A few weeks ago I was watching the Golf Channel and Mark Rolfing was talking about D.J. Gregory – an amazing man who is determined to overcome enormous physical challenges to
walk every hole of every PGA tournament this year. Think about it – that’s 72 holes per week for 37 weeks! That’s about 750 miles!
So…you might say – what’s the big deal? I could walk every PGA tournament if I had the time. Well, could you do it if you had a crippling disease?
D.J., who just turned 30, was born with cerebral palsy and walks slowly, using a cane for balance.
He falls down a lot, but he picks himself up, brushes himself off and keeps on truckin! And what’s best is his wonderful attitude. “It’s a little easier when I fall down on the course,” Gregory said with a laugh. “The grass is softer.”
D.J. started the year by following Boo Weekley on The Plantation Course at Kapalua – the toughest walking course on the Tour (I remember – I was upset that I couldn’t take my cart on some holes when I played there in October). I don’t know how he acccomplished the trek; in fact, I am in awe that he even tried.
This is someone I’m going watch and cheer on as he makes his way to the Fedex Cup. If I ever hear a pro say they are tired after playing 72 holes (and winning hundreds of thousands of dollars), I think I’ll scream – and if I could, I would remind them that they should look to D.J. and understand what being tired must really feel like.
Golfgal
Walking is the golf game this fan looks forward to
San Francisco Chronicle
07 Feb 2008
D.Pebble Beach J. Gregory has a serious handicap. Thirty-six. That’s as high as handicaps go. But that’s when he’s playing golf, which he does one-handed. As a golf spectator, nobody beats D.J. Gregory. This year he’ll walk every hole of every PGA…read more…
Falling down is all a part of Gregory’s ‘golf game’
San Francisco Chronicle
07 Feb 2008
behalf. Surgeons cranked up chain saws and went to work on D.J.’s legs, slicing the abductor muscles, sawing the femurs in half, straightening the legs and twisting them a half-turn so his feet would point in the right direction — straight down the…read more…