Recognizing whether a golf club is built for a right-handed or left-handed player is actually quite simple once you know what to look for. Whether you’ve stumbled upon an old set in the garage, are browsing used clubs online, or are just new to the game, this guide will give you the confidence to identify any club in seconds. We’ll a look at the undeniable signs on the clubhead, the clues hidden in the grip, and even the subtle markings an expert would check.
The single most reliable way to determine a club’s orientation is to look at it in the "address" position. This is how the club is designed to sit on the ground right before you swing. You don't need to be a golfer to do this, just place the clubhead flat on the floor in front of you.
Follow these two simple steps:
Once you’ve done that, observe where the clubface (the flat part designed to hit the ball) is pointing.
Think of it like this: The opening of the clubface points toward the player's body at address. A left-handed golfer stands with the ball to their left, so the clubface points right, towards them. A right-handed golfer stands with the ball to their right, so the clubface points left, toward them.
If you need one more visual confirmation, look at where the shaft connects to the clubhead. That tapered piece is called the hosel.
This single observation - placing the club on the ground and seeing which way the face points - is the most definitive test and works for almost every club in the bag, from drivers to wedges.
While the address test works for all clubs, the unique shapes of drivers, irons, and putters offer some specific visual cues. Knowing these can help you identify a club even more quickly, especially when looking at photos online.
Irons are perhaps the easiest to identify. When you set a left-handed iron on the ground, the scoring lines on the face will be clearly pointed to the right. The clubhead itself looks like an "L", with the hosel forming the vertical part and the club bottom forming the horizontal part. The largest part of the iron's mass, or "muscle," will be behind the right side of the face. For a right-handed iron, everything is simply mirrored.
These clubs have large, hollow heads, but the same principle applies. A left-handed driver or wood, when soled on the ground, will have a clubface that opens up to the right. The logo and any alignment aids on the top of the clubhead (the "crown") will also be oriented for a player standing over the ball from the left-handed side. If you were imagine yourself swinging at the ball as a lefty, all the graphics on top would look correct and centered.
Putters can sometimes be the trickiest, as many modern designs are symmetrical. However, there are still giveaways.
While the clubhead is the final authority, other components can provide strong supporting evidence, especially if you can’t lay the club on a flat surface.
Most golf grips feature a logo from the manufacturer (like Golf Pride, Lamkin) or the club brand (TaylorMade, Titleist, etc.). On a standard installation, this logo is placed on the top of the grip, intended to be visible to the player at address.
Hold the club out in front of you. If it's a left-handed club, the logos and alignment markings on the grip will be facing up when you hold it with your left hand at the top and your right hand below it. If the logo only appears correct when you hold it with your right hand on top, you're holding a right-handed club.
A quick word of warning: This method isn't foolproof. Some golfers prefer grips installed "logo down" for a cleaner look, and a previous owner might have put the grip on incorrectly. Always use the clubhead as your primary identification method, and the grip as a secondary confirmation.
For an almost certain confirmation without an address test, check the hosel. Some manufacturers make it extra easy by stamping their left-handed products.
Additionally, almost all modern clubs from major brands have a serial number etched into the hosel. You can often go to the manufacturer's website or call their customer service line with this serial number, and they can tell you the club's exact original specifications, including whether it was made for a lefty.
Figuring out what clubs you have is the first discovery. The next one is figuring out if they’re right for you.
Your handedness in other activities (like writing or throwing) is a great starting point, but it's not the whole story. The legendary Phil Mickelson, a famous left-handed golfer, is naturally right-handed in everything else. He learned to play lefty by mirroring his father's right-handed swing as a child.
If you're a righty who has come into possession of lefty clubs (or vice versa), the temptation might be to just "make it work." My strong advice as a coach is to avoid this path. Learning golf is a challenge in itself, trying to do it with equipment that works against your natural coordination adds an unnecessary layer of deep frustration. It's like trying to learn to write with the wrong hand - you might make some letters, but you'll never develop fluid, repeatable penmanship.
The best thing you can do? Go to a driving range or golf store and ask to try a few swings with both left- and right-handed clubs. Grab a 7-iron of each orientation. You don’t even need to hit a ball at first. Just make a few smooth, easy half-swings. Your body will likely tell you very quickly which one feels natural and which feels genuinely awkward.
Determining a golf club's orientation boils down to a simple check: place the clubhead flat on the ground and see which way the face points. A left-handed club's face points right. With that one simple test, backed by clues from the grip and markings, you can confidently identify any club you come across.
Once you know which clubs are right for you, the real journey begins. It can feel a little overwhelming when you're starting out, and that's precisely why we made Caddie AI. You can ask it anything - from fundamental questions like "what's the difference between a chip and a pitch?" to getting a personalized strategy for a tough hole. If you're standing over a ball in a weird lie, you can even snap a photo, and Caddie AI will analyze the situation and recommend the smartest way to play the shot, helping you remove the guesswork and play with more confidence from day one.
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