Article By: Jim McCabe
For all those who tend to forget and have let the years pull them away from the Dennis Walters storyline, let us give thanks to those who vividly remember and have charged forth with a vehicle that succinctly remind what inspiration feels like.
If you’re thinking that the week of Thanksgiving is a perfect time to release “Get a New Dream: The Dennis Walters Story,” then you won’t be disappointed. The superbly-crafted documentary (airing on The Golf Channel Monday, Nov. 22nd at 8 p.m. and again Wednesday, Nov. 24th at 5 p.m.) tells the compelling story of the promising New Jersey golfer whose PGA Tour dream was ended in a few seconds in July of 1974 – or in the time it took his golf car to flip and crush him underneath.
Walters was just 24 when he was paralyzed from the waist down and while many of us know how with relentless fortitude he remained a golfer – albeit one who was strapped into a golf cart and put on trick-shot exhibitions – the guess is most of the details and emotions to the story we didn’t know.
(For instance, he was headed out to play golf with his friend, former Yankees pitcher Ralph Terry, when the accident occurred. Or how a heartfelt letter was sent to him by Ben Hogan. Or that he was strapped into a hospital device that looked like a Ferris wheel and his position was shifted every four hours for four months.)
That is OK. Executive producer Tim McEnemy and director Alex Vishno of A2V Media have assembled an impressive array of dignitaries from the world of golf to chronicle this incredible tale. They are unabashed in their love and admiration for Walters and consider him a pillar of human strength.
“There’s a great saying that you look into the past for your future, but don’t stare,” says PGA golf professional Bob Ford. “Dennis has never really stared into the past and felt sorry for himself
Ford is not alone in his reverence; there is a parade of notable names who will provide you layers of the Dennis Walters story that are awe-inspiring and explain why he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2019.
“The perfect embodiment of what the game represents,” says Jim Nantz, who narrates with his usual brilliance.
The late Arnold Palmer is part of the documentary, and so are Jack and Barbara Nicklaus, Gary Player, and Tiger Woods, who has done dozens of shows with Walters.
Peter Broome, Senior Vice-President of the Acushnet Company that is a key supporter and partner in Walters’ mission, said it was the golfer’s spirit that shined through when he came “to that fork in the road.” Despite doctors telling him he would never walk and certainly would never play golf again, Walters was undeterred for the most selfless of reasons, said Broome
“He said, ‘I’ve got a message. I’ve found this new mission that I can inspire people to chase their dream – and at the same time part of his message is to modify your dream.”
It is how Walters’ dreams were modified – and the people who had faith in his journey – that is the most compelling part of “Get A New Dream.” Recalling how tears flowed while watching PGA Tour golfers play Pebble Beach, knowing he would never live out his dream, Walters said it was his father, Stan, who insisted they go hit golf balls.
Absurd, thought Walters, yet there he went to the garage to watch his dad figure out how to use a pillow, a strap, and a rope to keep his son affixed to a chair. Thus unfolds a fascinating story told by those closest to the 1967 New Jersey State Junior champ who later played collegiately at Northwest Texas University.
Wayne Warms, a New Jersey PGA Professional who grew up with Walters, dedicated himself to building the proper clubs. Gary Wiren, a PGA Master Professional, helped Walters come up with a swing like no other. And Dr. Paul Schottland, a clinical psychologist who admired Walters’ skill as a golfer while growing up and the courage he faced after the accident
“It’s not what happens to you that dictates your life,” says Dr. Schottland. “It’s really how you perceive it and how you react to it.”
Walters’ strength to face his adversity head-on is remarkable enough; to channel his energies into such a positive mission is why he’s a hero to many. The documentary paints Walters’ story masterfully, showing plenty of clips of his more than 3,000 shows that have taken him over three million miles.
Study the footage and what jumps out at you is the endless line of young golfers who are utterly captivated. They are smiling, engaging, and reacting warmly to Walters’ performance. The impact he has had on communities and young people is very real.
Then, factor in the awareness he has generated to helping the disabled play golf. “He created a template for (hundreds) of thousands of disabled golfers,” said Wiren. “There was no (template). He started something new.”
Of course, never, ever has Walters performed or traveled without one of his famed dogs. He’s had five of them across 40-plus years and they have all been rescue dogs. They have also had a huge part in his traveling golf show and Walters explains why it works so well: “Golf and dog-training are parallel universes.”
You can see for yourself that Walters is correct. “Get A New Dream: The Dennis Walters Story” will be on The Golf Channel Monday, Nov. 22nd at 8 p.m. and again Wednesday, Nov. 24th at 5 p.m.
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About the author: Jim McCabe has been a longtime golf writer with the Boston Globe, Golfweek magazine and pgatour.com. He now produces a weekly digital golf newsletter that can be found at powerfades.com
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