Special Olympics Golfers Tee Off at Bloomingdale Golfers Club

Thirty-two Special Olympics athletes and their coaches from Area 8, including Hillsborough and Polk counties, hit the greens July 21 for a Special Olympics golf tournament at , 4113 Great Golfers Place, Valrico.

The athletes competed in five categories: skills challenge (comprised of driving, chipping and putting), nine-hole unified (athletes hits an alternate golf shot with their coaches), 18-hole unified, nine-hole individual and 18-hole individual. First-place winners will play in the state tournament at Orange Lake Resort & Golf Club in Kissimmee Sept. 9-10.

Coaches and parents alike praised the spirit and dedication of the golfers.

"We've got a lot of wonderful kids," said Vance Spiers of Tampa, whose son, Douglas, competed in the skills challenge. "They're competitive ... they don't like to lose. They take themselves more seriously than people give them credit for."

"These guys still feel the pressure of the game" just like any athlete, said Special Olympics event coordinator Robert McDarby of Valrico. His son, Chris, played in the 18-hole individual event.

The nine-hole unified event teamed up disabled athletes with partners, often coaches or parents, McDarby said. The golfers hit alternate shots. Volunteers were on hand to compile the team scores.

Coaches have to earn certification to coach in the Special Olympics, McDarby said. They take courses on basic rules of golf, learn to teach golf to people with disabilities and have knowledge of Special Olympics rules.

Before these 18 athletes from Hillsborough and 14 from Polk counties came to play in this tournament, they had to earn it.

"They've been training for 10 weeks to determine which athlete can advance," said Valerie McDarby, event organizer. "They train two hours a day, twice a week from May 16 to now. They're very dedicated athletes."

The McDarbys expressed their thanks to the main sponsor, Bank of Tampa, which provided a free lunch to all the competitors, volunteers and spectators.

The McDarbys also gave credit to assistants like Nancy Grow.

Special Olympics Florida conducts seven state championships every year, according to Special Olympics Florida website. These events are the culmination of an athlete's training and competition cycle for a specific sports season. To compete in a state championship event, athletes and teams must have completed eight weeks of training and compete at county and area level competitions.