9th Annual Buffalo Amputee Golf Classic tees off

132 golfers took to the tees at Brierwood Country Club in Hamburg Monday, both amputees and non-amputees.

“Well that’s kinda neat, some people come over and talk, some stand and watch. I think it’s kinda neat because they can see amputees can do anything that they want to do," Jim Hunt, a quadrilateral amputee said, after discussing what it's like playing with non-amputees. 

The competition between both amputees and non-amputees is closer than you thought.

“The amputees… 'Oh we play golf, this is not a big deal,' but the non-amputees watching the amputees go, ‘Wow I never knew that was possible,” or “Gosh these guys are pretty good golfers, I gotta step up my game,” Deborah Fenn said, who's in charge of public relations for the tournament.  

Just ask non-amputee, Rick Heald, who's played in the tournament for several years. 

“And last time I played, this guy shot an 80, and I had an 89 or 90 I think the last time.”

This year, 12 amputees played a round of 18. The tournament raised money to send child amputees to Camp No Limits, the tournament will send six-year-old Jackson DeLude, nine-year-old Malachi Taylor and 18-year-old Brianna Wicks who are all amputees, to Camp No Limits.

Money was also raised for a scholarship for amputees with college aspirations; Elizabeth Sparza, daughter of an amputee and Nicole Miller, a below-the-knee amputee.

“Really the only handicaps are on the scorecards, and not necessarily with the human beings paying golf,” Fenn said. 

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