Olinger Fighting System, Pain For Game He Loves
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
A Warsaw man continues to follow his dreams of being a professional golfer even though his daily life is plagued by pain.
Ford Olinger, 31, is not only fighting pain that hinders his walking, he is also fighting the golf system to allow him to use a cart in USGA events.
Olinger won an injunction May 15 that enabled him to ride in a golf cart Monday at the U.S. Open qualifying event in South Bend. Although Olinger failed to qualify for the next round, he continues to play golf even after doctors said someday he may never walk again.
Lying on an operating table a year ago, Olinger said he faced the reality that he may not walk again or never play golf again.
The pain began more than two years ago at a Tommy Armour tour event in Orlando, Fla. Olinger said his lower back began to hurt and a local clinic gave him a cortisone shot for the pain.
The back and hip pain continued as he went to different doctors who told him it was either just back pain or a hernia. Olinger said the pain made him shoot badly in tournaments, including the U.S. Open qualifier two years ago.
Finally, Olinger went to hit a shot when "I got paralyzed from the waist down." He said he fell to the ground because he could not feel his legs.
More doctor visits brought him to an orthopedic specialist in Warsaw who examined the X-rays and finally diagnosed Olinger with avascular necrosis, which Olinger explains as a deadening of the femoral heads of his legs.
The femoral heads rotate in the hip sockets when a person moves or walks. Olinger said the doctors don't know why he got the disease, but it only affects one in 10 million people.
"He told me straight up ... 'You will not play golf again,'" Olinger said of the orthopedic doctor. He said it was possible he may never even walk again.
"Walking could break my hips," he said.
He was told his options ranged from living with the condition and not walking to having hip replacements, which was difficult because he was so young.
He visited the Harvard Medical Clinic and learned of a procedure that would hollow out his hip, take a bone out of his lower leg, and slide the bone into his hip. Olinger described the treatment as "a kind of bone graft."
He was recommended to the chief orthoscopic surgeon at Duke University who had performed the surgery before. The surgeon was also a doctor who consulted professional athlete Bo Jackson when Jackson was diagnosed several years ago with the same disease.
Olinger said the doctor told him he had a 70 percent chance the surgery would work as preventive maintenance. On May 16, 1997, he lay on an operating table after the doctor asked him what he would do with his life besides golf.
One year later, Olinger spends 4-6 hours a day on the driving range and usually plays two rounds of golf a day.
The doctor told Olinger to stay off his legs for a complete year, but Olinger said he was up after three months, hitting golf balls, against the doctor's wishes.
He worked at physical therapy and said he still does exercises and swimming for strength.
His right hip has the same disease, Olinger said, but he and the doctor elected not to do the surgery.
"The right one is so far gone, he (the doctor) told me to play on it until I break it," Olinger said. "I've got to enjoy life until I break my hip."
The pain stays with Olinger constantly, especially if he hits the ground after a golf shot.
"I deal with pain all the time," he said. "You start to get used to it ... you just adapt."
Olinger said he cannot hit the ball as far as he used to.
"Every time I take a shot, I'm in pain."
He has also been working on a new swing to try to relieve his left hip.
The pain has proved to actually help his golf game, too. He said his concentration level has improved because if he lets his thoughts stray from the focus on his shot, he feels the pain even more.
The disease has affected his life beyond golf in many ways.
"I can't run or play basketball," Olinger said. "I take my time and be as delicate with my hips as possible to make them last."
But, he refuses to give up.
"I could be whiny, crippled, ... or I could get up and do it on my own."
He said he felt depressed for several months when he was first diagnosed.
Olinger continues to go against the odds.
"You got it, now work with it," Olinger said he told himself after the diagnosis.
The decision to fight the USGA comes from the same determination. A federal court ruled in favor of Casey Martin, allowing him to use a golf cart in a PGA tournament because Martin suffers from a leg disease, making walking painful.
"Why doesn't it apply to me?" Olinger wanted to know of the decision. When he sent his application in to the U.S. Open, Olinger said he included a request for a cart because of his disability. He said he did not get a reply until shortly before the qualifier, allowing him barely enough time to file the injunction.
The court injunction allowed him to use a golf cart for only one tournament. Olinger said his lawyer and the USGA lawyers will hold a phone consultation with the judge Monday to decide the next step in his case.
In the injunction hearing, the USGA tried to argue that walking is an important part of the game and riding would give Olinger an advantage.
Olinger does not believe the argument. "It's shot-making," Olinger said of the game. "Whether you walk there, crawl there or ride there, you still have to make the shot."
He said he has had support and some opposition from fellow golfers, but said there has been more support than animosity.
Olinger played in the Ulen Open Wednesday and shot a 78. Although the score is higher than many professionals, Olinger reminds that he was operated on only a year ago.
"Certain things come back to you that make you a tournament player," Olinger said of his recovery.
The U.S. Open qualifier was his first tournament since his surgery.
"The doctor was astounded I am playing," Olinger said.
He will go to the Indiana Open in July and said he will continue to play in Monday qualifiers for the Nike tour and PGA tour.
Although he would prefer to walk the course, Olinger said he must use the golf cart to get around the course.
If an event will not allow him to use a cart, Olinger said he will try to change them.
