Hundreds of veterans flock to Riverside for golf clinic

RIVERSIDE — Over 200 veterans from 33 states spent this week at the Riverside Casino and Golf resort, in town for the National Disabled Veterans Golf Clinic, spreading out to other courses in Pleasant Valley, Kalona and Iowa City.

Participants from across the country said the annual event, usually held in Iowa, was among the only of its kind for people like them, offering accommodations for people with disabilities like blindness, amputations, spinal cord injuries and Parkinson’s.

“You improve your skills, you gain confidence, and you meet others with the same disabilities,” said Tom Boland, a Marine and Army veteran from Minnesota, shortly before making his last putt of the day. “The intent is for disabled veterans to be able to participate in regular sports at home.”

Joseph Graham, golfing with Boland, said it was inspirational to see so many other people on the course. Graham served during the Gulf War, and is now blind in one eye.

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“I see a lot of people out here that have a lot worse disabilities than I do,” he said. “I’ve gotten the chance to meet a lot of people, and it’s hard to feel bad about yourself when you see so many people that have so many other disabilities. You just support each other … That’s what it’s about, it’s about supporting your brothers and sisters in arms.”

The event, a collaboration between Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and the Department of Veterans Affairs office in Iowa City, has 30 years of history behind it.

DAV National Commander Nancy Espinosa, an Army veteran herself, said the event started as a golf tournament in southern Iowa for visually impaired veterans, but has since expanded to include other conditions, and serve for many as a learning experience rather than a competition.

“We’ve had great participation here with the Iowa City VA Hospital,” she said. “It’s been here since 1994 … we just see so many veterans that enjoy themselves out here, that, maybe this is the only event they do.”

Participants said they were grateful for the opportunity.

"I use this for mental health,“ said Nikki Wyman, a veteran from Maine who came to town for the week. ”To be around people that have the same kind of issues that I do … similar experiences, people that have traumatic brain injuries, people that have PTSD, things like that. It gives us a chance to relate to each other.“

That sentiment was shared by several veterans across the golf course.

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Bill Lippincott, a veteran whose leg was amputated, said the week was a chance to reunite with people, feel a sense of community, and network for solutions to shared problems.

“It’s a camaraderie between all of us in the military, that we lose as soon as we get out,” he said. “Something that can bring us back together, it’s like talking to a long lost brother. Because all of the different branches, have all different stories … but we all have the same problems.”

Others said they appreciated the numerous accommodations available. Some could be seen in specialized carts they could swing from without standing up. Most participants traveled the course with “golf buddies” who could assist them on the green, including Donald "Don" Johnson of Cedar Rapids, a 107-year-old Navy veteran whose daughter said he was overjoyed about the outing.

“Golf was one of those passions he could never get enough of,” she said. “When he was finally unable to golf … at about 104, he’s always been saying, ‘I wish I could golf one more time.’”

Organizers said at least 60% of the participating golfers were visually impaired, including James Shacochis, a veteran from Maryland practicing at the driving range Tuesday afternoon.

“They’ve got so many volunteers here, they help you any way they can,” he said. “They have other events for the VA, but this is something else … you make some new friends, meet some new people.”

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One volunteer, Kandace McCue, said she was recruited into her career as a blind rehab provider almost 30 years ago while volunteering at the event.

Another, Professional Golfers’ Association Instructor Mike Armes, said he was happy to tailor his lessons for the crowd.

“With a lot of the injuries and the disabilities that they have, the traditional golf swing just doesn’t work, so we have to figure out different ways for them to hit the ball,” he said. “The most important thing is to enjoy it, because you’ve got veterans with PTSD and lots of things going on. For them to come out and be with other veterans is a good psychological boost for them.”

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com