Photo: Hussain QuantumAn economist friend, who is also an accomplished golfer, recently told me the following story.
He and two friends had made a pilgrimage to the birthplace of golf: the Old Course at St. Andrews, Scotland. They had managed to secure a tee time and were just about to tee off when the starter stopped them and told them to wait — he had a fourth player who would be joining them. The three friends were disappointed; what sort of schmuck were they going to get stuck with?
After brief introductions, the fourth player asked them what their handicaps were. A handicap in golf more or less corresponds to how many strokes you shoot over par on average. They told him their handicaps, which were three, four, and seven (which by the way, means they are exceptionally good recreational golfers).
The fourth player, who was standing on the tee with a set of right-handed clubs, said “O.K., great, I get my left-handed clubs” — the implication being that if he instead played left-handed, it would be a more even match. He headed back to his car, grabbed a set of left-handed clubs, and true to his word, proceeded to shoot a three over par 75.
Who was this mysterious fourth player? None other than the dashing Spaniard Seve Ballesteros. Golf fans everywhere have been saddened by Ballesteros’s shocking recent battle with a brain tumor.
Ballesteros, who retired last year, was a brilliant golfer who won three Open Championships, two Masters, and 82 other titles. He is best remembered for his flair and creativity: like hitting a shot from a car park in the 1979 Open Championship at Royal Lytham and St Annes.
My golfing friend conjectures that maybe playing left-handed on occasion helped Ballesteros learn to hit those creative shots which won him so many championships.
For instance, when your ball stops right next to a tree trunk, sometimes the only option is to flip a club around and try to swing left-handed. It is extremely difficult, because not only are you swinging left-handed, but you are using a club meant to be hit right-handed. My accomplished golfing friend has practiced this shot quite a bit, and says he once hit it 60 yards this way, but he averages about 20 yards.
He asked Seve that day how far he could hit it when in that situation. “About 150 yards,” Seve said. “It depends if I want a fade or a draw.”
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That’s a great story. I wonder why Seve wouldn’t carry one left-handed club just for that reason.
As a life long golfer, I am saddened by Seve’s situation. However, this story is a reflection of his creativity and determination. I am confident that he will bring the same determination to his health and survival.
“I admit that you are better than I am”
“Then why are you still smiling?”
“I’m not left-handed either.”
CM -
On the pro tour, there is a limit to how many clubs you can have in your bag. Before this limit was introduced, players often carried one lefty club.
As you probably already know, you’re only allowed 14 clubs and he probably finds it more beneficial to carry three wedges rather than a left handed club. Personally, while I like to be prepared for whatever a round might bring, I would NOT carry a club because “I think” I’m going to be hitting from behind trees that day. It’s almost like presuming you are going to hit it bad. Call me crazy, but I tend to hit it poorly when I think I’m going to hit it poorly. Most professional golfers will tell you the same thing.
Why is the story-teller being an economist relevant to the situation?
I’m an economist, and, not to take anything away from Seve, I’ve told better golf stories than this one.
Seve is apparently out of intensive care now (says the bbc) – hope he gets better quickly!
Ronnie O’Sullivan is a volatile but brilliant London snooker player who often plays games left-handed to challenge himself. It sometimes disheartens his opponent that he can win a frame playing this way. It’s a bold gambit.
That last bit explains why guys like Seve win the British Open: yhey can do just about anything they want with a golf ball.
In fact, they can do things many of us can’t even imagine (like flip a club over and hit the ball 150 yards — AND work it left or right.