[George_Bahto]

Here is one I learned a lot about, Louis Martucci, once a pro at The Knoll, worked in various positions at Essex County CC in NJ as well as other clubs in the Met area.

He competed in One-Arm Gofler Tourney, most held in Europe (it seems).

Martucci was a scratch golfer hitting a ball as long as most members.

Does anyone have other examples?

[Michael Christensen]

When I lived in Dallas, I played with a gentleman with one leg.......and he hit the sh*t out of the ball....he would use a crutch to get to the tee box....then on one leg swing...he fell down on every swing, then got up...it was really refreshing to see someone with a handicap play very good golf and have fun

[Mike_Cirba]

George,

A fellow by the name of Arnold Crisman was a very good left-handed one-armed golfer in central Pennsylvania.   I remember seeing him play at Frosty Valley Country Club in Danville and being very impressed.

During the time I was in college around 1980, Chrisman designed and built "Arnolds Golf Course" in Millflinville, PA, along the banks of the Susquehanna River.   I'm not sure if he is still around, but the 5000 yard, par 70 public golf course he built still is.

[Kyle Henderson]

Jim Langly (Langley?), the pro at Cypress Point (up until the last year), lost his right arm in a car accident but continued to play "right-handed" thereafter. I believe he set the course record at ~62 before the car accident, and was able to get around in 82 strokes with one arm.

 

[George_Bahto]

I think I have an article someplace in my files about the tourneys in the UK - I'll try to find them. It's amazing what one's will can do at times.

I have a friend who, after a stroke, had a lot of trouble just walking. He now has a rig made up - a chain that is strapped to a golf cart they park just off the tee box - where he sort of leans away from the cart with chain attached and is able to play these days.

[Bob_Huntley]

Jim Langly (Langley?), the pro at Cypress Point (up until the last year), lost his right arm in a car accident but continued to play "right-handed" thereafter. I believe he set the course record at ~62 before the car accident, and was able to get around in 82 strokes with one arm.

 

Kyle,

Jim Langley didn't lose his arm, he lost the use of his arm through paralysis.

To see a couple of superb swings check out the  book, "The Search for the Perfect Swing" and you will find two photographs, one each of forehand swing and then a backhander. Quite remarkable players.

Bob

[Dan Boerger]

As a kid, I remember going to Furgol's driving range and watch US Open Champ Ed Furgol hit laser straight drives with what we always referred to as a "withered arm". He would then hit drives with just one arm and hardly lose any distance.

[Ken Moum]

I used to run into a one-armed guy in a State Tournament for guys age 40 to 55, and I believe he was about a nine handicap.

He was using an Orizaba Power Pod at the time.

K

[Andrew Summerell]

Jack Newton, Australian professional golfer most famous for losing the ’75 British Open in a play off to Tom Watson & coming 2nd to Seve at the ’80 Masters (he also won a bunch Euro & Australian tournaments, as well as one PGA tour win), lost him right arm & right eye when he walked into a propeller at Belmont airport in the early 80’s.

He still played a bit socially after he recovered, shooting high 70’s, but he is mostly involved as a course architect these days.

[Ed Oden]

About 10 years ago I was playing at Whitewater CC in Fayetteville, GA and was paired with a guy who used only his right arm, even though his left appeared normal.  He absolutely killed the ball.  I'm no swing technician, but it looked to me like the one armed swing allowed for a huge arc that produced terrific swing speed.  His short game was very average though.  I think he shot about even par for the round.  I asked in the pro shop afterwards and was told he was the national one arm champ.  Who knew there was one?

[David Stamm]

Jack Newton continued to play golf after he lost his arm in a airplane accident. (He lost it in a propeller)

[RJ_Daley]

Judge Robert Parrins, ex-president of the Green Bay Packers lost an arm (I think in WWII) and played golf avidly at North Brook CC in this area.  I saw him there a few times. I never played with him, but am told he regularly shot 90 and broke 90 often.  I also observed a gent at Wild Horse a few years ago in an adjacent FW, and was totally amazed at how far and accurate he was hitting the ball with one arm.  I don't know his name.

[Ed Oden]

I am amazed that Newton lost his right arm but continued to swing from the right side with only his left arm.  The guy I described in my earlier post and the picture George originally posted both are of right handed golfers who lost the use of his left arm.  Newton's swing would appear to be much more difficult and, I would think, harder to create swing speed.

Ed 

[Joe Hancock]

Jeff Dorrel was a superintendent in the Cadillac, Michigan area. Unfortunately, he lost his battle with cancer about 18 months ago.

