GRAND BLANC TWP, MI — A clinic held for golfers with disabilities in Grand Blanc Township proved anyone can play like a pro when provided with the right training and equipment.

The third annual McLaren Adaptive Golf Clinic was held Monday, Aug. 20, at Warwick Hills Golf & Country Club with a total of 43 adaptive golfers, or golfers with disabilities, from the area getting the chance to work with 11 certified golf instructors with the U.S. Adaptive Golf Alliance.

The goal of the clinic was to help the golfers improve their game in three areas: full swinging, chipping and putting.

The clinic kicked off the Ally Challenge, an official PGA TOUR Champions golf tour event being hosted by McLaren Health Care that will continue through Sunday, Aug. 25. Funds raised from the event are used to support charities in southeastern Michigan.

Among the participants at the clinic was Victoria Vallone, 72, of Clinton Township.

“I think it’s fabulous. It’s a great venue. Warwick Hills is beautiful,” she said. “They have lots of instructors. They have a lot of different equipment to try, so that’s really cool.”

Diagnosed with polio when she was about two-and-a-half years old, Vallone spent much of her life in and out of braces and crutches.

Vallone began using a wheelchair approximately five years ago, but it hasn’t deterred her from staying active.

In fact, Vallone said she has participated in handcycling, wheelchair tennis, bowling and downhill skiing in the past.

“I’m old enough to say, ‘I’m going to ride’” she joked, in reference to her wheelchair.

Vallone began golfing about 20 years ago, but she took a bit of a break from playing until recently.

She explained that she didn’t have much time to play golf in the past because she is often busy playing bridge, but Vallone added she’s been playing golf more recently because she likes spending her time outside.

“Now, I’m trying to get back into it,” Vallone said.

This was the first time Vallone has ever participated in an adaptive golf clinic, but it is not the first time she has used an adaptive golf cart — a type of wheelchair that allows users to stand when they swing their golf clubs.

“It’s exciting,” Vallone said of the clinic. “That was probably the best I’ve hit it so far, so that was kind of fun.”

Another adaptive golfer at the clinic was Nick Knotts, 23, of Waterford.

Knotts, who works as an industrial engineer, has been playing golf since he was just three years old.

He even played at the collegiate level while attending Oakland University in Rochester.

“This is the first time I’ve ever done this,” Knotts said of taking part in the adaptive clinic.

After being diagnosed with fibular hemimelia just shortly after he was born, one of Knott’s legs had to be amputated when he was about 11 months old.

He got his first prosthetic leg when he was 13 months old.

“I do not have a fibula in this lower leg, so I only have the tibia,” Knotts said. “So pretty much as soon as I could walk on a prosthetic, I’ve been playing golf.”

Knotts said he has been “somewhat resistant” in the past to participate in adaptive golfing events because his prosthetic leg has never stopped him from competing with non-adaptive golfers in the past.

However, he’s glad he took part in the clinic this year, adding he might participate in another adaptive golf event later this year.

“Most of the time I just play with and against everybody else. I’ll play against anybody,” Knotts said. “I don’t really think about my leg at all.

“I don’t see it as much of a disability. It is what it is.”

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