67-year-old golfer Pat Duke, who has faced many challenges over the past 12 years, experienced a momentous moment on Monday 8th December that will stay with him forever.
“I can’t really play golf, but it saved my life,” said ‘Pat’.
A proud Irishman, who moved to England in the 2000s, Pat used to enjoy Gaelic football, rugby, soccer and cricket, and was a very competitive sportsman, while working in the road viewing industry for over 30 years.
But his life changed dramatically one evening on March 8, 2012.
In his role as a Road Surfacing Operator, while operating a paving machine, Pat’s jacket got caught in the auger, which pulled his arm into the machine.
He said: “I was locked in it for two hours until I passed out, I refused to close my eyes because I thought I was going to die.”
So, as a result, I have post-traumatic stress disorder. I have phantom pain and phantom sensation forever – it’s like an unbelievable pain for 15 seconds, like your fingers are crushed, your wrist and your arms are broken, and I feel it in my nerves, in my stump. It’s just psychological abuse.
“I ended up at St. Mary’s in Paddington and when they wheeled me up the ramp, I was talking to the paramedics, the surgeon was amazed I was alive.” He said: “I can’t believe this gentleman is talking to us.” Then I spent 14 hours in the operating room.”
Sadly, Pat’s accident meant he lost his arm, and his road to recovery has been very challenging, continuing to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety and depression.
“I was in a really bad place,” said Pat. “It’s improved, obviously, but it’s still there, I lost a relationship because of PTSD. I’m not the person I used to be. I had to do this on my own. I have bad days, but I handle it a lot better now.
“I was recently told that what happened to me can’t happen now as all the security guards and switch switches, they extend the wrists of the jackets so there are no more bags, which is what caused my accident.
“Someone asked me if I could come and speak at the health and safety conference, but I didn’t have the courage, I wasn’t in the right place.
DISCOVERING GOLF
Despite his challenges, one day Pat was talking to a friend, who urged him to try golf. But it wasn’t a sport that Pat liked to play, until 2018…
“Golf wasn’t really my game, I thought it was for adults!”, Pat admitted. “I’ve never played golf in my life, I’m 6’2 and about 20 stone. I wasn’t interested when I was strong, when I lost my arm, my friend asked what I was doing, I said: “Not much.”
He said: “Why don’t you just go and try?” I said I’m not interested, I didn’t see your point.
They directed me to Brian (Mudge, PGA Pro) at his practice area, and he asked if I had ever hit a golf ball, to which I replied: “Never!”.
I had six lessons from Brian. He said to me: “Don’t copy anyone because you are the only disabled golfer here.” So what works for you won’t work for anyone, and what works for someone else won’t work for you.
Just play the way you play. You’ll never reach everyone, but just try to keep it on the fairway and that’s what I was trying to do!
“He introduced me to some old members who showed me and gave me the courage to enter this course, I thought that I would catch all the people and I would be disappointed but that is not the case.
“I can’t play golf, but at least I can do it. I can hit the ball 200 yards down the fairway thanks to Brian.”
MEDIATION
Pat started playing a few times a week and made a lot of friends at Overstone Park.
And he maintains that golf helped save his life.
He said: “It’s a confidence thing. It’s the most frustrating sport I think I’ve ever been involved in and I’ve been really competitive in other sports, having only one arm to play golf I found it very tiring to start with, but it teaches you a lot.”
It’s helped me – and the people I’ve met in the game are amazing.
“Coming from having suicidal thoughts, seeing myself as having to go out the window, not having courage, not having confidence, not having anything – and then I found golf and friendship, I think everything happens for a reason.
“Starting to play golf, meeting Brian Mudge, and meeting the Overstone people, is it the future? I don’t know.
“I don’t know the difference between golf and going out to be honest, but it helped me a lot, it saved my life, it got me out.
It gave me confidence, self-esteem, and I feel better about myself. People were saying how amazing it was that I hit the ball, it meant a lot.
“All the people I’ve met, your social side – people who come to compliment you compliment you, it’s lovely.
If I felt sad, depressed or lonely, I would just pick up the phone and ask if they could come in (to Overstone Park). They’re always pushing people and it’s a lot of fun.”
HOLE-IN-ONE!
Despite the obstacles, Pat remains happy and continues to use golf as a tool to keep him active and social – and was recently rewarded with a moment he will never forget.
On Monday 8th December, Pat was playing with friends on the 120-yard par-3 4th hole at Overstone Park, Northamptonshire, where he hit his 7 iron. More history…
He recalls: “There’s a lake to the left of the green and it goes in my head normally, because seven times out of 10 I put it in there!
I just stopped and looked at it to be honest, but Kevin O’Connor (his co-star) kept saying: “This is in, that’s in the hole!”, even though it was in space – as it was towards the flag.
They started clapping people’s hands on the 4th and the 4th congratulated me. I applauded as I returned to the clubhouse. I don’t usually do things like that.
“I am very touched and humbled by so many people’s congratulations.
Brian sent me an email asking if I knew I was in an elite club. He explained that I was one of the very few, with only one arm, who had ever enjoyed a hole in one – so I was amazed!”
Asked what he did with football, Pat admitted: “I lost today playing a round!”
