Published Thursday, June 20, 2002
the game
Herald Staff Writer
Ann Black was not expected to be able to walk at this point in her life.
Ms. Black, 50, suffers from multiple problems with her muscles. She has difficulty bending or turning at the waist or even holding things with her hands.
"Doctors said I'd be in a wheelchair by now," said Ms. Black, of Mercer.
After going on disability in 2000, Ms. Black began to feel helpless about her situation. She had been crippled for two months, unable to walk.
"I'd given up on walking, breathing normally, everything. I was in therapy for my depression," Ms. Black said. "I just thought my life was over."
But soon she discovered a place and a man, just around the corner from her home, that would change her life.
Ms. Black met Mike Mancini, owner of the Mercer Public Golf Course, that summer when her boyfriend convinced her to try golf with him.
"I couldn't even hold a club," she said. "I really didn't think this would be anything I could do. I struggled just to breathe and walk every day, let alone play a sport."
Nevertheless, the day she tried golfing with her boyfriend, Mancini approached her and offered lessons. She said he noticed her disabilities, but still wanted to help.
Since she has problems moving from the waist and keeping her grip on a club, Ms. Black doubted that even lessons would prove helpful.
"He was very willing to help and take the time to teach me," she said.
Mancini started her lessons by changing her choice of clubs. Irons would be just too hard for her to swing, since she could not turn.
"He said using woods instead of irons would help," Ms. Black said. "Everyone always says you can't play a whole game with woods. But, I do and I do all right."
Soon the two were working together on the lessons every chance Ms. Black felt physically up to it. She learned to properly swing and move with the club. She played with a cart and managed to get around enough to play.
"I was feeling a lot better right away," Ms. Black said. "I could move more easily, and more importantly, I felt like I had a reason to live, to get up every morning."
Bettering her golf game gave her a positive goal to focus on and she said her life soon improved with the lessons.
"I had given up on a normal life, walking, breathing and so on," she said. "But, now I decided I was not going to give up on everything!"
Mancini worked with Ms. Black often, as she suffers from partial amnesia and occasionally will forget previous lessons.
"He is so kind and patient," Ms. Black said. "He works with me and really treats me so well. He doesn't get frustrated or quit when I can't get something right away."
Mancini manages to balance Ms. Black's lessons with his job and caring for his wife, who is suffering from cancer.
"He has so many things in his own life to deal with," Ms. Black said. "And, I can't believe he is so kind as to donate his time to me and help me with my problems. He is an amazing man."
Ms. Black is still golfing as often as she can and is averaging around 50 strokes for nine holes. However, her score is not her focus.
"It is like therapy," she said. "I'm not the best golfer, but I do OK, and it is the benefits off the course that really matter."
Ms. Black still takes many medications for her physical ailments, though the golfing helps keep her not only moving around but optimistic.
"The doctors are shocked," she said. "They never thought I could still be walking on my own at this point, let alone playing golf.
"If it weren't for the golf, I don't know what I would do. Mr. Mancini has truly changed my outlook on life."