A New Challenge



Paralympic Gold Medalist Takes On Golf

By Brendan Tierney, USGA
While golf is something that many are hesitant to pick up because of its perceived difficulty, the game can be learned and enjoyed if given the proper instruction.



Larry Hughes, left, poses with playing partner Cheryl J. Hazel. (Courtesy Larry Hughes)


Take Larry Hughes, a disabled golfer who hadn't touched a club in more than 40 years. Learning the game was just another hurdle in what will inevitably become another athletic success story in the 55 year old's long list of achievements.

The American record holder in his classification in the discus, javelin and shot-put, Hughes captured a gold medal in the discus, recording a personal-record 41.34 meters, at the 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta.

"It was the most incredible time in my life," he said. "The odds were stacked against me -- I had a cracked elbow -- and still I managed to become a finalist in all of the events."

Yet overcoming adversity is nothing new for Hughes, who is a paraplegic as a result of Multiple Sclerosis and Lupus.But Hughes doesn't let his physical condition impede his quest to participate in athletics. Despite his disability Hughes said, "The desire to compete on such a high level isn't over yet."

He lives by the motto, "If better is possible, then good isn't enough." He spreads his message as a motivational speaker, consultant and coach for other athletes, in addition to his main focus of training for the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens, Greece.

Despite his full plate, Hughes found time recently to return to golf. He was introduced to the game as a youngster and 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 said, "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 USGA, PGA Tour and PGA of America. Currently there are four Project GAIN sites located in Baltimore, Chicago, Sacramento and Salt Lake City, 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 soon, and the program 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. 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.



Leading By Example

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-medal 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," said Barbie Miller, the Local Coordinator of the Baltimore Project GAIN site. "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."



With trophy in hand, Larry Hughes receives the Spirit of the Games Award, the highest such honor, at the Veterans National Wheelchair Games in San Antonio in 2000. (Courtesy Larry Hughes)


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 golf. Beyond the Alliance's work with Project GAIN, it has also created a Web site 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 Association has earmarked additional time and resources into the creation of the USGA Resource Center for Individuals with Disabilities. Information can be found at www.resourcecenter.usga.org .

This Web site is the clearinghouse of information for golfers with disabilities, and it contains databases of introductory programs, instructors, therapists, courses, tournaments and players. Additionally, the site highlights success stories 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 conceded, 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," he said.

No one would know that better than Hughes.

Brendan Tierney is a second-year Fellow and can be reached at btierney@usga.org . This story also appeared in Ability magazine. For more information about golf for individuals with disabilities, visit the USGA's Resource Center for Individuals with Disabilities Web site at www.resourcecenter.usga.org or the National Alliance for Accessible Golf Web site at www.accessgolf.org .