Very special golfers show off their skills

  • manda King holds the United States flag during the opening ceremony for Special Olympic Golf Skills Event Tuesday morning, July 25, at Old Toccoa Farm.
    manda King holds the United States flag during the opening ceremony for Special Olympic Golf Skills Event Tuesday morning, July 25, at Old Toccoa Farm.
  • Ansley Price sang the National Anthem during the opening ceremony for the Special Olympics Golf Skills Event. Shown behind her are, from left, Alex Hughes, Rick Kruse, Jay Jenkins, Mikey Elliot, and Kevin Turner.
    Ansley Price sang the National Anthem during the opening ceremony for the Special Olympics Golf Skills Event. Shown behind her are, from left, Alex Hughes, Rick Kruse, Jay Jenkins, Mikey Elliot, and Kevin Turner.
  • Shown are all the winners with their coaches, from left, back row, Jeff Lake, Steve Dembowski, Mike Brantley, Dave Messer, Chuck Riehl, Dan Bailey, Mark Briggs, and Greg Coats; middle row, Rick Kruse, Alex Hughes, Robbie Conley, Mikey Elliot, Carol Brown, Amanda King, Tommy Cornett, and Carrie Minear; and, front row, Eric Morris, Jay Jenkins, Kari Castlen, Ansley Price, Jonathan Waters, Kevin Turner, Taylor Carroll, and Craig Hartman.
    Shown are all the winners with their coaches, from left, back row, Jeff Lake, Steve Dembowski, Mike Brantley, Dave Messer, Chuck Riehl, Dan Bailey, Mark Briggs, and Greg Coats; middle row, Rick Kruse, Alex Hughes, Robbie Conley, Mikey Elliot, Carol Brown, Amanda King, Tommy Cornett, and Carrie Minear; and, front row, Eric Morris, Jay Jenkins, Kari Castlen, Ansley Price, Jonathan Waters, Kevin Turner, Taylor Carroll, and Craig Hartman.
  • Alex Hughes and Eric Morris are determined to hit their golf balls farther than any other competitor in the Special Olympics Golf Skills Event at Old Toccoa Farm.
    Alex Hughes and Eric Morris are determined to hit their golf balls farther than any other competitor in the Special Olympics Golf Skills Event at Old Toccoa Farm.
  • Jonathan Waters lofts a chip shot over the Special Olympics banner.
    Jonathan Waters lofts a chip shot over the Special Olympics banner.
  • Taylor Carroll lines up a chip shot, which must go over the Special Olympics banner, as coach Craig Hartman keeps a close eye on the golfer’s expertise.
    Taylor Carroll lines up a chip shot, which must go over the Special Olympics banner, as coach Craig Hartman keeps a close eye on the golfer’s expertise.
  • The Men’s Golf Association at Old Toccoa Farm hosted lunch for the Special Olympics golfers and also presented Special Olympics a donation at the end of the Golf Skills event. Shown during the check presentation are, from left, Gini Tipton, Men’s Golf Association President Jeff Lake, Jessica Ramirez, and Craig Hartman, who serves as director of golf for Special Olympics.
    The Men’s Golf Association at Old Toccoa Farm hosted lunch for the Special Olympics golfers and also presented Special Olympics a donation at the end of the Golf Skills event. Shown during the check presentation are, from left, Gini Tipton, Men’s Golf Association President Jeff Lake, Jessica Ramirez, and Craig Hartman, who serves as director of golf for Special Olympics.

    A group of very special athletes each kept their head down and their eyes on the ball Tuesday, July 25, as they competed in the Special Olympics Golf Skills Event.

    Old Toccoa Farm hosted the golfers as they drove for distance with both a wood and an iron, hit chip shots over a Special Olympics banner, and sank putts from six and 25 feet.

    The early morning sun beat down on the competitors who have worked every Tuesday for the last two-and-a-half months to perfect their skills.

    One by one they displayed the talents they had learned.

    It was not the normal golf scene as spectators were encouraged to
    “be really loud when something good happens” by Craig Hartman, director of golf for Special Olympics.

    At the end of the competition, the athletes were treated to lunch by the Men’s Golf Association at Old Toccoa Farm.