TUCSON, Arizona — Bailey Bish literally grew up on the fifth hole at 49er Country Club in Tucson.
"We had a cul-de-sac of seven kids who were all within a year of each other," said Bish.
However, Bailey never picked up a golf club.
"I wanted to play basketball. That's all I wanted to do."
As a freshman at Tanque Verde High School, complications from a sinus injury led to an infection. She ended up losing movement in her right side, and developed a neurological condition called dystonia.
"It was frightening."
Bailey also as another neurological condition known as POTS, which is an acronym for postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. Her left side is one hundred percent, but balancing her right side can be a challenge.
"Not being able to play basketball was a really hard blow for me."
That's when Bailey turned to the sport that was in her backyard, the one that would allow her to continue her competitive drive.
"Having golf as another sport that I could compete at kept me going through all this."
Bailey can do almost everything, independently. She uses crutches on the course and a special solo golf cart that can ride up on the greens without leaving marks, and it has a chair that can swivel for easy access in and out of the cart.
At first, Bailey was only able to make it through nine holes. For three years, she worked on her endurance and was able to participate in 54-hole events. This past May, she not only entered the United States Disabled Open, but won it.
"To see all my hard work come to fruition, and to be able to pull off a win was just incredible."
Now, she's practicing for the prestigious United States Adaptive Open, put on by the USGA. It's only the second such event.
"That signifies that adaptive golf is big, and something to pay attention to. I'm excited for the challenge."
