By: Fred Altvater
Evan Mathias was born without legs and has relied on the use of prosthetics for most of his life.
“I had congenital defects, no legs. They basically did reconstructive surgeries. I was born with just a couple of toes.”
Playing golf is hard, just getting a golf ball airborne is challenging for most golfers with two arms and two legs. 
Mathias never let these minor challenges stop him from learning the game of golf. He picked up his first golf club at the age of three and became enamored with the game. He played on his high school team, as well as, on Marian University Indianapolis collegiate golf team.
He won the Georgia State Amputee Golf Tournament three consecutive years and was invited to participate in the ParaLong Drive Cup in Mesquite, Nevada.
The ParaLong Drive Cup is held in conjunction with a regional qualifier for the World Long Drive Association. It brings together golfers with disabilities that have overcome their physical limitations and want to compete with other physically limited golfers.
Rich O’Brien also a participant in the ParaLong Drive Cup told us,
“I warmed up next to Evan and was amazed at his effortless power despite being a bilateral amputee. To make it even more amazing, he was using a borrowed long driver and hitting one for the first time. I had a feeling that Chris Osborne’s record of 332 yards was in jeopardy with this 23-year-old in the field.”
With a borrowed driver and little practice, Mathias bombed a drive 398 yards during the first day of competition.
“I knew it was long when I hit it.”
The previous record for an above the knee amputee was 330 yards, he beat that by 68 yards!
In July Mathias proved his win in Mesquite was not fluke. He matched his 398-yard drive in a ParaLong Drive competition in Rochester, New York to win and is now the favorite to beat.
Mathias’ success in ParaLong Drive has given him a new direction to follow in his life.
His college degree is in physical exercise, plus he is working on a master’s degree in counseling. His success on the driving range in the long drive competition has opened his eyes to working with fellow amputees to improve their golfing skills.
If you would like to learn more about the ParaLong Drive Cup visit: http://www.amputeelongdrivechampionship.com/?fbclid=IwAR00mXIe5tfeNFx0F_48Iq40jWrQ556iBHLEJCgpAuCTY7YEh0NqbUjutzY
