Older Posts
Golf is one of those special sports that has a universal appeal. Both young and old, male and female as well as people with disabilities love the game. Our founder Josh Basile, who has little to no mobility in his arms, grew up loving the game. “My entire childhood was filled with golf,” he says. After his injury, golf seemed out of reach, with even the adaptive version of golf at the time not possible with his injury level and lack of movement in his arms and hands.
Josh however was undeterred and created the game of Slingshot Golf as a new way to play even if you can’t hold a golf club. He came up with the idea six years after his injury in 2004 and has been playing the game and introducing it to others with limited mobility ever since, but he’s never been able to competitively play an Adaptive Golf Tournament until this year.
This month at Hanover Country Club in Abbottstown, PA, Josh, along with his childhood friend and golfing partner Andrew Mitchell, competed in their very first adaptive golf tournament on May 21st and 22nd at the 36th Pennsylvania Amputee and Adaptive Open Golf Tournament. Competing in this event was a long time coming for Josh since he had long missed taking part in competitive sports, which was something he loved pre-injury. Josh was on the tennis team at Skidmore College. “I want to be part of that (competitive sports) and I know I can. I’ve got the mental game and I’ve got the physical game through different adaptive devices to get back out there in play.
In fact, they believe Josh is the first person to compete in a sanctioned golfing event without ever touching a ball or club for the course of 36 holes. As one can imagine, a lot of strategy goes into playing the game since Josh relies completely on his voice and eyes to make each shot. For putting, they use another device Josh invented called the Pendulum Putter, which he can also use verbally with the help of his caddie.
And for the first shot of each hole, the drive, they’re now able to start at the regular starting area, tee box, thanks to the invention of the Swingless PowerGolf driver. This amazing piston-powered golf club has the ability to drive a golf ball up to 200 yards with just the push of a button.
Since so much is required of both Josh and Andrew when it comes to communicating in order to play, a lot of planning is involved. “On the way up we talked about strategy, how we’d prepare, what distances and angles we wanted to take to attack each pin, and what types of shots we’d practice once we could hit the range,” says Andrew. Josh and Andrew’s golfing partnership began to blossom during COVID since it was one of the only activities they could still do safely outside.
But what really surprised Josh and Andrew was the warm reception they received from everyone at the tournament. “Josh was the only competitor playing adaptive golf using different equipment and the assistance of a caddie to use that equipment. We had to face the fear that we might not be welcome if we performed too well, or too poorly to keep up with the field. Mentally we both placed ourselves in a box that just didn’t exist. Josh may have high level quadriplegia, and be approaching the game from a unique angle, but that drew interest from across Pennsylvania instead of dismissal,” says Andrew.
During day one of the tournament, they were paired with a local club pro, and a former #1 seed player at the University of Delaware, who wanted to join their team and learn more about this unique approach to the game of golf. “We’d been embraced before we arrived, and that held true for all 36 holes we played in,” says Andrew. “Everybody wanted to know more and see more of how Josh was approaching the game of golf. Every moment we had a break in play, people wanted to know how Josh and I knew each other and how he came up with some of his devices.”
By the end of the tournament, Josh and Andrew had their own cheering section. “After sinking a 12-foot putt for our 5th par in a row, an entire foursome was cheering us on from a tee box 150 yards away. There is clearly a room for acceptance and encouragement of all individuals who want to compete in golf no matter their level of ability,” says Andrew.
And Josh and Andrew made an impressive debut, finishing among the top 5 competitors. “I’m competing again,” says Josh, “and I don’t want to stop this for the rest of my life. I’m excited to play my next round and to empower others to believe that Golf is open to All Abilities.”
— Watch Josh play at the 36th Pennsylvania Amputee and Adaptive Open Golf Tournament
— Learn more at Slingshot Golf
ideas@spinalpedia.com
