By Harry King
LITTLE ROCK — The long pink sweatshirt hid the 9-year-old’s “little hand” at the end of her left arm that held her too-tall putter to her chest.
Around Bekah for the first time, the look was misinterpreted as a cover-up. Minutes later, she set the record straight about the finger buds that stopped growing when an amniotic band wrapped around her arm in the womb with a matter-of-fact, “I learned to play one-handed from Coach Chuck.”
Coach Chuck is Chuck Tull, a staff member at The First Tee of Central Arkansas, who was approached by Butch Walker on a day when Walker had two of his other children at the Jack Stephens Youth Golf Academy in Little Rock. Walker asked Tull if he had ever coached anyone with one hand. No, Tull said, but he would do some research and be in touch.
Two days later, he showed the family a video of several one-handed golfers. Unfamiliar with the game, Bekah was a bit reluctant. The video helped ease her doubts. A couple of private lessons followed. After that, she joined a class. She has been at it ever since, going on three years.
“As her parents, we truly believe that she should be exposed to all kinds of things, to see if she would like to do it,” said Karana Walker. “In our minds, there are no limits. If she tries something and likes it, then we use it to strengthen her self-esteem and not let anything hinder her from trying.”
First Tee has helped shape that attitude, introducing her to new friends and encouraging her to try things.
“She is not afraid to show that she can golf; it just may be a little different than the way others do it, but it works for her,” her mother said. “She has no problem letting people know that she was just born that way. She would rather have people ask her what happened than just stare.”
The Walkers, who adopted Rebekah MeeHye from South Korea when she was only seven months old, have never babied her and she can do everything from play golf to tie her shoes with one hand. Like the hundreds of other kids at The First Tee, she is responsible for getting her golf clubs, including her new “way longer” putter that Tull made, around the course. Usually, she pulls a cart.
Responsibility is one of the nine core values of The First Tee program. Respect — for self and others — confidence, perseverance, and courtesy are also included. It is no surprise that when our putting competition was over, Bekah thanked her opponent for participating.
The First Tee program in Little Rock is one of five in the state. The one in Fort Smith, where active membership is pushing 900, is home base for 17-year-old Katie Hickey of Mansfield. Adopted by her grandparents years ago, she was one of two nationwide recipients of a $10,000 scholarship last year. As part of the deal, Hickey was flown to Florida to make a First Tee commercial with Jack Nicklaus. During the filming, she used Nicklaus’ sand wedge. “Jack doesn’t ever let anyone use his clubs,” a Nicklaus insider told Hickey’s grandfather, George.
The commercial will air next week during The Masters.
In Northwest Arkansas, The First Tee is adding Siloam Springs to facilities in Bella Vista and Fayetteville and membership should push 1,000.
There are others in Texarkana and Blytheville. In each of the five programs, youngsters are better people than before they signed up. Their stories might not be as dramatic as those of Bekah and Katie, but they are positive through and through.
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Harry King is sports columnist for Stephens Media’s Arkansas News Bureau. His e-mail address is hking@arkansasnews.com.
