Paralyzed Veterans of America Magazine | Oct 11

Disabled golfers can hit the links at some of the finest courses in the world without ever leaving home, thanks to a new PC game made with them in mind.

My Golf Game featuring golf great Ernie Els can be played using touchscreen, joysticks, speech recognition, a keyboard, mouse, or XBOX360 controller. Among many key features, the game includes multiple levels of play and practice where skills can be developed, and adjustable speed settings to accommodate each user’s ability. Play nine holes alone at Pinehurst #2 for a trophy over 18 holes at Firestone Country Club. U.S.

Army veterans Will Sherman and Thomas P. Savage each served in Iraq and Afghanistan and are avid sports fans. They spend several hours a day playing computer games, and My Golf Game is one of their new favorites. “The game is easy to install and tons of fun to play,” says Savage, who was wounded twice in combat in Iraq and has difficulty lifting and bending. “It takes five minutes to install, and you only have to type in a code.”

My Golf Game has three levels. Level 1 gives players a chance to practice putting, chip shots, and getting out of a sand trap and offers a driving range. Level 2 allows players to pick golfers to play with or create a golfer. Level 3 is golfing.

Sherman likes the choices offered in Level 1. “It’s the hand-eye coordination and the intellectual challenge that I relish when playing this level,” says Sherman, injured in Iraq when an IED exploded while he and others were in a truck. He is partially paralyzed on his left side, has trouble walking, and has lost some movement in his left hand.

Both men believe My Golf Game offers therapeutic benefits such as relaxing and building friendships. They also like the competitivenessthe game provides.