Vietnam veteran Lou Namm lined up his shot Thursday on the tee box at the Pitman Country Club.
The West Deptford resident stood still, head down and arms loose. Then with a slight bend, the bilateral amputee let go a big swing on the Mantua links.
“Nice one,” a nearby golfer said. Another joked, “Can I get a lesson?”
Namm lost both legs in Vietnam and was among 18 amputee veterans playing the club links Thursday. The nine-hole tournament is organized by the Philadelphia office of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The annual event is split into two parts throughout the year. The “First Swing” clinic is held in April at the Indian Springs Country Club in Marlton and teaches amputee veterans the basics of golf. The “Next Step” tournament each fall gives them a chance to play a competitive round.
The clinic is free and open to any veteran amputee receiving care at a VA facility.
“We use the program as a rehabilitation tool,” said Namm, who has played golf for 20 years and now teaches the game to fellow veterans.
