Well, let me tell ya ’bout this here “adaptive golf open”, whatever that fancy name means. It’s somethin’ about golf, that game where they whack a little ball with a stick, tryin’ to get it in a hole far, far away. Sounds like a lot of work to me, but some folks seem to like it.
Now, from what I gather, this “adaptive” golf thing is for everybody. Yeah, even you, with your bad back and that wonky knee! They got these special golf games, see? They call ’em “championships”, real high-falutin’ names, I tell ya. And they want all sorts of folks to play, even those who ain’t quite as spry as they used to be.
- They got folks with all kinds of problems, you know, like maybe they can’t walk so good, or their arms ain’t so strong.
- But they still wanna play golf, bless their hearts.
- And these golf people, they’re makin’ it so they can.
I heard tell they got special sticks, “clubs” they call ‘em. And carts, little cars to ride around in, so you don’t gotta walk all that way. It’s like they’re tryin’ to make golf easy for everyone. Which is good, I guess, ’cause walkin’ all over the place under the hot sun ain’t no fun for nobody, ‘specially not us old folks.
This Arizona place, they’re doin’ it too. Got their own “Arizona Adaptive Open Championship”. Sounds mighty important. They say it’s gonna have the “world’s best” players. Well, I reckon if you’re the best at hittin’ a ball with a stick even with your problems, then you must be pretty good. They are really excited about it, these golf folks. They want everyone to play this game, young and old, healthy and not-so-healthy. It’s good to see people gettin’ out and doin’ things, even if it’s just chasin’ a little white ball around a big field.
Then there’s this “USGA”, whatever that is, they got their own “U.S. Adaptive Open Championship” too. Seems like everybody’s doin’ this adaptive golf thing. Must be somethin’ to it. I heard they are doin’ it every year, too, so if you miss one, you can try again later! They really want this game to be better in the future, letting people with all sorts of problems to join in. Good for them, I say. Gives folks somethin’ to do, gets ‘em out of the house.
There’s this group, “Adaptive Golfers”, they’re teachin’ folks how to play. They got special teachers, folks who know how to help those with, you know, “adaptive needs”. That’s what they call it. They make it fun, they say. And they got all that special gear, the clubs and carts I was talkin’ about. They have these group play days where you can practice and get to know people. Sounds like they are tryin’ to make everyone feel comfortable and included.
This fella, George Groves, he’s a real good golfer, even though he’s got some problems. He says you gotta have a good attitude if you wanna play golf good. Says he’s laid-back, easy-goin’. That helps him on the golf course, he says. Well, I reckon that’s true for just about anything in life. You gotta be positive, gotta keep tryin’, even when things are tough. He’s the number one disabled golfer in the world! Must be workin’ hard to keep playin’ well, even if he has his challenges. That’s good advice for all of us, not just them golf players.
So, this “adaptive golf open”, it’s about golf for everyone. It’s about lettin’ folks play, no matter what their troubles might be. It’s about gettin’ outside, havin’ some fun, and maybe even hittin’ that little ball into that little hole every now and again. And that, I reckon, ain’t such a bad thing after all. They got these championships all over, seems like. So if you’re lookin’ to play some golf, and you need a little help, well, there’s folks out there who can make it happen. You just have to show up with the right attitude and the rest is just details, I guess. Sounds like fun, even for this old lady, though I reckon I’ll stick to watchin’ from the porch. My swingin’ days are long gone.
