Don't forget to sign our Guestbook!

Golf

Matthew has had an avid interest in golf since he was five years old.  He got his first set of clubs when he was six years old and would spend hours practicing in the back yard.  It wasn't long before he began practicing at a driving range.  Since I knew absolutely nothing about the game of golf, I had to learn a bit myself.

In the spring of 2001 Matthew joined the Special Olympics Unified Sports golf team.  Each athlete with a disability has a non-disabled golf partner.  Matthew has learned far more from his golf partner than I could ever teach him.  In August of that year, Matthew competed for the first time at the area wide tournament held at  Rollandia Golf Course in Kettering, Ohio.  I was so proud when Matthew won a silver medal for second place in his division.  Not bad for his first tournament!

The area wide tournament was especially exciting during the summer of 2002 because Matthew was being filmed for an upcoming documentary for the Discovery Health Canada television network.  Although it was a brutally hot day and Matthew was a bit self conscientious about being filmed, he and his partner still managed to take second place again that year.

Members of the team also have the option of playing in the Miami County Partnership Golf Scramble held in Piqua, Ohio.  Matthew played in the golf scramble in 2005, 2006and 2007.  Each time he and his partner took first place.

In the spring of 2008 Matthew was honored at the Special Olympics Sports Banquet by being chosen golfer of the year!  However, to Matthew there is much more to the game than just winning.   He enjoys the camaraderie of his team mates as well as the satisfaction of knowing he is doing his best to improve his game.   The Special Olympics' program has given Matthew an excellent opportunity to compete in the sport that he loves.