"I'm not there to cause trouble - I'm there to play golf." [[In-content Ad]]
A Warsaw man continues to follow his dreams of being a professional golfer even though his daily life is plagued by pain.
Ford Olinger, 31, is not only fighting pain that hinders his walking, he is also fighting the golf system to allow him to use a cart in USGA events.
Olinger won an injunction May 15 that enabled him to ride in a golf cart Monday at the U.S. Open qualifying event in South Bend. Although Olinger failed to qualify for the next round, he continues to play golf even after doctors said someday he may never walk again.
Lying on an operating table a year ago, Olinger said he faced the reality that he may not walk again or never play golf again.
The pain began more than two years ago at a Tommy Armour tour event in Orlando, Fla. Olinger said his lower back began to hurt and a local clinic gave him a cortisone shot for the pain.
The back and hip pain continued as he went to different doctors who told him it was either just back pain or a hernia. Olinger said the pain made him shoot badly in tournaments, including the U.S. Open qualifier two years ago.
Finally, Olinger went to hit a shot when "I got paralyzed from the waist down." He said he fell to the ground because he could not feel his legs.
More doctor visits brought him to an orthopedic specialist in Warsaw who examined the X-rays and finally diagnosed Olinger with avascular necrosis, which Olinger explains as a deadening of the femoral heads of his legs.
The femoral heads rotate in the hip sockets when a person moves or walks. Olinger said the doctors don't know why he got the disease, but it only affects one in 10 million people.
"He told me straight up ... 'You will not play golf again,'" Olinger said of the orthopedic doctor. He said it was possible he may never even walk again.
"Walking could break my hips," he said.
He was told his options ranged from living with the condition and not walking to having hip replacements, which was difficult because he was so young.
He visited the Harvard Medical Clinic and learned of a procedure that would hollow out his hip, take a bone out of his lower leg, and slide the bone into his hip. Olinger described the treatment as "a kind of bone graft."
He was recommended to the chief orthoscopic surgeon at Duke University who had performed the surgery before. The surgeon was also a doctor who consulted professional athlete Bo Jackson when Jackson was diagnosed several years ago with the same disease.
Olinger said the doctor told him he had a 70 percent chance the surgery would work as preventive maintenance. On May 16, 1997, he lay on an operating table after the doctor asked him what he would do with his life besides golf.
One year later, Olinger spends 4-6 hours a day on the driving range and usually plays two rounds of golf a day.
The doctor told Olinger to stay off his legs for a complete year, but Olinger said he was up after three months, hitting golf balls, against the doctor's wishes.
He worked at physical therapy and said he still does exercises and swimming for strength.
His right hip has the same disease, Olinger said, but he and the doctor elected not to do the surgery.
"The right one is so far gone, he (the doctor) told me to play on it until I break it," Olinger said. "I've got to enjoy life until I break my hip."
The pain stays with Olinger constantly, especially if he hits the ground after a golf shot.
"I deal with pain all the time," he said. "You start to get used to it ... you just adapt."
Olinger said he cannot hit the ball as far as he used to.
"Every time I take a shot, I'm in pain."
He has also been working on a new swing to try to relieve his left hip.
The pain has proved to actually help his golf game, too. He said his concentration level has improved because if he lets his thoughts stray from the focus on his shot, he feels the pain even more.
The disease has affected his life beyond golf in many ways.
"I can't run or play basketball," Olinger said. "I take my time and be as delicate with my hips as possible to make them last."
But, he refuses to give up.
"I could be whiny, crippled, ... or I could get up and do it on my own."
He said he felt depressed for several months when he was first diagnosed.
Olinger continues to go against the odds.
"You got it, now work with it," Olinger said he told himself after the diagnosis.
The decision to fight the USGA comes from the same determination. A federal court ruled in favor of Casey Martin, allowing him to use a golf cart in a PGA tournament because Martin suffers from a leg disease, making walking painful.
"Why doesn't it apply to me?" Olinger wanted to know of the decision. When he sent his application in to the U.S. Open, Olinger said he included a request for a cart because of his disability. He said he did not get a reply until shortly before the qualifier, allowing him barely enough time to file the injunction.
The court injunction allowed him to use a golf cart for only one tournament. Olinger said his lawyer and the USGA lawyers will hold a phone consultation with the judge Monday to decide the next step in his case.
In the injunction hearing, the USGA tried to argue that walking is an important part of the game and riding would give Olinger an advantage.
Olinger does not believe the argument. "It's shot-making," Olinger said of the game. "Whether you walk there, crawl there or ride there, you still have to make the shot."
He said he has had support and some opposition from fellow golfers, but said there has been more support than animosity.
Olinger played in the Ulen Open Wednesday and shot a 78. Although the score is higher than many professionals, Olinger reminds that he was operated on only a year ago.
"Certain things come back to you that make you a tournament player," Olinger said of his recovery.
The U.S. Open qualifier was his first tournament since his surgery.
"The doctor was astounded I am playing," Olinger said.
He will go to the Indiana Open in July and said he will continue to play in Monday qualifiers for the Nike tour and PGA tour.
Although he would prefer to walk the course, Olinger said he must use the golf cart to get around the course.
If an event will not allow him to use a cart, Olinger said he will try to change them.
"I'm not there to cause trouble - I'm there to play golf." [[In-content Ad]]