Lake Brownwood, Texas – One of the most interesting and the most inspirational golf tournaments to ever be played in the State of Texas tees off June 24th at the championship course at The Hideout Golf Club at Lake Brownwood, according to Roy McCoy, Executive Director of the Southwest Amputee Golf Association (SWAGA).
The tournament is the 2017 Texas Amputee Golf Championship and it is open to all amputees or mobility impaired golfers. “The entry fee is only $50 for two days of golf and includes breakfast Sunday morning and a banquet meal during the awards on Sunday evening after the tournament,” said McCoy.
“Golfers who have never seen this golf course will be amazed. The Hideout is equal to the best this state has to offer,” he explained. “The fairways are lush and the greens are as good as any I have ever seen.” And yet, this course is a course amputees can play, with no hidden obstacles or unreasonable inclines that make it difficult for leg amputees to walk on.
McCoy went on to explain that he believes the association has found the venue that they have been searching for to host the Texas Amputee Golf Championship each year. “The City of Early and the staff at The Hideout Golf Club have rolled out the Red Carpet for us,” he stated. “The City of Early has become our anchor sponsor. Everyone from the Brownwood/Early area has been tremendous and that certainly includes the golf pro Tracy Lowery at The Hideout. He has jumped every hurdle to make it possible to bring this tournament back to Lake Brownwood.”
Generous donations from businesses, Early Convention & Tourism Bureau and Brownwood Area Chamber of Commerce has allowed SWAGA to lower the entry fee to only $50. “This is a great golf package. Two days of golf on a championship course for $50 is a deal that can’t be beat and the dinner Sunday night will top off a tremendous weekend. We are really looking forward to this year’s championship tournament,” said an enthusiastic McCoy.
“This year’s tournament takes on a special meaning,” according to Denise Hudson of the Early Convention & Tourism Bureau. She went on to explain that the man who won last year’s Texas Amputee Championship will not play on June 24th and 25th. His name is Gearold Ledsome. He is a resident of Lake Brownwood. Today, you will find him in a nursing home, partially paralyzed from the neck down, because of an auto accident.
“Gearold was an outstanding scratch golfer. After winning the Texas Championship, he went to Portland and competed in the World Amputee Championship, finishing second in the arm amputee division. It was inspirational to see him swing a golf club, using only one arm. Last year, I went to the tournament at The Hideout, not knowing what to expect. I witnessed amazing athletes and every one of them could strike the golf ball. If a person wants to see a sporting event that will motivate them, please come out as a spectator. I promise you will leave this tournament inspired in a way you have never been inspired before.”
Ms. Hudson went on to explain that Gearold Ledsome was the person who worked extremely hard to bring this tournament to Lake Brownwood last year. He will be missed in this year’s championship. I want to remind people that here in this area we had never had a golf tournament like this one before and once we saw it, we all agreed this was not just a golf tournament; it was an event!
“It was something that our community will continue to get involved with. We want it to return to The Hideout for years to come. I would like to see this tournament adopt the name Gearold Ledsome because without his hard work, this area might have lost out on becoming the 2017 venue for the State of Texas Amputee Golf Championship,” explained Ms. Hudson.
The tournament is open to every golfer that is mobility impaired or an amputee. For additional information, contact Roy McCoy, Executive Director, (512-431-2861) or roy.mccoy43@yahoo.com. Come on out and play some golf.
