Dennis Walters and Bucky
World-renowned paraplegic golfer and trick shot artist Dennis Walters will bring his unique blend of humor and inspiration to Long Beach on Monday, July 13, when he hosts the Dennis Walters Golf Show during the Fourth Annual Long Beach Mayor’s Trophy Charity Golf Tournament at Skylinks Golf Course. Hosted by Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster and presented by Titleist, the Mayor’s Trophy is a collaborative effort between the Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation & Marine, American Golf and the American Golf Foundation, in cooperation with Partners of Parks. Proceeds benefit junior golf programs throughout Long Beach, as well as Special Olympics Southern California.
A native of New Jersey, Walters enjoyed an outstanding amateur golf career, during which time he swept three state championships in 1967, led the University of North Texas golf team to four consecutive collegiate championships as a scholarship athlete, and finished eleventh in the 1971 U.S. Amateur Championship. Upon his graduation in 1971, he turned professional, and his future on the PGA TOUR looked promising.
Then, on July 21, 1974, a few days before Qualifying School was to begin, while attempting to meet some friends out on the 15th hole at Roxiticus Country Club in Mendham, New Jersey, Walters’ golf cart swerved off the cart path and rolled into the trees. Walters was thrown headfirst from the cart, suffering severe damage to his spinal cord and leaving him a paraplegic.
After his release from the hospital and numerous months of therapy, Walters was determined not to let his injury prevent him from playing the game he loved. He began practicing hitting golf balls from a wheelchair and became quite proficient; but he longed to be out on the golf course. With the help of his father, Walters mounted a swivel seat on the back of a golf cart and soon was able to break 80. As he became more comfortable playing in the new swivel seat, Walters began focusing on honing his trick shot skills, having watched the films of the legendary trick shot artist Joe Kirkwood. After attending a golf clinic hosted by trick shot artist Paul Hahn, Jr., Walters decided to embark on a career helping others to overcome obstacles in their lives through the Dennis Walters Golf Show.
Walters began building a repertoire of tricks using an assortment of trick clubs, and gave his first public performance during the 1977 PGA Show. The following year, he was honored with the Ben Hogan Award, given annually by the Golf Writers Association of America to a golfer who has come back after sustaining major injuries.
Elected to PGA Honorary Membership in 1992, Walters has taken his humor-filled motivational Dennis Walters Golf Show to 49 states and performed more than 2,600 shows for audiences of all ages. He has also brought his message of hope, courage and perseverance to audiences around the world through his appearance on The Golf Channel and countless other television shows. In August 2008, Walters was honored with the prestigious Distinguished Service Award by the PGA of America.
Along the way, Walters added a canine assistant to the show. His third trusty assistant, Benji Hogan, was rescued by Walters from the Miami-Dade Animal Shelter in 1996 and became a major attraction— teeing up balls, barking the answers to mathematical and sports trivia questions, and even defeating Tiger Woods in a foot race. Sadly, Benji Hogan passed away from cancer on May 1, 2008. Walters’ newest sidekick, Bucky, has joined the show and will soon be entertaining audiences around the country— including junior golfers and Special Olympics Southern California athletes, who will attend the Dennis Walters Golf Show prior to the start of the Mayor’s Trophy.
“My goal is to inspire others to reach for their dreams, strive for excellence, and do something in their life that they never thought they could do,” says Walters.
For more information and to receive a tournament brochure including both entry and sponsorship information, please contact Cindy Elliott at (562) 431-5962 or cepr@msn.com.
