Paralympic Gold-Medalist Takes on the Game of Golf

While golf is a game that many are hesitant to pick up because of its perceived difficulty, with the right instruction it can become fun to learn and a great challenge at any level of play.  For Larry Hughes, a golfer with a disability who hasn't touched a club in more than 40 years, learning the game is another challenge in what will inevitably become another athletic success story for him to add to his long list of achievements.

Hughes, 55, has accomplished many incredible athletic feats in his lifetime.  The American record holder in his classification in the discus, javelin, and shotput, he was also the gold medalist in the discus at the 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta. 

"It was the most incredible time in my life," he said of the '96 Paralympic Games, where he threw a discus a personal record 41.34 meters to take the gold.  "The odds were stacked against me, I had a cracked elbow, and still I managed to become a finalist in all of the events."

Hughes knows a lot about having the odds stacked against him.  He is a paraplegic who suffers from Multiple Sclerosis and Lupus, but he does not let any of this stand in his way.  As he put it, despite the disability that he faces, "the desire to compete on such a high level isn't over yet."  Living by the motto, "If better is possible, then good isn't enough," Hughes spreads his message as a motivational speaker, consultant, and coach for other athletes, in addition to his main focus, training for the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece. 

As if this is not enough, Hughes recently returned to golf after putting away his clubs for 40 years.  He had been introduced to the game as a youngster.  He became involved again when, serving as a member of the Baltimore County Disability Commission, he heard about a Project GAIN golf site coming to Baltimore.  "Whenever anything athletic comes up at those meetings," he explained, "everyone points to me."

Project GAIN, which is an initiative of the National Alliance for Accessible Golf, facilitates the inclusion of people with disabilities, not only into golf, but also into the fabric of their community.  It is funded by grants from the United States Golf Association (USGA), PGA Tour, and PGA of America.  Currently, there are four Project GAIN sites located in Baltimore, Salt Lake City, Sacramento, and Chicago where golfers with disabilities are taught the ins and outs of the game, and teaching professionals are given information about how to teach golfers with disabilities.  Another site in Toledo, Ohio, is scheduled to open next, and Project GAIN hopes to have eight sites open by 2005.

Project GAIN has helped introduce the game to nearly 200 individuals with disabilities, many of whom were skeptical at first.  According to Bob, a participant in the Sacramento program, "when I had my stroke I never thought I would golf again, so I gave my clubs to my granddaughter's husband.  Then I heard about this program and I came out here and found that I can do it again."  And the program is not restricted to those with prior golf experience.  Many beginners have found the Project GAIN program to be an excellent way to stay active, make friends, and improve their health, all while learning a game that they can play with anyone.

The Project GAIN initial training program instructs golf professionals, program staff, volunteers, and steering committees who will be involved with the project.  From there, all participants' skill levels are assessed and they receive six instructional sessions specifically designed for their abilities.  A number of social and inclusion activities are worked into the curriculum.

Despite his lack of golf experience, Hughes immediately took a lead role with the Baltimore Project GAIN site, serving on its committee while also taking part in the program as a mentor and participant.  So how does a gold medalist athlete react to starting anew in golf?  "There's a desire that's always there to be competitive," he said.  "It's important to not be afraid to try something new.  You just need to adjust, find yourself, and have fun with it."

It is this positive attitude that has directly resulted in success for Hughes in all of his endeavors, and one that clearly affects the thinking of those around him.  "Larry is a tremendous role model for those who are fortunate enough to get to know him," the Local Coordinator of the Baltimore Project GAIN site, Barbie Miller, said.  "I was lucky enough to see him out on the golf course for the first time in all of those years, and it was a thrill for all of us to see the look of accomplishment on his face."

This look of accomplishment is one that is reaching the faces of more and more individuals with disabilities, thanks in part to the efforts of the National Alliance for Accessible Golf and the USGA.  The Alliance seeks to ensure opportunities for all persons with disabilities to fully engage themselves in the game of golf.  Beyond the Alliance's work with Project GAIN, it has also created a website with a wealth of information about golf for individuals with disabilities located at www.accessgolf.org.

The USGA has made a significant push to get more individuals with disabilities involved in the game.  In addition to awarding more than $2 million in grant funds since 1997 to more than 60 organizations operating golf programs for individuals with disabilities, the USGA has put additional time and resources into the creation of the USGA Resource Center for Individuals with Disabilities, located at www.resourcecenter.usga.org.  This website is the clearinghouse of information for golfers with disabilities, and it contains databases of introductory programs, instructors, therapists, courses, tournaments, and players.  Additionally, the website highlights the success stories of golfers with disabilities such as Hughes.

While Hughes' final success story with golf may still lie ahead, the appeal of the game to him is the same as it is to anyone else.  "Golf has an ongoing challenge every time you play," he said, "you can go out there on a Monday and Tuesday and hit a great shot, and then have that same shot on Wednesday and not know where your ball went."  But ultimately, he concedes, golf "is no different than anything else. practice makes perfect."

So what advice would he give to others with disabilities playing golf for the first time?  "Before you say no, apply yourself and give yourself the opportunity to succeed."

Take it from Hughes, he knows a few things about succeeding in athletics and life.

For more information about golf for individuals with disabilities, visit the USGA's Resource Center for Individuals with Disabilities website at www.resourcecenter.usga.org or the National Alliance for Accessible Golf website at www.accessgolf.org.

This story was originally published in ABILITY Magazine.  Please visit ABILITY Magazine's Web site at www.abilitymagazine.com.