TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Paul Rankin will be the first to tell you golf was never his thing.
"It wasn't me. I wasn't a golfer. I like sports. I like to swim. Golfing? It wasn't me," Rankin said.
But now, Rankin spends his afternoons with the Niagara Gospel Mission, swinging away at the Paddock Golf Dome — a place he never imagined would become part of his recovery.
Rankin is a participant in the Mission's Recon program, a nine-month to year-long, faith-based recovery journey focused on reconciliation, not just from addiction, but with God, family, community, and self.
"However, I came here, we went out to a couple of golf courses. Enjoyed it. I truly enjoyed it," Rankin said. "And it's an opportunity to help us to learn about leadership and discipline. That's one of the greatest things that we're getting from the Recon program, is discipline."
Fellow participant Tom Vincent says golf has become a healthy outlet, a way to manage stress and reset when life feels overwhelming.
"It's important to keep self-control. Build your life the way you turn around and see fit," Vincent said. "You know, I did a lot of things that I ain't proud of, but being in the program, yeah, it turned around and changed me a whole lot."
"Stress relief, you know, if you're stressed out, pick up a golf club, come here and knock a few buckets around. After a while, you gotta feel better. I feel better coming out," Vincent said.
The lessons on the range mirror life in recovery; a perfect shot isn't guaranteed every time.
WATCH: Niagara Gospel Mission using golf as an outlet for men in addiction recovery
"There's a lot of things that you can learn about your life and golf together. You can't rely on a good shot every time," John Cooper said. "Sometimes you get bad shots. How do I recover? We're seeing a lot of those things with recovery, with guys as well."
Local PGA professional Frank Garcia volunteers his time, teaching the mechanics of the swing and watching the men grow in confidence week after week.
"They have grown so much in the golf swing. There's mechanics, there's physics to it, and I have them learning it. It's the highlight of my week. You know, it's the highlight of my week," Garcia said.
"It's just been really great to have something outside of your normal rhythm that we can all bond and be a part of," Cooper said.
You can find more information on the Niagara Gospel Mission and the resources they offer here.
