Casey Martin – Still an Inspiration
The man that drives the most famous golf cart in the world was back in action this year at the US Open, as Casey Martin narrowly missed the cut after winning a qualifying tournament. Martin, now 40 and the head coach of the Oregon golf team, went to the Supreme Court in 2001 to defend his right to use a golf cart during PGA tournament play, and now was he was driving back onto the field to participate once again in the tournament that defined his career.
Martin was born with Klippel-Trenaunay-Weber syndrome in his right leg, a birth defect that has caused Martin pain and forced him to walk with a limp his entire life. Despite this, Martin fell in love with the game of golf, went to Stanford where he was a teammate of Tiger Woods, joined the PGA, and once finished 23rd at the US Open – the same tournament he was returning to.
There are millions of other golfers with mobility issues like Martin’s that understand how integral having the use of a cart is to their game. Carts can relieve nerve, joint, and muscle strain just by relieving the need to walk between holes, and the right custom golf cart seats can take pressure off the back, neck, and legs. Casey Martin is a hero for many now, fighting for the rights of others to ensure that everyone has a chance to play the game that they love.
