Anyone who has spent time around Eric Tye is aware of his passion for hockey. But Tye, who oversees the Flyers Cup scholastic hockey tournament each March, is also passionate about his golf.
And the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s Adaptive Championship has enhanced his passion.
Tye was part of the field of 60 golfers competed in the two-day 36-hole test at Indian Valley Country Club in Telford last Monday and Tuesday. It’s the second year in succession that GAP has hosted an adaptive championship for golfers with physical or mental disabilities.
Tye, who was born without a lower right arm, has played in the event twice. He finished back in the pack, in part due to a balky putter but his enthusiasm for golf and for the Adaptive Championship was undiminished.
“I guess it’s just the compete level,” he said. “Anything you ever want to do, you just want to compete.
“This is hard. I didn’t put very well. I had two bad holes {during the final round} and three or four {during the opening round}. It deflates your ego a little bit.”
Despite his handicap, Tye considers himself fortunate.
“I’m just missing my arm from my elbow down. But you look around here. I got it easy man. I got it so easy compared to some of these people.”
Tye says the fact that he was born with his disability has made it easier for to deal with compared to someone who may have lost a limb due to an injury.
“I think it makes it easier for me because I’ve never known anything but to do it the way I do it,” he said. “I had no choice. “Some of these guys may have lived 15 or 20 years and then lost their arm so they’ve had to learn how to do everything all over again, so there’s a big difference there.”
The atmosphere at the event is characterized by mutual respect and support along with good fellowship
“We have fun,” Tye said. “We definitely have fun. Playing practice rounds at these things, you meet everyone and everyone’s just hanging out, it’s a good time.”
The GAP event is one of a number of adaptive golf events held around the country each year. Tye says he’d like to start playing in them more frequently.
“It’s just awesome,” he said. “We do these events and we see each other at these events. It puts life in a whole new perspective.
“Now that I know these guys, I’m going to start going to start going around and playing in different ones when I can. It’s hard, because a lot of them now they are in November, December, January, and February.”
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