Injured service member overcomes obstacles to play golf
KLTV | October 31, 2021 | Link to Article
WOOD COUNTY, Texas (KLTV) – An East Texas army veteran is overcoming obstacles, proving the military motto ‘overcome and adapt’.This veteran is doing it through golf.The game of golf can be hard enough to play for a fit person, but for army veteran Timothy Masters who suffers a degenerative muscle disease, it’s a challenge he’s taking on.And for a good reason.”I have 3 kids at home. And they look up to dad and I want to be involved in their lives, the sports that they do an everything,” he says.Masters was an army chemical operations specialist, deployed during operation ‘Iraqi freedom’.He was diagnosed with a rare muscle disease in 2017.”Had problems picking up my 2 year old daughter at the time, and falling down while walking through my backyard. There’s no cure there’s no treatment. I can’t cross that line, because my body just can’t handle it,” Timothy says.Wanting to stay active, it was a physical therapist that had the answer.”Well it turns out that physical therapist was a golfer. I said I wonder if I could swing a club?” Masters says.He has specially made clubs that allow him to stand upright, and a special made golf-cart through the ‘Semper-Fi and America’s fund’.Still he found he got fatigued quickly while playing, but came up with a unique solution. Switch hitting.”Maybe I’ll try by drives and longer fairway shots left-handed. I ended up getting a left-handed driver and left-handed hybrid,” says Timothy.”I think it’s amazing. I’m impressed. It just gives people hope. I’ll look over and like wow,” says fellow golfer Trish Lapoint.Some might say, is it worth it for a game? For Masters it is.”I was able for the first time 2 months ago, to go out on this course with my son and play golf together. And that was huge for me,” he says.