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Written by John Critser, DeafNation Staff
Brandon Babineaux, 72-hole Leader
As I talked about the physical and mental rigors in the sport of golf, it is also a gentleman’s game; a measure of respect in the entire 18 holes is what the game demands. There is etiquette for golf, no blurs in the peripheral vision, no distractions, if someone is about to putt, don’t drive the cart until golfer finishes putting. Being around in a golf court requires little things that allows players to focus on their game, having mutual respect for others.
Luckily it is not that way with life in general, because everyone is rushing around. But a golf course sure tamed me. At the same time, when players have a bad day, they can’t always help it, something is always in the way, whether it be a tree, a distracting fan, the challenging 18th hole, or putting over greens where a cart drove over creating ditches just a few minutes ago unbeknown to you.
Just put yourself in the golfer’s shoes.
Mutual respect will get you to the 18th hole and a renewed invitation to return next year to U.S. Deaf Golf Championships.
It was inspiring to see three deaf players from foreign countries such as Australia and England. I approached two of them, Mark Aird and Jennifer Maric are both from Brisbane, Australia who traveled together to the United States to take part in USDGC championships, both very competitive by nature, they show emotion demonstrating their desire to win, whether it is a good or bad day.
Aird had an off-day today, his frustration showed but it was inspiring to see that because he will not go down without a fight. That offers us a window into the future where Aird is only going to get better, and seeing him travel a long way to participate in this tournament shows his commitment to golf.
Since golfing is an expensive sport to maintain, I often ask golfers how they got into playing and competing in tournaments, as they have to have enough experience to challenge anyone in a sanctioned event such as a championship event.
When Aird’s grandfather died, he decided to keep the golf clubs, balls, golf bag, everything you need for golf so he could add this exciting sport to his athletic repertoire, which enabled him to get into the sport without having to buy a whole set of everything to start off with.
Said Aird, “I love to try all the different sports and excel in them, and getting the golf equipment allowed me to jump-start my golfing career.”
He started playing in hearing tournaments until 1988 when he entered in his first deaf golf tournament in his hometown (Brisbane). He has been participating in both deaf and hearing tournaments ever since.
His goal is to bring down his handicap from 3 or 4.
His girlfriend and golfing partner, a feisty woman named Jennifer Maric, a deeply tanned USDGC hopeful, had a different angle on why she got into golf.
Maric’s father is a golfer and she was raised in a golf environment; but what inspired her to get into competitive golf was the fact her sister and brother in law were well known public figures in Australia. She wasn’t going to be pushed into the background, she wanted to be in the forefront as well.
Attending deaf golf tournaments gives her the incentive to work on her game and bring it to another level, elevating the international deaf golf world with yet another ambitious player.
In doing so, she decided to get back into top shape so she can play as long she wants to, until her body tells her to stop.
Riding in the golf cart, I glimpsed a bright red shirt as one of the tournament staffers that rode with me pointed out to her as “one of the top deaf female golfers” in the game, and having heard about Patty Sue Ploysa, I made a beeline to check her out.
Sure enough, it was Ploysa, who resides in Buffalo, New York, she is a mild-mannered woman who carries a big stick when it comes to golf. Before driving down closer to take photos of her, I studied her game mentality, it was evident that she was a veteran and a very seasoned golf player by the way she studied the par and chose her clubs. She took two clubs and went to where the ball was and sized up both clubs
with her golf stance determining which one was more appropriate for that particular drive. It was almost as if she went into every detail right down to the club head size.
Intrigued, I went to watch her for a few holes, and she expertly utilized her short game, as she can’t go to the long game with consistency due to her age. I could see her strategy clearly even when she putted, she didn’t try to force the ball but bring it as close to the hole for birdies, minimizing her mistakes.
When Ploysa was a little girl, she would see her parents haul their golfing equipment into their car and leave. She badgered her parents asking what they were and why they needed it. Finally her mother explained the best she could that they play golf in the Lancaster Golf Club, and the reason she couldn’t join them because the club rules forbid parents from bringing their children into the clubhouse premises.
But Ploysa wasn’t deterred, she kept expressing her wishes to play golf like her parents did, so her father relented and brought up the issue to the Lancaster Country Club board, suggesting that they add a junior golf program. At first, they resisted the idea because of the traditional ways, but her father’s reasoning finally softened the board members and finally passed bylaws establishing a junior golf program, it meant she could come and learn the game of golf instead of being bored and left behind.
She played there twice a week. Ploysa had no interpreter at the time so she put her lipreading skills to use, and she picked up on the game eventually and won the National Junior Girls Championship held at Greenwich, Connecticut in 1959. Since then she has won many championships in her own country club, including in other regions like the Western New York. Her U.S. team won three times at the World Deaf
Golf Championships (WDGC).
“How do you compare yourself to the fellow female deaf golfers,” I asked Ploysa.
With simplicity, Ploysa said, “I just play my own game. I just want to compete.”
If the struggling players just played their own games, they might not be stonewalled by the logistics of the Pelican Lakes Golf Course or stunted by the faltering mental game.
Just birdies, birdies, and birdies!
July 26th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
Hey Jed,
I know your game isn’t easy to be your physical in golfing. May be your mental is gonna be weak and emptiness. Let’s try use FRS healthy energy drink. That helps for you and give more electricity on your game! Believe me! Try that? Good Luck, Jed my buddy! FYI, I used FRS drink while I bowled Masters w HCP I had big blast all my way winnings till the final match which I didn’t feel not very tired! See that, heh?
Ed Bazan