On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (July 10th-12th) the 2nd Annual US Adaptive Open will be held for the second consecutive year at Pinehurst Resort and Country Club’s Course #6, in Pinehurst, NC. As residents of the Pinehurst #6 community, and as an employee of Pinehurst #6 (Grounds Crew), this is a big deal!
The following story details my experiences at the 2022 US Adaptive Open.
It was Thursday, four days prior to the start of the inaugural U.S. Adaptive Open, hosted by Pinehurst Resort on Course #6. The U.S. Adaptive Open (one of fifteen annual USGA championships) is for players with physical and/or intellectual impairments.
I was plying my craft, with a modicum of success, on Course #6’s driving range, when a player with a left leg prosthesis slipped into an adjacent stall. Connecting the dots, I made the assumption the player was participating in the upcoming event. I walked over to his hitting stall, introduced myself and welcomed him to Pinehurst. Trevor Reich (58/3.4 Index), from Cape Town, South Africa, was in fact competing in the tournament in the Leg Impairment Category. Trevor lost his lower left leg in a boat propellor accident.
We had a delightful conversation as Trevor was affable, with a delightful sense of humor and a devilish grin. During our time together, he asked for assistance with the distances to the various targets on the range as well as Pinehurst’s relationship to sea level. I was glad to oblige, shooting the distances with my range finder and googling the answer to the sea level question; which happens to be 550 feet. Trevor was confused by my distances until he realized I was providing the information in yards when his brain processes in meters!
Somewhere in the midst of our conversation, I asked if he had secured a caddy for the event. He said he hadn’t however he would be looking into the situation over the next few days. Living 284 paces from the first tee box of Course #6 (not that I’ve counted), working part-time on the Grounds Crew of Course #6 and as a frequent player of Course #6, I felt uniquely qualified to offer my services. Initially Trevor thought my offer was in jest however I was deadly serious.
As we parted company, Trevor was interested in “sorting out my fare” for my services. As an experienced caddy, (Baltusrol Golf Club, circa 1968-1975) it made sense to suggest a “fare” commensurate with my capabilities, however not so unreasonable to disengage from a potential revenue source. After careful deliberation, I fired off the first volley, proposing; one beer a day! Trevor, the cagy South African negotiator, paused, stroked his chin for a moment and with nerves of steel, poo-poohed my offer. Emotions were running high and after a bit of posturing by both sides, we amicably settled on “two” beers a day! As my father always said, “you get what you pay for”! We shook hands, securing the arrangement. Trevor concluded our conversation suggesting that he would see me on the first tee and not to be late.
Adaptive Open Facts:
- Dates: July 18-20, 2022
- Format: 54 holes of stroke-play
- Entries: 229
- Field: 96 players from 29 states and 12 countries, male and female, amateurs and professionals
Ages: No Restrictions / Sophia Howard: Age 15, Arm Impairment Category, youngest in the field / Judith Brush: Age 80, Leg Impairment Category, oldest in the field
Qualifications: WR4GD Pass and a Handicap Index
Impairment Categories (minimum five male and two female players in each category):
- Arm Impairment
- Leg Impairment
- Intellectual Impairment
- Multiple Limb Amputee
- Neurological Impairment
- Seated Players
- Short Stature
- Vision Impairment
Champions: One overall male and female champion / Medalists in each impairment category
Playoff Format: Two-Hole Aggregate
So, what does a championship caliber player get for two beers a day?
From my vantage point, a professional caddy’s role is to anticipate the slightest want/need of his/her player and to share intimate information on the intricacies of the course/course set-up. In addition, the caddy must be fully committed to his/her player with ample offerings of encouragement, assurances and levity.
I met Trevor on the jam-packed driving range as he warmed up for his first round. The atmosphere could best be described as fraternal as players were overtly friendly, supportive and grateful for the opportunity to compete for a national title at such an iconic location. Many players were familiar with their fellow competitors from previous competitions and/or various associations. The scene on the range was mind-blowing as blind golfers, one-legged golfers, double-leg amputee golfers, one-armed golfers, short-statured golfers and seated-golfers pounded balls deep into the range with uncanny accuracy. It was a visual smorgasbord of incredible, inspiring athletes. Conditions for the three-day event were to be challenging as temperatures and relative humidity were predicted to reach the mid-high 90’s. In addition, rounds were anticipated to be between five to six hours in length.
