A half-dozen amputee veterans from Walter Reed Army Medical Center were able to take a few swings at the driving range at Woodmont Country Club (Rockville, Md.) last month. Afterward, they played a couple of holes in the afternoon as part of a program called “First Swing,” reports The Associated Press.
The vets sat in a specially designed golf cart, called a SoloRider. Operated with hand controls, the cart’s seat swivels so that they are able to remain strapped in place while addressing the ball.
The program is a joint undertaking by Disabled Sports USA, the National Amputee Golf Association and the military. The goal is to give veterans a break from endless stir-crazy days at Walter Reed and show them that sports are not off limits to amputees.
“Some are really motivated and want to go do everything in every sport,” said Kat Poster of Disabled Sports USA. “Others, it’s very hard to get them out of the hospital. But what we find is we get them on one event, whether it’s a day of golf or a week of skiing, they’re hooked. They want to do more. If they can do one thing, they can do anything.”
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