- Title: Golf helps some military veterans overcome PTSD
- Date: 19th May 2017
- Summary: WEST POINT, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (MAY 18, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ENTRANCE TO WEST POINT GOLF COURSE VARIOUS OF PGA HOPE SIGN WITH MEN GOLFING (SOUNDBITE) (English) WEST POINT GOLF COURSE HEAD PGA PROFESSIONAL, ANDY CRANE, SAYING: "PGA HOPE is an opportunity to bring veterans out onto the golf course and give them something to look forward to. We cater a lot to PTSD or disabilities, partnering with the local VAs. Something for them to come out and enjoy great days like this and enjoy the game of golf." CRANE TEACHING VETERAN GOLF SWING (SOUNDBITE) (English) WEST POINT GOLF COURSE HEAD PGA PROFESSIONAL, ANDY CRANE, SAYING: "We take them through every facet of the game, from the tee to the green. Some, again, they've never played golf before. So we kind of show them the ropes and at graduation everybody gets a brand new set of golf clubs." CRANE AND GOLFERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) WEST POINT GOLF COURSE HEAD PGA PROFESSIONAL, ANDY CRANE, SAYING: "Learning about PTSD, there's a lot of things that go on in between the ears that we don't get to see. You know, when we have amputees or something like that, we know what the injury is. But we can't really see what people are thinking." GROUP OF VETERANS APPLAUDING MEN SELECTING GOLF CLUBS INSTRUCTOR DEMONSTRATING GOLF SWING (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. MARINE CORPS VIETNAM WAR VETERAN, SYLVAN OLIVIERI, SAYING: "It helps to calm it. It takes your mind off of... it puts you in a different place. It makes you concentrate, like you concentrate on the ball. So you're not thinking about anything else, but that ball. So that period of time is PTSD-free. You know what I'm saying? The more you connect those dots like that, today I'm a pretty happy guy, you know? But it took a long time for Vietnam vets to get treated for PTSD. So, once I finally started getting treated for it, my life changed." VARIOUS OF MEN GOLFING GOLF BALLS MAN SWINGING (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. MARINE CORPS VIETNAM WAR VETERAN, SYLVAN OLIVIERI, SAYING: "The first time was rough because I was making some minor mistakes, but the instructors got me straight today. They were showing me what I was doing wrong and now it's fun. Because I can see, wow, I just hit a good one. So now I'm motivated, you know? So it's all for fun, relaxation and it's really a great thing." VARIOUS OF MEN GOLFING VETERANS JOHN EDD AND BOBBY COLLETTI IN A GOLF CART COLLETTI SWINGING (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. ARMY IRAQ WAR VETERAN, BOBBY COLLETTI, SAYING: "I mean I could tell there was something different when I came home. I wasn't exactly the same person as I was before I left. But it definitely helped. I thought at first it helped, you know. But then it turned into a problem and kind of just made everything worse to the point where you almost want to commit suicide because of it. So I mean this has definitely helped me along the way in my process of recovery." COLLETTI GOLFING EDD GOLFING (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. ARMY IRAQ WAR VETERAN, BOBBY COLLETTI, SAYING: "You get inside your head too much. You think too much." (SOUNDBITE) (English) VETERAN, JOHN EDD, SAYING: "You start psycho-analyzing yourself." (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. ARMY IRAQ WAR VETERAN, BOBBY COLLETTI, SAYING: "You start thinking about stuff and it's not good. So, with getting out here and playing golf, it's keeping your mind busy, your body busy. So it's, all around it benefits a lot. I just don't think a lot of people know or understand it, unless you get out there and do it, which is why I'm happy for this program, for letting veterans know that there's something that could help you." COLLETTI SWINGING GOLF CLUB
- Embargoed: 2nd June 2017 21:33
- Keywords: Professional Golfers Association military veterans Iraq Vietnam War PTSD disabilities PGA HOPE
- Location: WEST POINT, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- City: WEST POINT, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Golf,Human Interest / Brights / Odd News,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA0016HI9ZYX
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: It's been said that no one comes back from a war zone unchanged. For those members of the military, the scars of war are often unseen. Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is among the most common effects of war.
In the U.S., 11 to 20 percent of veterans of the Iraq war suffer PTSD symptoms each year, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
These symptoms can include nightmares or flashbacks to traumatizing events, feelings of fear, guilt or shame, or being hyper-alert and having trouble concentrating.
Without help, PTSD can last a lifetime.
Decades after the end of the U.S. war in Vietnam, more than one in 10 American veterans from the conflict still experience at least some symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder, according to a study published in JAMA Psychiatry.
One program helping veterans is PGA HOPE. The Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) is helping veterans heal with its PGA HOPE program, which stands for Helping Our Patriots Everywhere.
"PGA HOPE is an opportunity to bring veterans out onto the golf course and give them something to look forward to. We cater a lot to PTSD or disabilities, partnering with the local VAs (Veterans Affairs). Something for them to come out and enjoy great days like this and enjoy the game of golf," explained Andy Crane, the head PGA professional at West Point Golf Course, a public golf course just steps from the prestigious West Point Military Academy in New York.
This is the third year of the program where golf pros help military veterans master the sport of golf. Most of the participants had never before even picked up a golf club.
"We take them through every facet of the game, from the tee to the green. Some, again, have never played golf before. We kind of show them the ropes and at graduation everybody gets a brand new set of golf clubs," said Crane.
Sylvan Olivieri served in the Vietnam War as a U.S. Marine. Olivieri is among the dozens of veterans new to the game of golf. Olivieri said his game is slowly improving since he picked up a golf club for the first time last week.
"The first time was rough because I was making some minor mistakes, but the instructors got me straight today. They were showing me what I was doing wrong and now it's fun. Because I can see, wow, I just hit a good one. So now I'm motivated, you know? So it's all for fun, relaxation and it's really a great thing," he said.
Olivieri said he learned about PGA HOPE through his PTSD support group.
"It helps to calm it. It takes your mind off of... it puts you in a different place. It makes you concentrate, like you concentrate on the ball. So you're not thinking about anything else, but that ball. So that period of time is PTSD-free. You know what I'm saying? The more you connect those dots like that, today I'm a pretty happy guy, you know? But it took a long time for Vietnam vets to get treated for PTSD. So, once I finally started getting treated for it, my life changed," he said.
Golf is also helping Bobby Colletti. He is recovering from substance abuse. Colletti served in Iraq as a member of the U.S. Army and later worked as a contractor in Kabul, Afghanistan.
Colletti said he started abusing drugs after returning home. "I could tell there was something different," he said. "I thought at first (drugs) helped. But then it turned into a problem and kind of just made everything worse to the point where you almost want to commit suicide because of it."
While in treatment for addiction at the VA, Colletti heard about PGA HOPE and graduated from its first class at the West Point Golf Course three years ago. "This has definitely helped me along the way in my process of recovery."
Colletti encouraged his step-father John Edd to try golf. Edd, a Vietnam War veteran, completed the course two years ago. The two have since become regulars on the golf course.
Colletti said the game of golf has helped him overcome his dark thoughts.
"You get inside your head too much. You think too much. You start thinking about stuff and it's not good. With getting out here and playing golf, it's keeping your mind busy, your body busy. So all around it benefits a lot. I just don't think a lot of people know or understand it, unless you get out there and do it, which is why I'm happy for this program, for letting veterans know that there's something that could help you."
The golf classes are free to military veterans and are fully funded by the PGA's charitable foundation. The six-week long course is offered at more than 80 locations across the U.S. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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