By Danny Minton

Have you ever tried something so many times that you finally gave up and said, “I can’t do it!” Have you ever told someone you couldn’t do something when you hadn’t taken the time to try? Most of us have probably stopped doing something because it was too difficult or complicated, and we just gave up, saying the familiar words, “I Quit!” It becomes easy in life to quit when we get frustrated trying to learn something new. People quickly “throw up their hands” and walk off when something is too hard. We look at others who do things so easily, wishing we had their ability and telling ourselves, “I could never do that.” In most cases, we fail because we don’t want to put out the effort it takes to proceed and develop the ability to accomplish something.

I remember the first time I played golf. I took my borrowed clubs and went out with my father-in-law and two brothers-in-law to a small course to play. I still remember my score: 124. I’m not proud of it, but since it was my first time, it may not have been that bad. I’ve played many rounds over the years, and at one time, I played in the low 80s, even shooting 78 one day. I could have quit after 124, but I kept trying. Although I didn’t become as good a player as my friends, I was able to keep pace and enjoy the company. 

Let me tell you about a golfer who I believe should be ranked among the top golfers ever to play the game. I would put him right up there with Nicklaus, Palmer, Woods, Hogan, Hagan, Jones, and scores of other great golfers. His name was Tommy McAuliffe. Tommy could drive the ball 150 yards on his best day and only in the mid-80s during his better days. This description may not sound like that of a great golfer, but Tommy had a handicap that he had to overcome just to play the game. Most people with this handicap would probably not even try to play golf, and many of us would have a hard time scoring the scores he scored. You see, Tommy McAuliffe didn’t have any arms.

Tommy was born in 1893, and in 1902, when he was nine, he fell in front of a streetcar, mangling both his arms, which had to be amputated at the shoulders. Tommy went to college, became a caddie, and began practicing holding the club under his chin. He would spend hours learning the best technique and became good enough to play with others, often beating them. He won two amateur tournaments in 1913 and 1914. He continued to develop the ability to do everyday tasks just as well as someone with two arms and hands.

What motivated him? Part of it may be when he overheard someone talking to his mother. In Tommy’s words, “When I was nine, just after the accident, I overheard someone tell my mother I’d end up on a street corner selling pencils. That is why I have enjoyed working so hard, to prove that a handicapped person doesn’t have to be handicapped.”

“Among Tommy McAuliffe’s accomplishments: •Played Golf with Legends Bobby Jones, Walter Hagan, and Arnold Palmer. •He chipped 282 golf balls into a bushel basket from 20 feet away without missing. •Played Golf in 49 states, Australia, Canada, and Scotland over the course of one year. •Promoted laws and testified before Congress on rehabilitation and the physically disabled. •Designed two signature golf shots that have yet to be duplicated. •Raised four wonderful children and 16 grandchildren.” (Taken from the website on Tommy’s book, “No Handicaps.”) According to Tommy, “The only real handicap in life is a mental one.”

Life is full of challenges. Success and failure are often determined by how we face those challenges ahead of us. In the movie, “Chariots of Fire,” Eric Liddell responds to the question, “Where does the power come from to see the race to its end?” His answer was, “From Within.” Paul wrote to the Philippians, “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”  Philippians 4:13 (NIV2011) The power they speak of is not some magical formula but a simple fact: when we let God into our lives, He helps us have the determination to succeed. 

Learn to change your vocabulary and attitude. Develop the determination to succeed with the “I can and will” attitude instead of the “I can’t” mentality. With this attitude, we can’t help but move forward in life, developing ourselves not only in our ability to achieve what we want in life but also in our spiritual lives.

And if you play golf, here’s a tip from Tommy that he shared with others when he demonstrated the game. “I hope my demonstration will teach the golfers at large that a stiff left wrist and left arm are not essential to a good game of golf, and that’s my story, and I’m going to stick with it.” World’s Champion Armless Golfer

Here’s the link to Tommy’s story on the 1950’s ABC “You Asked For It” TV show.

Danny Minton is a former Elder and minister at Southern Hills Church of Christ