inspiration on the golf course
I’m not a golfer or golf fan, but some stories transcend sports:
Legally blind, 92-year-old nails hole-in-1
On January 10, Leo Fiyalko used his five iron to drive the ball 110 yards and straight into the fifth hole of the Cove Cay Country Club in Clearwater, Florida. Although he’s been golfing for 60 years, this was Fiyalko’s first hole-in-one–and he didn’t know he had accomplished it until he walked up to the hole in search of the ball.
Fiyalko has macular degeneration, a disease that destroys the macula, the part of the eye that allows us to see fine detail. According to Yale University research, as many as 10 million Americans are affected by the disease and 1 million of those are legally blind like Fiyalko–indeed, macular degeneration has left Fiyalko with only peripheral vision in his right eye.
Of his amazing shot, Fiyalko said, “I was just trying to put the ball on the green.”
This inspiring story reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from Les Brown:
Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you’ll land among the stars.
P.S. Happy Groundhog Day!
*UPDATE: One of our most beloved central Pennsylvanians
PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL HAS SEEN HIS SHADOW.
Sorry to say that means 6 more weeks of winter.
—————
[tags] golf, golfing, hole-in-one, leo fiyalko, stars, groundhog day, punxsutawney, punxsutawney phil [/tags]
20 Beans of Wisdom to “inspiration on the golf course”
Michelle Kaminsky is an American attorney-turned-freelance writer who lived in her family's ancestral village in Calabria, Italy for 15 years. This blog is now archived.
Calabria Guidebook
Recipes
well, I find it impressive that at 92 he’s still out playing golf, much less nailing a hole in one! Good for him!
(oh, and that quote has always been a favorite of mine!)
kacey’s last blog post..6 Things about Kacey
How about it Kacey! So very inspiring 🙂
Nice. I always liked that quote, too.
Good Sat post.
PS – Did that rat see his shadow?? I can’t find it on Yahoo!
Cherrye’s last blog post..That’s the Way…B&B’ing Part II
Thanks Cherrye, and my mom informed me that Mr. Phil (who is so *not* a rat thankyouverymuch) DID see his shadow…6 more weeks of winter!
I adore the story, the quote and the wonderful picture. Thanks for sharing!
It’s always a pleasure to share uplifting messages and photos 🙂
Ciao Sognatrice! I tagged you on my blog. Feel free to respond or not. A presto bella!
Italianissima’s last blog post..Friday Evening Book MeMe
I’ll be right over 🙂
Okay… six more weeks of winter and a fridge full of Nutella/cheesecake cupcakes. I’m doomed.
Yeah for Leo, though! How cool!
jen of a2eatwrite’s last blog post..Singular Saturday: I Don’t Mean To Pander, Beg or Plead, but It’s Important to
Can’t wait to see that recipe Jen! I love cheesecake with chocolate swirled through…Nutella must be even better 🙂
Great post, Michelle.
I’ve hung out on the golf course and I must say….it’s not an easy game no matter what you are trying to do .
The quote is perfect.
I posted about groundhog day as well. I’m sure Phil must miss you.
Karen, it’s amazing Phil can putter on without me 😉 Glad you enjoyed the post!
That’s a beautiful story! Thanks for sharing it!
Alejandra’s last blog post..Edible Madras: Matcha Ice Cream and Ginger-Coconut Madeleines
Thanks for reading and commenting Alejandra!
Oh I love that quote by Les Brown! Great words to live by.
I have said something similar for years and didn’t know where it came from.
Debbbie Egizio’s last blog post..Saturday ATC Heartfelt Message
Debbie, I didn’t know where it came from either until I wanted to write it here 🙂
Thanks for stopping by.
It’s so nice to know that someone is thinking of me in Calabria.
(((HUGS)))
Frances’s last blog post..18 years today
Always Frances 🙂
That is such a nice story and a great quote to go with it. The groundhog saw his shadow here today too, if he came out. It was so cold, he may have just made a corporate decision and stayed warm.
Dawn’s last blog post..PhotoHunt Theme: Narrow
Dawn, one couldn’t blame a groundhog for wanting to keep warm 🙂
I hate to say it but I rarely pay attention to that rodent–six more weeks of winter would be a blessing, it’s usually more like 12. Not that I”m griping or anything 🙂
Michelle at Scribbit’s last blog post..Suds Muffin Giveaway
Well Alaska is really on its own, I think, with the whole “6 more weeks” thing 😉
Talk about blind luck….
anyway Pete means 6 more weeks in N America. Not even Pete can truly cover Asia, Europe, etc. Although it is very gray out there, I get the impression that winter lost interest in us.
Judith in Umbria’s last blog post..Fashion: Paris wrapped
Blind luck is right! And yes, winter doesn’t seem very into us either after some early signs of COLD. Cloudy today after several sunny days though.
I really like this post. And what a unique photo.
Susan from Food Blogga’s last blog post..What’s the Difference Between Bruschetta and Crostini?
Thanks Susan; isn’t that photo spectacular? Flickr has such talented people 🙂
that varmint (bless his heart) is WRONG!!! they should ask the 92 yr old golfer to do this year’s prediction…
qualcosa di bello’s last blog post..mid winter…
Hah! So true!
That is an amazing shot even if you can see! My EX once got a hole in one on his birthday…it was very cool for him…
Oh…well, it’s snowing up a storm here today (which is funny because I’m in AZ the day of perpetual sunshine…and we also happen to be hosting the superbowl down in Phoenix…so, it may be a little colder and wetter than they would have thought…giggle!) SO…6 more weeks of winter seem like quite the reality…
sadira’s last blog post..Birthday Spoils…
Sadira, oh my! Snow at the Super Bowl?! Although I guess both teams would feel kind of at home 😉
Just wanted to let you know that my nutella recipe is up! enjoy 🙂
Eryn, thank you and I am…if only you could ship me one of those….
why?! WHY did he see that shadow?! I’m so excited for spring. 🙂
erin’s last blog post..birthday hunt
Well Erin other weather-predicting groundhogs predicted an early spring, so you can take your pick 😉
You life my spirits with that hole-in-one story, just to have them dashed again. Boo! Say it isnt so! 6 more weeks of this????
Diane Mandy’s last blog post..Trailing Spouse?
It’s like a roller coaster over here, I tell you!
More cold.
So, I’m interested to find out if you or P are familar with an Italian dish called malfatti. (Poorly made is the translation, right?) It’s an informal dumpling of ricotta and spinach in brown butter and sage that I’ve had twice at a fave Italian rest in NYC. But, I can’t seem to find anyone who knows anything about it.
Geggie’s last blog post..Back to the Business of Food
Hmm…well just from seeing brown butter and sage I can tell you this doesn’t come from the south of Italy BUT I did find this recipe which suggest that “malfatti” are spinach and ricotta gnocchi (YUM); I then found a recipe for spinach and ricotta gnocchi with sage butter here.
Hope something here helps!
Well, since I *LOVE* the cold, I am glad ‘ol Phil didn’t see his shadow. I’m probably the only one excited about 6 more weeks of winter.
On another note – I also *LOVE* Les Brown!! Amazing speaker. Any quote by him is a good one!
Salena
Salena’s last blog post..As Pisghetti Gains Another Year, I Lose Eight
Shh…I love winter too 🙂