An undated photo of Army veteran Chad Pfeifer on a golf course. Pfeifer of Caldwell, Idaho, will be among 260 competitors who will compete in the U.S. Adaptive Open — a championship by the U.S. Golf Association that showcases golfers with disabilities — at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Md., July 7-9. (Courtesy of Chad Pfeifer)
An Army veteran who lost his left leg during a combat deployment to Iraq is preparing to take on a different kind of mission — this time with a golf club in hand — at the 4th U.S. Adaptive Open Championship.
Chad Pfeifer of Caldwell, Idaho, will be among 260 competitors who will compete in the U.S. Adaptive Open — a championship sponsored by the U.S. Golf Association that showcases golfers with disabilities — at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Md., Monday through Wednesday.
Pfeifer is the only military veteran out of 20 players who was fully exempt from qualifying for the championship and will be competing in the lower limb impairment category, which he won in 2022.
“These adaptive championships and disabled tournaments are just a great time to be around other people with similar disabilities, and it’s a chance for everyone to share their story,” Pfeifer said. “But I’m a competitor, so I’m always trying to win.”
He said competing in an event like the adaptive open gives him a “sense of pride” in representing the country because in a way, “you’re battling it out against people from all over the world.”
An undated photo of Army veteran Chad Pfeifer on a golf course. Pfeifer of Caldwell, Idaho, will be among 260 competitors who will compete in the U.S. Adaptive Open — a championship by the U.S. Golf Association that showcases golfers with disabilities — at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Md., July 7-9. (Courtesy of Chad Pfeifer)
In April 2007, Pfeifer was serving with the 3rd Battalion 509th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, when his vehicle was hit by an improvised explosive device in Iskandariyah, Iraq, which resulted in the loss of his left leg above the knee, a right heel fracture and partial hearing loss in both ears.
When he returned to the U.S., Pfeifer had therapy at Brooke Army Medical Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston in Texas. He was introduced to golf during his recovery and would play after his therapy sessions.
“I just kinda fell in love with it and got the golfing bug,” Pfeifer said.
Playing golf was therapeutic for Pfeifer when he transitioned from the military. As he adapted to his new prosthetic, he said walking around the different terrains of a golf course “gave me a lot of confidence that I could tackle any obstacle.”
“Going through this daily grind of therapy and trying to recover from the injuries — that [golf] was just an escape for me,” Pfeifer said.
Eventually, Pfeifer began to compete in tournaments and found some success. He said veterans and other people with disabilities would express their appreciation for his courage and skill, which invigorated him to inspire those with disabilities.
“Just because you’re missing a limb or severely wounded, it doesn’t mean that life has to be over,” Pfeifer said. “Hopefully people can see me on a golf course performing well and having a good attitude and know that they can find something they’re passionate about.”
Pfeifer has won multiple golf championship titles including National Amputee Golf Association championships in 2011, 2015 and 2016. He also won the Warrior Open three times, a tournament put on by George W. Bush for wounded veterans.
