Amputee golf tournament returns to St. Charles

When McHenry banker Bradley Schubert learned he would lose his foot to osteomyelitis, a disease which causes deterioration and infection of the bones of the feet and fingers, he knew life was going to change.

"I probably had eight or nine surgeries on my foot," he said. "Anything from the loss of my big toe to the amputation of all the toes, and earlier last year I started having problems putting weight on my foot as the infection had gotten into the foot."

Schubert, whose disease was likely caused by his diabetes, decided to be proactive about the new challenge he was facing.

"When I found that out, I reached out to amputee support groups just to find out what I was going to go through; things I need to deal with."

During his search, he came across an organization that surprised and relieved him.

"I found the Midwestern Amputee Golf Association," Schubert said.

The association is the regional offshoot of the National Amputee Golf Association, which was incorporated in 1954 and is supported by the Professional Golf Association and the United States Golf Association.

The association formed in Cleveland, Ohio, after World War II when veteran Dale Bourisseau contacted 11 comrades who had amputations similar to his below the knee operation and encouraged them to try golfing.

What began as friends playing golf developed into tournaments after word-of-mouth spread nationally.

"We're under the broader umbrella of the National Amputee Golf Association," said Jeff Linton, president of the Midwestern Amputee Golf Association, double below knee amputee since 1976 and amputee golfer since 1988.

"There are a number of regions and there are tournaments around the country.

"We started out in 2001, it's our 15th year. Everyone has lost a limb or limbs, and we like to say that we've overcome that with golf as a therapeutic tool, rehabilitation, a way to get back in the mainstream of life," Linton said.

Although playing golf may seem low on a list of priorities for a young man about to face life with a prosthetic foot, to Schubert it was a light at the end of the tunnel.

"I'm in banking and I play a lot of golf," he said. "Golf has always been my time away from work, time away from everything; to relax and have time with my friends, business partners."

He reached out to Linton, who invited Schubert to come to last year's tournament, pre-amputation.

"Jeff invited me to come out just before my amputation in September to watch everybody play in the tournament. So I came down, crutches and everything, and I rode along with Jeff," Schubert said. "I was inspired by different amputees: from birth defects, wounded warriors, medical conditions like my own. It made me feel what I was going to go through wasn't going to be so bad.

"Jeff was the one I spent the most time with and he put a lot of things in perspective with his story. That it's not the end of the world with medical advancements today," Schubert continued.

"He said, you'll be able to do so much more than you did before, and probably do it better."

Schubert spent the winter recovering from the amputation and the spring going through physical therapy and beginning to play golf. He'll be on hand to play in this year's tournament.

Schubert is one of many amputees that reach out to Linton.

"It inspires them, and I'm always inspired," Linton said. "I've been going for 25 years and it never fails, there is always somebody. It's these people getting excited that they get to play golf again, or they're getting together as a group for an outdoor activity for a challenging sport that they think they can't play."

Linton, however, had never played golf before he was a double amputee in 1976.

"A friend of mine, who was not an amputee, got me interested, then it caught fire by going to the amputee tournaments," Linton said.

The tournament is set up for golfers of every level to play with others with similar skills.

"You can get involved with any level of competition you want. There are golfers who are scratch or par, or there are golfers who are 120 and more," Linton said.

Schubert began at a lower skill level after his operation and has worked his way up.

"I'm doing better now than when I began to golf initially," he said. "Some of my friends joke that my game got better after the amputation; that's up for debate."

The first day of the three-day tournament is not about the skill of the game. A fundraising "scramble" is organized and non-amputee golfers are encouraged to participate in a game of best-shot by bringing teams of three or four to be matched with an amputee golfer.

"We play fivesomes or foursomes. We try and connect four non-amputees with an amputee golfer. You play best ball so there's not a lot of pressure," Linton said.

Aside from the pleasure of golfing, amputees often take new information home with them.

"There's a lot of exchange of ideas about prosthetic technology, and you'll see new materials, new feet, new knees," Linton said. "It's really a showcase for amputee technology. And you're going to have all levels. You'll see some pretty basic technology and some pretty high-tech technology."

Among the weekend activities is a banquet where prizes will be awarded, but most every golfer returns home with a feeling of accomplishment.

"When I left the outing last year, it was: I can do this, I can start playing just like these guys are and play well. It was part motivation and part inspiration," Schubert said.

"For all that I went through, the one-year turnaround from amputee to playing golf again, it does get better and you can achieve more than what you think you can," Schubert continued. "I know it's dark when it happens, but I'm really proud that I'm getting back on the golf course."

For details or to register, visit mwaga.org/.

If you go

What: The 15th annual Midwestern Amputee Golf Association Scramble and Golf Tournament

When: Fundraising scramble, 12:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11

Where: Pheasant Run Resort, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles, IL

Cost: $135 per non-amputee golfer or $90 for amputee golfer. The cost includes 18 holes of golf with cart, lunch, a post-scramble buffet and prizes.

Details: Visit <a href="http://mwaga.org">mwaga.org</a>, or contact Jeff Linton at (312) 375-8465 or mwaga.info@gmail.com.