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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1981-05-20, Page 12On the greens by Carolanne poi9 .;----- - : .--,,,0 ---,'' 0 .-.., / ,,,'• „oc„, -_,--%'" --,,, e-'--- ---*--:-.. -___-:-; ___0,--'----. ----____,..:.,-- --- p ---_-<-_--0--- - -,-,-------_,. , -,---<:--;. according to his wife Margaret who indicates that a television aerial never got hooked up for some' time• while Sam was working on his project. LAWN-BOY THE ONLY WAY TO MOW, it rr • FINGERTIP STARTING. \v„ * *.RU GED CYCLE .05 ENGINE l 411, /V s 4t, /11444.r.s.„ NI i.,-,',:, .,, , tip .. 1 . ...........- 11'. it *Side or rear Grins Catchers optional ON SALE OW!! FARM EQUIPMENT LIMITED 111 f. ,7,1777.7,,, ,:717 71--. Al2 — THE HURON EXPOSITOR, MAY 20, 1081 offer Just a few short years ago Andy North, Bruce Lietzke and Dennis Walters were tied for the lead in a major- intercollegiate champion- ship, Andy North and Bruce Lietzke are now weal known names to those w ho follow P.G.A. golf. Comparatively. few golfers would know who Dennis. Waiters is. I will introduce you here to a golfer whose courage and determination have become an Inspiration to golfers, all over. Like Lietzke and North. Walters always had dreams of pia). ing on the P.G. A. tour. Like Lietzke and North., he had a bright amateur and college golf career. and won many tournaments. Unlike Lietzke and North, Walters became the victim of a freak golf cart accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down. When the doctors told De0ais that lie would never walk', again., • they were aisa Saying that he' a ould never golf *gain, Well -just What- does a „young and talented golfer do when his only :dreams are shattered in such a fashion? As Dennis said..at first you punch walls and throw things, and then you either let the situation beat you or you beat the situation. Well, it's easy to guess who beat whom in this fight. Denitis decided he w ould still play the game he loved and, began hitting balls from his wheelchair. He tounci he could still hit the hall straight although the distance was considerably 'shorter. It was a beginning! No how to get out onto the course? One night while sitting in a bar, some friends noticed Dennis' freedom of movement while on a swivel sAtool. Before long, he had a swivel chair attached to his motorized golf cart. Now he could get out on the course and start .playing. imagine the • triOrat)on Dennis fell his first .few months on the course.., trying to learn the game over again: Perseverence paid off. and soon Dennis developed a system and style that ena- bled him to. pliy the game with a great deal of skill. The swivel chair allows him the freedom to turn and plant his feet on the fairway. A seal belt prevents .him from fall- ing to the ground. With the swivel seat Dennis is able to complete a full golf swing.,, He now hits the ball about 225 yards down the middle. When it comes to hitting out of traps or putting. Dennis hoists' hintself out of the car on crutches, balances on one crutch, hits and wedges and putts one handed. Since the accident, Dennis has devel- oped his skills well enough to play his home course in an even par 72! Now Dennis Walters is becoming well known to golf- ers and fans all' over. No, he's not winning tourna- ments on the tour. He's giving unique clinics- and demonstrations. He shows people just what courage and- determination can mean to a disabled person. When Den- nis Walters hits a ball 225 yards down the middle you can het, people stand op 'and applaud. Whet) 1. first deckled: something about diS., .74)104 gelferS:.1. 14400.q.,41.411.lint the tiyhl" ea 040- Golf AsSnfiation WO -'14d. ,0:04t).''hits,f0pyltrd. Dennis WalleW OOKY:'i° Since thew I have heard of some other disabled golfers who did not let their handi- cap prevent them from enjoy- ing golf. Charlie Boswell was a talented golfer before going off to war where he lost his -sight. After his injury. Char- lie continued to play his favourite game with the assi- stance of friends who would line him up and tell him the distance to the pin. Charlie fired rounds that would make most of us beam with joy. In last month's Golf Digest there was a picture of Larry Fournier, a golfer who was crippled by polio at 10 months old. Fournier is a successful businessman and father • of 3. He has a golf handicap of 12 and is a new member of the National Eas- ter Seal Sports Council. I'm .sure there are many more disabled golfers who manage to enjoy their sport. With 1981 designated as the „. International Year for the Disabled. we'll become more aware of these golfers. On Tuesday. July 28 the practice round of the Canadian Open will be underway at Oen Abbey in Oakville. The R.C.G.A. will have special facilities available for disa- bled golf fans. who would like to watch' the• practice gonna.) 