood Hills
Country Club in St Louis County. One hundred and forty seven lefties
assembled to play September 1936 at Norwood Hills.
One hundred and forty players from 24 states participated in the
second National Championship at Olympic Fields Country Club, Chicago,
Illinois. The rank included representatives from all walks of
life: bankers, lawyers, doctors, insurance executives, ministers,
priests, teachers, factory workers. Since Olympic Fields in 1937,
there have been tournaments every year, except World War II years,
1942-45, across the United States and Canada.
1947 saw the formation of the Senior Division for those golfers
over the age of 50. In 1973 the age limit was changed to 55, and
in 1961 a Junior Division was added for youngsters under 18 years
of age.
By 1960, the left-handed golfers were beginning to take their
place in many of the leading tournaments throughout the world,
but they were still short of one requisite so essential to the
individual’s success in this great National pastime—proper equipment.
The producers of golf equipment had not developed the quality
or type of equipment needed by the southpaw. After considerable
research and requests to the producers of golfing equipment, the
First Flight Company of Chattanooga, Tennessee, agreed to produce
the type and quality of equipment recommended by the NALG (National
Association of Left-Handed Golfers). Jack Harkins, founder and
President of this outstanding golfing equipment company, negotiated
a contract with the NALG to produce golf equipment under the label
"NALG APPROVED EQUIPMENT". Through the efforts of the professionals
and amateurs of our organization we now have equipment equal in
quality and design with the best produced for right-handers, and
we can all enjoy the pleasure of playing with precision built
clubs.
In 1960, Mike Freedman, founder and owner of the Desota Lakes
Golf & Country Club, Sarasota, Florida, proposed to the Board
of Governors at a special meeting to sponsor a National $10,000
Open Tournament at his club for a period of 5 years. In 1961,
thirty-two professionals and 160 amateurs participated in the
first Open. Harry Shoemaker won the first National Open Championship
with Thorne Wood, Professional, as runner-up. Completing the five
year contract with the Desota Lakes Golf and Country Club in 1965,
the Board of Governors decided to find a new location for the
National Open. Since 1965 the tournament has been held at a different
location every year.
In 1961, we let our right-handed friends in on a good thing when
the Carolinas Division of the NALG proposed a National Lefty-Righty
Championship Tournament. This Tournament is held each year following
Labor Day at Cedar Rock Country Club, in Lenoir, North Carolina.
This is a 72 hole Tournament. It is limited to 100 teams and is
sold out every year.
Ever since 1957 the Northern California Left-Handed Golf Association
have held the Western States Lefty-Righty Tournament at Lake Tahoe,
Nevada. This 54 hole Tournament, played on three excellent golf
courses,is limited to 78 teams and also sells out every year.
There are currently three National Tournaments: the National Championship
which is for lefties only, the Lefty-Righty in Lenoir, North Carolina
and the Lefty-Partner which is held in Florida in January of each
year. The state tournaments are run by the local chapters in their
particular state.
For more information about lefty golf visit our web site "www.nalg.org"
courtesy of Robert Jessie in Newark, Delaware or you can call
the National Office at 1-800-844-NALG (6254).
Thanks to John Mulkern for the historical information.
800-844- NALG(6254) FAX 404 691-5549
www.nalg.org
nalg@mindspring.com |
