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Paul Le Blanc Loved Golf Too Much To Quit
In the early days of learning to play golf you may remember a coach or golf professional offering instructions such as, "think of the golf club as an extension of your arms ". . . or . . . "just let the club hit the ball." Hard enough doing it with two arms, how about just one.
Amy Steele of Canwest News Service, a reporter for the Maple Ridge Times, wrote the following feature, which appeared this weekend in the LangleyAdvance.
Ingenuity Drives Golfer's Success
A Langley amputee has designed a spring he attaches at the end of his prosthetic arm, and then hooks into a golf club.
By AMY STEELE
Canwest News Service
LangleyAdvance
When Paul Le Blanc swings his golf club and drives the ball through the air in a long, straight line, it's hard to believe he's playing with a prosthetic right arm.
The 59-year-old from Langley lost his arm in a 1985 workplace accident, and spent a month and a half in the hospital.
He'd always loved to golf but wasn't sure he'd ever do it again. Le Blanc credits his wife and a friend with encouraging him to give it a try again.
"It was really hard at first," he said.
He initially played one handed but it was impossible for him to hit with the woods that way, so he eventually started using his prosthetic arm.
The first time he tried it, he smacked the golf ball into his ear, but that hasn't happened since.
He discovered the prosthetic arm didn't allow enough of a bend to get the right kind of swing so Le Blanc specially designed a spring that he attaches at the end of the prosthetic and then hooks into the golf club.
On its first use, Le Blanc forgot to lock the spring in place and it flew off, but now he always remembers.
Le Blanc is currently competing at the BC Disability Games and also participates in Canadian Amputee Golf Association competitions, where he generally places well.
"It's really challenging and it's relaxing. I love the outdoors," said Le Blanc, of golfing.
Beginning to golf again was important for Le Blanc because it helped him move forward with his life after the injury.
"If you don't have something, you get down on yourself and depressed," he said. "When you lose a limb, it's hard to accept. Every day you think about it. You feel like you just lost everything all of a sudden."
Eventually you work through those feelings and your attitude changes, he said: "You gotta realize that you're lucky to be here."
He still faces challenges related to the amputated arm, like phantom pain in the missing limb. He's learned to deep breathe in order to relax. And he has to be careful about golfing in hot weather because the prosthesis rubs against his skin and creates blisters.
At a previous Disability Games, Le Blanc was amazed to see blind golfers who were really good. He's also impressed by the skill of the leg and arm amputee golfers.
He jokes that he often kicks the butts of non-amputee golfers. "I have a few people who like to try to beat me but I can keep up with them. That's kind of fun," he said.
He regularly golfs with his son-in-law, a talented golfer who keeps him in competitive form.
His favourite golfers are Tiger Woods and Canadian Mike Weir, and he spends a lot of time watching the sport, which he says helps him become a better golfer.
"Some days I play really good. Other days you don't play as good. Even the pros... have their off days," he said.
Prior to the BC Disability Games, Le Blanc said he was looking forward to getting to compete and meeting some new people, and he's hoping to come away with as many medals as possible.
Amy Steele of Canwest News Service, is a reporter for the Maple Ridge Times.
Canadian Amputee Golf Association
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