Who Needs A Wheelchair?

 A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away . . .

"Do you think I can play golf since I'm in a wheelchair?"

"This is fun! I didn't think I could play golf!"

"I'm getting better at golf every week!"

Ok, so maybe these quotes were not said by Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, or Princess Leia, but they were said at Ranken Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital by one of our most dedicated junior golfers over the span of the past several weeks. Today when I got to Ranken Jordan and got everything set up for golf, I was greeted by something that had me speechless -- the same junior golfer who said these things and has been in a wheelchair for far too long, walked outside for golf! During the next hour I was in awe as I watched this junior golfer stand with their walker and hit golf balls! We made a few minor tweaks to the swing and soon enough golf ball after golf ball was being knocked across Ranken Jordan National Golf Links and onto the two putting greens!

"Standing up to hit golf balls is so much more fun than sitting in my wheelchair!"

"Did you see that?! I hit that one really far!"

"I could stand here and hit golf balls all day!"

These comments are the type of things we heard all afternoon, and there was also a huge smile to go along with everything said! Days like today provide some of the most rewarding moments possible. When teaching golf to children in a pediatric hospital, success and progress are not thought of the same way as many would think. Typically people look at score, driving distance, or in the case of junior golfers, being able to move back a set of tees, as ways to define success and progress. With medically complex children, we look at getting out of a wheelchair to stand and hit golf balls, being able to hold the golf club independently, or increasing the number of golf balls hit, as measurements of success and progress. No, it is not the "traditional" way of gauging improvement in golf, but golf is so much more than just a game. Golf truly is a healing tool and when you see proof of that in front of you, it leaves you at a loss for words and with an overwhelming sense of gratitude that you get to see it. I understand that every Wednesday afternoon I am the one teaching golf to the kids, but the kids are the ones giving the lessons every week.