“These folks are not impaired individuals who happen to play golf, these folks are players who happen to be impaired.” -John Hopkins
As we moved to the first-tee we were introduced to our playing partners:
Austin Morris/34 (Bend, Oregon) / Arm Impairment/Multiple Strokes / Index: 2.3
Before graduating from high school, Austin suffered three strokes (ages 9, 11 and 18) and for most of his life he has had no feeling in his left hand, arm or leg. When he was five, he became the fourth person in the world diagnosed with ALPS (Autoimmune Lymphoproliferative Syndrome) which is commonly referred to as “Boy in the Bubble” disease, and with it came a plethora of life-threatening health complications.
Austin; quiet, polite and reserved was decked out in matching Nike gear from head to toe. I observed Austin concluding his impairment story with a fellow competitor by banging his left arm, repeatedly, against a pillar on his golf cart, without sensation or feeling. Austin was supported by his wife/caddy.
Jordan Thomas/33 (Nashville, Tennessee) / Multiple Limb Amputee/Boat Propellor Accident Index: +1.6
In 2005, at the age of 16, Jordan lost both of his legs, below the knee, in a boating accident. Jordan subsequently founded the Jordan Thomas Foundation; “helping kids get the prostheses they need to lead healthy and active lives.” Their mission; “to return children and adolescents to a life without physical limitation by providing quality prostheses until adulthood, serving as a caring resource for the child and family living with limb differences and tirelessly advocating for insurance fairness”; as traditional health insurance does not routinely cover “activity” limbs.
A single prosthesis, which needs to be replaced every 18-24 months, can cost up to $50,000. The Foundation currently supports eighty-three children in twenty states and three countries (2023 numbers have increased to 102 kids). www.jordanthomasfoundation.org
Jordan can be best described as up-beat, engaging, with a perpetual smile, making everyone in his orbit a happier person. Jordan is an accomplished player with incredible length, height and accuracy. Jordan was supported by Sean, a professional caddy from the Pinehurst Resort.
Amy Bockerstette/23 (Phoenix, Arizona) / Intellectual Impairment/Down Syndrome Index: 24.2
In January 2019, as a representative of Special Olympics, Amy was invited by the PGA Tour to play the par-3 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale with professional golfer Gary Woodland and Matt Kuchar during the Tuesday practice round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open. After hitting her tee shot into a greenside bunker, she parred the hole by making a lengthy putt on an iconic hole in front of a roaring crowd, confidently stating, “I got this!” The video went viral, receiving over 55 million views. www.igotthis.foundation
Amy is warm and kind. Amy’s love for the game has more to do with the numerous social opportunities on and around the course than the physical act of hitting a golf ball, which she does quite well. Amy was supported by her dad/caddy (Joe) as her mother followed the action each and every hole.
I spent four days (one practice round and three tournament rounds) with my guy; Trevor Reich. An impaired golfer with a 3.4 Index with a non-impaired caddy with a 12.1 Index. An impaired player who loves his whiskey with a non-impaired caddy who loves his beer. An impaired golfer who deals in meters with a non-impaired caddy who deals in yards. An impaired golfer who could occasionally read a putt with a non-impaired caddy who frequently misread putts. An impaired golfer with a South African accent (which I mistakenly took for an Australian accent) with a non-impaired caddy sporting a modified Pennsylvania Dutch accent. An impaired golfer who loves the game and has an onery sense of humor with a non-impaired caddy who loves the game and can be a bit glib now and again. An impaired golfer that doesn’t take himself too seriously with a non-impaired caddy that chooses to do the same. We were quite a match!
I would like to think we enjoyed our time together, sharing the ebbs and flows of a grueling tournament. I was inspired by Trevor’s competitiveness, his fitness; as temperatures/humidity reached the high-ninety’s during what amounted to six-plus hour rounds, as well as his positive attitude when things weren’t going quite his way. In addition, Trevor, without complaint, had to remove and adjust his prosthesis on numerous occasions during each round, due the more than uncomfortable weather conditions.
This may sound trite as a marginal golfer, but I have experienced the very best the game has to offer. Sharing countless hours with family and friends on some of the best landscapes on the planet. Meeting like-minded, spirited players from all walks of life; walking 18-holes, laughing and enjoying a pint or two or three at the end of the round. My time with Trevor Reich at the U.S. Adaptive Open was one of those treasured experiences.
By the way Trevor, I am quite sure you still owe me “one” beer, but who’s counting! I hope to see you next year, if you will have me.
Enjoy following the 2nd Annual US Adaptive Open.
Thank you for following “Bad Golf Guy”
The back nine can only get better!
Great story Jim
So cool!!!!