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Photo Gallery Professional Golf Association member, Judy Alvarez of Palm City, Fla., was a guest instructor at Paradise Point Golf Course aboard Camp Lejeune Nov. 28. She addressed her peers on how to be better golf instructors for 50 to 100 wounded Marines who are currently being treated here. The Marines will learn how to use the game of golf as part of their rehabilitation for the injuries they received in the line of duty.
Alvarez began her professional golf career in 1993 as an instructor for golfers with disabilities. Since then, she has become PGA of America’s National Trainer for the disabled, traveling across the country, meeting the hundreds of veterans and wounded warriors.
“The look on their faces when they hit a ball or realize maybe football isn’t their sport anymore, but, wow, the game of golf is something they can do and do well,” said Alvarez. “I think it’s neat when I have heard numerous military say they thought golf was a dumb sport or something to that effect and now due to an injury they are giving it a try and realize it’s not easy, but they sure do like the challenge.”
Bruce Oliver, a PGA Master Professional and PGA head professional at Paradise Point was among the golf professionals at Alvarez’s seminar.
“I am excited about the possibility of teaching our great Marines how to have fun on the golf course after their injury,” said Oliver. “Our goal is to have anyone in rehabilitation at Camp Lejeune be exposed to golf as a part of their recovery.”
Once Alvarez concluded the training session, the PGA Professionals she guided will be providing instruction to wounded Marines from Camp Lejeune. The Marines will receive a curriculum that goes well beyond the basic Rules of Golf and golf’s fundamental skills.
The PGA Professionals will be able to employ techniques that would utilize adaptive equipment where necessary, demonstrate how golf may be used as part of rehabilitation and teach safety concerns in swinging a golf club and the importance of stretching.
“They love that we are taking time out of our schedules to help them learn to hit a ball for the first time or to relearn a modified swing with gadgets and assistive devices,” Alvarez said. “I look at their injuries and say, ‘Thank you very much for going overseas to defend my country.’ I want to give back to them and they appreciate that.”
For more information on The PGA of America/Disabled Sports Military Golf Program, please visit www.pgafoundation.com. To find a PGA Professional who teaches those with disabilities, please visit www.PlayGolfAmerica.com.
The PGA of America is the world’s largest working sports organization, comprised of 28,000 men and women golf Professionals who are the recognized experts in growing, teaching and managing the game of golf while serving millions of people throughout its 41 PGA Sections nationwide.