He lost his right arm to the same kind of cancer that Dave Dravecky had. Jeff went through most of his adult life with only his left arm, yet he continued to golf and teach skiing (I think he even a ski patrol). He also was an avid hunter. I admired him for his attitude even though he still possessed plenty of talent.

He took over at The Rose, after I had finished construction and moved on to my next project. I lived near his course, though, so I saw him plenty and played golf with him often. We went to a superintendent's event at White Pine National, in NE Michigan. There was a skins game, like usual. Jeff, being a gamer, put in his money. Wouldn't you know it, he makes an eagle on a par 5 and takes everyone's money. It still brings a smile to my face.

Joe

[Bill Weber]

Back in 1958 the pro at Westover AFB in Chicopee, Ma. had one arm. I was under the impression at the time he had played on the tour but couldn't make it due to his putting, not his ball striking. He had recorded a hole in one on a short par four on the course. He suffered a bad injury when someone put an exploding ball on the tee.
He was a great guy and put on many exhibitions in the area. His name was Jimmy Nichols or Nickels? His son held the course record on one nine of the course and we all expected him to go on to great things. After I left the area i lost track of both Jimmy and his son.

[Mike_Clayton]

Ed,

Jack is/ was a really strong man and he could hit some terrific shots left armed but he really does not play that much any more.
I saw him hit a 160 yard fairway bunker shot onto a green without taking a grain of sand - an amazing shot.

Bruce Devlin's father lost an arm in an a car accident and continued to play decent golf.

[Michael Powers]

I'd give him one a side.

[Ally Mcintosh]

The very highly respected businessman, Sir Bob Reid (CEO of Shell, British Railways, British Institute of Management) played off a handicap of seven well into his fifties with one arm.

For a right handed golfer, is it easier to play one handed with your left or right hand do you think?

Common sense says the left (as in cricket where it is ALL about the left) but forearm strength would come much more in to the equation i suspect....

[Sean_A]

Jeff Dorrel was a superintendent in the Cadillac, Michigan area. Unfortunately, he lost his battle with cancer about 18 months ago.

He lost his right arm to the same kind of cancer that Dave Dravecky had. Jeff went through most of his adult life with only his left arm, yet he continued to golf and teach skiing (I think he even a ski patrol). He also was an avid hunter. I admired him for his attitude even though he still possessed plenty of talent.

He took over at The Rose, after I had finished construction and moved on to my next project. I lived near his course, though, so I saw him plenty and played golf with him often. We went to a superintendent's event at White Pine National, in NE Michigan. There was a skins game, like usual. Jeff, being a gamer, put in his money. Wouldn't you know it, he makes an eagle on a par 5 and takes everyone's money. It still brings a smile to my face.

Joe

Crazy Joe

Its a small world indeed.  I recorded my first ever eagle on a par 5 at White Pine National.  I can recall standing about waiting to hit my second on the 3rd (?) when my father told me to hit away.  I hit a corker for me at that age (probably 12ish) and it sailed over the green.  I chipped back into the hole for a 3.  The coolest thing was how nice the guys were in front of us - I didn't get a bollocking for hitting into them. 

BTW I did have and still do have, two arms.

Ciao

[Jason Connor]

The little 9-holer, par 34 I learned to play on (Polish Pines in Keyser) had a one-armed member. 

I never met him, but I'd see him on the course all the time.

[John Moore II]

Brad Clayton in Raleigh, NC has only one arm, he's a PGA Master Profesisonal instructor. With one arm he can play fairly well and with his attachment that he uses much of the time, he is very good. his website is http://www.thegolfzone.us

[Kirk Gill]

A gentleman I played with several times had lost his left hand in an industrial accident. He still had his left arm, up to about an inch above the wrist. He had a cover on the end of the arm, and there was an eyelet of some kind attached there. He would attach a chain to it, and the other end of the chain attached to eyelets attached to the end of all of his clubs. In this way he created a "grip" for his left hand/arm. He used his right hand on the grip like any right-handed player.

Played pretty well, too.

[Scott Whitley]

I realize this is slightly OT, but I have an article from Golf Monthly, in 1996, which claims one Susunker Sewgolum won the 1959, 60 and 64 Dutch Open while playing cross-handed, and Charles Owens won a senior event in 1986 doing the same.  Can anyone confirm? 

[Bob_Huntley]

Scott,

Yes to Sewsunker.

A lot of ink on this subject both here and in Golf Digest in recent months.

Bob

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