Steve Young made a name for himself as one of the most successful left-handed quarterbacks ever to play in the NFL, leading the 49ers to three Super Bowl titles during a Hall of Fame career.
So, those watching the 49ers legend play in this week's American Century Championship at Edgewood Tahoe Resort might have been confused to see Young golfing right-handed. But have no fear -- he explained why during an exclusive interview with NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco for an episode of the "49ers Talk" podcast set to debut next Thursday.
"When I was growing up, I didn't play a lot of golf. I caddied some, I fooled around, and [my dad] had righty clubs," Young told Maiocco. "I didn't have the money nor the interest at the time to special order lefty clubs -- I'm lefty in everything -- so I just learned to play righty.
"As my caddie, Lionel, will point out, that's probably half the problem."
From football to baseball to eating, Young explained everything he does is left-handed -- except golfing. His fellow left-handers haven't taken kindly to his righty golf swing, he added, including fellow retired NFL quarterback Michael Vick.
"[Vick and I] got talking about it, and we were putting around, playing out on the golf course, and he goes, 'You play righty?' " Young recalled. "He was offended. True lefties, like I am, are a little offended by that. So I think I offend myself, a little bit, by this."
Both Young and Vick are two of the most notable names on the list of left-handed quarterbacks to make it to the NFL. There have been just 33 all-time, and Tua Tagovailoa currently is the only lefty signal-caller in the league.
And based on Young's comments, it's clear lefties stick together -- unless, of course, they're fresh out of left-handed clubs.
"When I was growing up, I didn't play a lot of golf. I caddied some, I fooled around, and [my dad] had righty clubs," Young told Maiocco. "I didn't have the money nor the interest at the time to special order lefty clubs -- I'm lefty in everything -- so I just learned to play righty.
was practicing his chipping in the back yard when his son and future six-time major champ picked up a golf club and started swinging — left-handed. The legend goes that Phil was trying to be a “mirror-image” of his right-hand swinging father, so even though he does everything else right-handed, the lefty swing stuck.
One of the main reasons why left-handed people take up golf right-handed is the lack of equipment for left-handed golfers. Especially in times past, left-handed clubs were not readily available, particularly the hand-me-down clubs that children typically get given to learn on.
Out of the 36 quarterbacks in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, in contrast, only two are left-handed: Steve Young and Ken Stabler, 5.5%. The percentage of quarterbacks currently in the NFL is even lower. There are 32 teams in the NFL and every team has at least two quarterbacks.
While left-handed individuals make up approximately 10 percent of the worldwide population, only about five percent of PGA Tour golfers are lefties. What's even more perplexing is that left-dominant people are actually overrepresented in many other racket and bat sports.
Phil Mickelson's position as the best left-handed golfer to ever live goes without saying, as his resume positions him as one of the best overall players in the history of the sport.
Many studies have indicated that left-handedness is associated with increased risk of different types of injuries. Lefties are six times likelier to die in an accident, and four times likelier to die while driving than righ-handers.
What exactly is this new theory? Researchers say the steadily low percentage of lefties "is a result of the balance between cooperation and competition in human evolution." Humans have long had an evolutionary need to cooperate, such as when sharing tools or hunting in groups.
who have had some semi recent success. But there have only been 3. left handed quarterbacks to ever make a Super Bowl, with those 3 being Boomer A Sizing, Kenny Stabler, and Steve Young. Stabler was the first lefty to win the big game.
To many, Tim Tebow is the greatest college football player ever. By default, that makes him one of the best left-handed quarterbacks we've seen at the college level. Tebow became an icon with the Gators during his time in Gainesville and was yet another polarizing figure in college and the NFL.
The Masters has been won by a left-handed golfer six times since 2003. Mike Weir of Canada broke the seal, Phil Mickelson earned three green jackets and Bubba Watson won twice. Common wisdom holds that several holes at Augusta National set up better for lefties than righties, whether off the tee or into the green.
In the Instagram post made by TaylorMade, they wished everyone a happy left-handers day and included clips of Tiger Woods, Nelly Korda, Rory McIlroy, and five others, all of whom are right-handed golfers.
Introduction: My name is Stevie Stamm, I am a colorful, sparkling, splendid, vast, open, hilarious, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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