AKRON, Ohio — One of golf's most influential golfers, Bobby Jones, said it best: “Golf is the closest game to the game we call life. You get bad breaks from good shots, you get good breaks from bad shots, but you have to play where the ball lies.” 

No one can relate more to that than World Golf Hall of Famer Dennis Walters.

“I was 24 years old, almost to the point where I wanted to be,” said Walters. “And this mess happened.”

What You Need To Know

  • Dennis Walters is in the World Golf Hall of Fame and continues to inspire people with his show on the road
  • Walters and his team put on a golf show for hundreds

  • In the 70s, Walters was expected to be a front-runner on the PGA Tour. Then, on July 21, 1974, he was in a golf cart that flipped, causing severe spinal cord damage. He's now paralyzed from the waist down

  • A documentary about his life was just released

In the 70s, Walters was making waves in the golf world. He was expected to be a front-runner on the PGA Tour. Then, on July 21, 1974, he was in a golf cart that flipped, causing severe spinal cord damage.

As a result, he's now paralyzed from the waist down.

He said many told him the same thing.

“You'll never be able to play golf again,” Walters remembered. “Too bad. I said I don't think so. I'm going to try to figure it out.”

He started hitting out of a wheelchair. Then, progressed to a swivel seat.

“What I found was when I went to play golf, I felt better,” said Walters. “It was far better medicine than any pill I could take. I was trying to cope with what I considered a hopeless situation.”

He was happy to find his way back on the course, not thinking he would still make a career out of the sport.

However, he was wrong.

Now, on the road for 44 years, we caught up with him in the middle of his 35 shows in 70 days. He was joined by his assistant and his four-legged best friend, Gussy.

As a team, they put on a golf show for hundreds.

In addition to spreading golf knowledge, laughs and smiles, he spreads the message of hope.

He has learned that even though sometimes life, like golf, gives you a bad break, playing where the ball lies might give you a better shot than expected.

“If you have a dream and it doesn't work out,” said Walters, “Get a new dream.”

Walters was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2019.

A documentary about his life was just released.

In it, you'll see some of the world's best golfers like Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and even the late Arnold Palmer, all discussing how Walters has inspired them.

You can watch the trailer and learn more about Walters here.