Q&A With Towson's One-Armed Golf Champion

The next time you hit the links, try holding your golf club with one hand and see how it feels. Now give it a few swings.

It isn't just a cool trick for Vince Biser. Born with cerebral palsy that affected his right side, the 24-year-old from Pinehurst is the three-time champion of the North American One-Armed Golfer Association and will go for a fourth title this week as the organization's championship comes to Towson. It tees off today at the and runs through June 1.

He sat down with Patch in between practice rounds.

Tell me a little about how you got into golf and how you discovered the national organization.

I was born with cerebral palsy so I've only had use of my one arm for my whole life and I played baseball when I was really little and my arm wasn't doing that. I switched over to golf then I got competitive and we researched online, one armed golf, the association team and we signed up for it and I've been playing it ever since.

What attracted you to golf?

How hard it is and how good you can get at it.

You rose up the ranks so fast. Are you a lot younger than a lot of the other competitors?

A lot younger. The average age is like 45 and 50. But I'm not the youngest anymore.

You're a lot younger than any of the people in the game period. How do people on the course here react to somebody as young as you being as good as you are?

They're a little surprised when they first see me swing.

Tell me how you brought the championship to Towson.

Actually they approached me, because they were struggling to find a place. I was hitting balls in a practice round and a guy came up to ask me to host.

I've seen videos where they analyze your swing as deeply as a lot of the pros. What's it like to see your name up there talked about with other big golf players around town?

It feels pretty good. I'm not the best guy around here, then they made me join full-time three years ago.

You've gotten to travel, too, to New Mexico and—

Better places than that. Ireland last year. I'm going to St. Andrews in Scotland in July.

It beats baseball, huh?

Yeah, because you can only play baseball at a certain age. You can play golf your whole life.

What other challenges have you had to overcome growing up?

Making stuff with one hand, making food with one hand. I don't know what's it like to have two working arms. A lot of the guys I play against are amputees so they knew what it was like having two arms.

What advice do you have for people getting into the game who might have challenges of their own?

Don't give up on your dreams.