44missiet to the practice round will be free tt? physically. 464b,,10, R,c,9;A. 4000 gveyytmc to be'. able fQ enjoy this:-,great Pale- • Wel last week at the course our 2nd Men's night was cancelled' due to Incle- ment weather (and that's putting it mildly). However. men's night is on again this evening so come out and join in the fun. Monday night our ladies will be hosting the Exeter club both on the course and upstairs in the clubhouse. Be sure to,eonie 0Ut'aselost: to 0 On. as •P9sSillie 50 Wit!' 41/41,, OW the Exeter '44ics .a $inte. •For More infer; matron. about .ladieS and nOey,-,nights, call the pro ," • • • Don't forzetIO Sign.,upler snatch play unctkecOn mind the.- Upcoming, „Midsurotner Madness-M1xed. Two Hail on Saturday June 6. Here's determi ed WE'LL ti HOME-BUILT PLANE — Sam Sweeney of Brussels has become well-known to the hews Media through his latest invention, a two-seater • plane, which now awaits' an inspection before Sam• can take to the skies for a test flight. Sweeney plane DEBBIE BANNEY Now that the plane is built, it's time to get down to 'more mundane matters like work around the house, or at least it is for Sam Sweeney of Brussels who has attracted the attention, of news media such as the K-W Record and Global TV with his latest invention. It's been about two years last November, since Sam started building the two-seater plane which he recently completed and only an inspector's visit is necessary before, he can take off into the wild blue yonder. . Although it's supposed to be possible to build the plane in 1000 man hours, San) figures it took him roughly 2000, but that he could probably build another one in 1000. This is supposed' to be the fastest homebuilt plane there is. The plane, which comes in a kit, is made by desigliers who set up, distributors but Sam says, "you really manufacture most of it yourself. "You buy die engine, landing gear and instruments--the rest you pretty well make. The plane is made up of styrofoam and fibreglass. Where it needs the strength. you just have mote layers of fibreglass," he said. It has a G-load (stress) of an acrobatic airplane which is quite a bit higher than an ordinary airplane, although it is not designed to do aerobatics. The plane reaches a top speed of about 100 miles an hour and a stall speed as high. Sam is now waiting for an inspector. Inspections were ritade twice while he was building the 'plane and it if passes the final inspection, now that the building of it is complete. Sam will have to apply for a flight permit to test-fly it. Sam saw the design of this two-seater plane at Oshkosh, Wisconsin„w,hieh tailds an International flying show every year. One of the reasons he decided to build the plane is that it was cheap to • operate, irq, didn't seem td take that long to build -and it's economical. "It wasn't for the look of it. When you can fly about 200 miles on Ave gallons of gas, that'S economical," he said. Other planes he has flown include a Cessna 112 'and a 150. He said when you own a factory built airplane, you have to have it all gone over by inspectors. "This way you do your own mainte lance and the insurance is quite a bit less," he said. Asked where he plans to go with his new invention, Sam says, "First we've got to see whether it flys. You have to fly 50 hours solo and you're not supposed to go more than 25 miles from home for the first 50 hours." There can be no passengers in it until after that. "It takes quite a while to get 50 hours of flying time, so we possibly won't get anyplace this year." When that 50 hours is up though, Sam says he wouldn't mind flying out west with it and he would also like to get to Oshkosh in the International Fly-in. He said four yea s age here were only two of this type of airplane at the show. Three years ago there wcie t2. two years ago there were 24 and last year there were 52 but Sam says there arc hundreds of them flying in .1 States, There is only one he knows of thkr is flying in Canada. Sam will be taking his plane to Goderich for its test flight because it needs a long runway. And what Will he he be doing while he waits for the inspector?. "Finishing up some things that need to be done,"