Diamonds in the Rough – Successes

Brennan G. was recently accepted into the Diamonds in the Rough – Up to Par Program. This program helps children with physical, learning, or emotional limitations to develop good habits and achieve a sense of success with and through golf.

Brennan has a case of Childhood Apraxia of Speech. This is a speech disorder that is both difficult to diagnose and challenging to treat. Children with apraxia know what they want to say – the words are in their heads but often the child is not able to produce the words clearly. For unknown reasons, children with apraxia have great difficulty planning and producing the precise, highly refined and specific series of movements of the tongue, lips, jaw and palate that are necessary for intelligible speech. As one expert has said, “The problem occurs when the brain tries to tell the muscles what to do -- somehow that message gets scrambled. It's like trying to watch cable TV stations without the right descrambler. There is nothing wrong with the TV station, and nothing wrong with your set. It's just that your set can't read the signal that the station is sending out. The child's language-learning task is to figure out how to somehow unscramble the mixed message her/his brain is sending to her/his muscles.” Children with apraxia, however, do understand language and speech. These children are smart! However, others might mistake and misjudge their unclear speech or quietness as a lack of intelligence. Many children with apraxia experience a great sense of failure and frustration in their attempts to communicate. Some children grow even quieter; others may act out their frustration. Children with apraxia need the support of teachers and parents.

Brennan has received our Up to Par program package which includes a brand new set of golf clubs, golf bag, a series of lessons with a teaching professional, free range balls, a free golf round at a local golf course, and some other golf accessories. Below is a letter we received from Brennan’s mother.

Hello Diamonds in the Rough,

Thank you again so very much for accepting my 7 year old son Brennan into the "Diamonds in the Rough” program. I spoke to him about it...he was very excited. In fact tonight, he was watching a children's program, and the main character asked the TV audience, "What sport do you play?" Brennan shouted, "Soccer...and GOLF!" How about that!

And since we talked, I've been thinking that golf really could be a good thing for him.... an individual sport, no verbalization needed, repetitive motor plans... So, I thank you for thinking of him and hope we can all enjoy watching him benefit from it!

So, I'm excited to see how he responds to golf!

Thanks again,
Cara G.

The aspiring collegiate golfer!

11 year old Oliver R. was a top ranked junior motocross rider in the state of Texas. Last year Oliver was in a serious riding accident. The accident hospitalized him for a period a time and took away the sport he loved. Doctor’s told him and his father that Oliver needed to stay clear of any sports that involved contact. Fortunately, his dad Brent, thought of golf. He then found our organization and we were able to accept Oliver into the program. We were very happy to supply Oliver with a new set of clubs and a series of golf lessons with a nearby teaching pro. Below is a recent letter from Brent.

Thanks Diamonds in the Rough. I just can’t put into words how much I appreciate what you have done for my son Oliver. He is really looking forward to the lessons. His birthday is next Wednesday and for his birthday he wants me to get him out of school early so we can get in 18 holes before it gets dark. He loves golf, and I think being able to golf has helped him deal with the fact that he can never do any kind of contact sport again. That has been real hard for him. Whenever he gets real depressed I take him golfing and by time we are done golfing for the day he is in a lot better mood and asking questions like, "do you think I'll ever be good enough to get a scholarship to play in college". He’s not a bad golfer, and thanks to the Diamonds in the Rough program he just might get that scholarship. Maybe we will see you on a golf course some day… I hope so.

Thank you and have a great day,
Brent R.

Oliver in the hospital following his motocross accident.

Oliver getting a lesson

My son Michael, when he was eight years old, spent many of his days at Stanford Children's Hospital in California due to complex medical issues which included: heart disease, cancer and blood disorders. Since his days were usually a hospital admission, he was always delighted to go on outings. A man (who ended up being a close friend) was a golfer and took Michael to a local golf course to teach him the basics of golf. To our surprise Mike could actually drive with an I.V. in his left arm! It became apparent to us that this would be a sport he could and would enjoy.

Golf turned out to be a great pastime for our son. When we eventually returned to our home back east, his love for the game continued and he soon was taking lessons from a professional. His enthusiasm was contagious, and his father quickly took up the sport. It was something they were able to do together.

Michael would often say, “With golf you either do it or you don't. There is no try in golf.” We enjoyed watching him as much as he enjoyed playing. And we owe it all to someone, who took time out of his busy schedule to give his attention, resources, and time to my son.

Michael passed away in March of 2004. At the service commemorating his life, we had all the things he loved the most at the front of the church. Right up front, along with his bike, were his golf clubs!!

Linda S.

From a Diamonds in the Rough parent –

“Golfers are a rare breed. Because they love their sport so much, they regularly "give back" by assisting junior golfers. If it were not for the assistance my family has had over the years from people willing to donate time, effort, and financial resources to my girls, I sincerely doubt their summers playing golf would have been so rich or rewarding.”

From a Diamonds in the Rough volunteer –

“It has been my pleasure over the years to share my love of golf with young people with physical limitations. Helping them learn the game and watching them succeed at their goals made we want to go out and connect more youngsters with the sport.”