Page 26 - GBC Eng winter 2021

John Gordon
John has covered golf in Canada for more than three decades as a writer, broadcaster, author and editor. A member of the Ontario Golf Hall of Fame, he received the 2017 Dick Grimm Award from the Golf Journalists Association of Canada for lifetime contributions to the game of golf. Follow John on Twitter @gordongolf.
26 Golf Business Canada
Golf Saved
When you hear someone say “golf saved my life,” you pay attention. From the age of 9 until he turned 14, Sam Gerry had a passion for the game. Suddenly, severe depression hit, to the point where he considered suicide. Then, he was fortunate enough to be invited on a surprise trip with his grandfather to the Masters. The experience caused a gradual reawakening of his love for the game and, far more importantly, life.
“I could escape to the golf course and the only thing I was focused on was the game. Because I played regularly, it created a longer-term effect on my recovery. The combination of the game itself and spending time with my friends or my dad or my grandfather—really helped me get through it. You could say golf saved my life and that’s not an exaggeration.”
Sam’s story is one of many. There is even a book titled, “How Golf Saved My Life,” and although it focuses mainly on golfers with physical disabilities, it demonstrates how the game has indisputable benefits for our overall wellbeing.