Wildcats embrace GAP opportunity, Lookaway hosts
BUCKINGHAM, Pa. – In 2019, the University of Arizona launched its Adaptive Golf team, making it the first collegiate-based program in the country.
Five years later, three individuals are reaping the rewards of the forward-thinking and investment in the Adaptive Golf community.
| Scoring Portal | Round 1 Recap | Round 1 Video |
Monday at Lookaway Golf Club, University of Arizona Adaptive Golf Team members Amanda Cunha, Will Valkner and Luke Carroll participated in the inaugural GAP Adaptive Championship. It represents the first time all three of them competed in the same Adaptive Golf event.
“I was super excited when our team got invited to play in this championship,” Cunha, 20, of Kaneohe, Hawaii, who is a communications major, said. “It was fun to be part of this new experience for GAP and to be able to allow others to find out more about Adaptive Golf. Getting more awareness is what our community is all about. The more organizations that participate in Adaptive Golf, the more it is going to grow. That is the good part about it.”
Cunha was the only person on the team led by coach Dennis Schmelzel for the first year but was happy to be joined by two freshmen, Valkner and Carroll, this season.
“I had offers to go play Division II golf but then I got a scholarship to play at Arizona, so it saved me a ton of money to go to school,” Carroll, 19, of Old Hickory, Tenn., who is studying to be a lawyer, said. “Arizona is offering scholarships and helping kids pursue their dreams through education, golf and representing the university.”
Cunha, a woman with Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy, a rare genetic disorder that causes vision loss due to a degeneration of the optic nerve, started playing golf at the age of 5. She’s never lost that love for the game. She’s played in each of the first three U.S. Adaptive Open Championships, winning the Women’s Division of the Visual Impairment Category each year. The University of Arizona has given her the opportunity to keep pursuing the game.
“I was fortunate to have the opportunity to go to a Division I school to play golf even though I am visually impaired,” Cunha, a junior at Arizona, said. “I was the first and only person on the team for about a year. This year, Luke and Will joined me on the team and we are so happy to have them. They’ve been really great. Having the university pay for us to come out to these events to play and compete is awesome.”
Valkner found his way to Arizona to escape the chilly seasons of Parker, Colo. A sure-handed competitor, he’s found his home. He started playing golf when he was 12 and competed in his first Adaptive Championship at the age of 16. He’s been hooked ever since.
“Being at Arizona is one of the coolest opportunities ever,” Valkner, 18, who is studying business and finance, said. “I get to play golf at one of the most beautiful schools in our country. I love Tucson and love the courses there. The school is great because we have an awesome program for my major. Amanda and Luke have been great teammates and friends. I don’t know what I would do without them.”
Both Valkner and Carroll live with Cerebral Palsy, a neurological disorder affecting movement and balance, but having someone to relate to on the team has been an important part of their journey.
“I think it is cool to be among a number of people with similar interests and challenges,” Valkner said. “You get to see people going through the same struggle as you. It’s funny. Luke and I were laughing at each other when we both said how our backs were tightening up on No. 16. Having an even playing field is cool and special to have.”
The team is a traveling trio. They go to practice together, travel to tournaments together, share the same passion for golf and life. Their tournament schedule is made up of selecting a couple of other adaptive championships across the country to compete in. They try to line up their academic schedules so they can practice and play nine holes together.
Each of the triumvirate doesn’t necessarily have a connection to Philadelphia, but Carroll has the closest comparison. He named his dog Rocky after Philadelphia’s greatest folk hero. One thing is clear, all three of them as well as the remainder of the GAP Adaptive Championship field are heroes in the Adaptive Golf community.
“A lot of us have gone through things that I would say a majority of people haven’t,” Cunha said. “Having each other in this space solidifies our connection with each other. There’s a really strong bond.”
“It is an honor and privilege just to be out here and play against these guys because they’re good and it’s a tough event. We are gracious to the courses and to GAP for allowing us to play here.”
“It was fantastic,” Valkner said. “The venues that we have are beautiful and at some of the other events they don’t have great courses to play at. I am super grateful to have an opportunity to play out at these courses. GAP has put on a great event. Can’t wait to play tomorrow.”
Lookaway Cherishes Host Duties
When the idea for host sites for the inaugural GAP Adaptive Championship came about, Lookaway Golf Club didn’t hesitate to offer its Rees Jones design.
As Round 1 is in the books, competitors, volunteers and spectators were beaming at all things Lookaway Monday.
“Since this was the first Adaptive Championship for GAP, I didn’t really know what to expect,” Lookaway’s head golf professional Chad Halvonik said. “It has been an unbelievable day. In talking to the team, everyone is saying it felt good to host and that it is rewarding to be able to support an event like this. Giving these players a chance to play at a nice golf course and make this week special for them means a lot to us. It has been awesome to hear the player’s stories and their gratitude. That’s been our biggest takeaway.”
Jim Collins, a Lookaway member and GAP Executive Committee member, brought the idea to the attention of club leadership and to Halvonik, in his third year as the head golf professional. The idea of hosting was never in question.
“We have a sense of pride in the game here at Lookaway,” Halvonik said. “It is a good feeling to help others find enjoyment and love for this game. It’s awesome to give a little bit back and put on a great event for the [adaptive golf community]. This is an event that I hope other clubs in the area jump at the opportunity to host in the future. [Golf professionals] got into this business because we have a special connection to the game of golf and we know that golf can bring people together.”
Halvonik said that he and his staff were blown away by the amount of players that offered appreciation to the club for hosting. A total of 55 players representing 20 states and four countries are participating in the inaugural event.
“I think for me, the biggest thing I learned today is how lucky we all are to be able to be a part of the game and see how people can inspire others,” Halvonik, 30, of Chalfont, Pa., said. “Seeing players playing with one hand or with other challenges still competing and having fun has been eye-opening. They are keeping a positive attitude and having fun with golf regardless of what obstacles and challenges are in their way. It really puts things in perspective.”
GAP Adaptive
In 2024, GAP (Golf Association of Philadelphia) launched GAP Adaptive to continue its mission of promoting, preserving and protecting the game of golf for all. GAP’s Adaptive Golf committee opened the season with its first program titled No Limit Clinics, a season-long series of instructional Adaptive Golf events taking place at various GAP Member Clubs. The GAP Adaptive season culminates with the GAP Adaptive Championship, a WR4GD-counting event. The field consists of local and international Adaptive Golfers.
Share This
