A late-night car accident cost Chance Griffin the use of his body from the chest down. While he focused on a lengthy recovery, his brothers in blue were already ensuring his next chapter would be a positive one.
“Before I even got home from the rehab hospital, they had a para-golf cart waiting for me,” said Griffin, who spent a month in a coma immediately following the accident.
For someone who had played competitive golf since the age of 7, it was far more than a kind gesture. It was a path forward.
Before I even got home from the rehab hospital, they had a para-golf cart waiting for me. Chance Griffin, Former SWAT officer
“It’s very easy to get depressed afterward,” Griffin said. “But I was lucky to have a way out of the house — a way to build myself back up and restore my self-esteem and confidence.”
A former Union City special operations police officer and SWAT team member in South Fulton County, Georgia, Griffin seized the opportunity to give back Thursday as a coach at the Regions Adaptive Golf Clinic. The clinic is now a regular feature of the Regions Tradition, a premier PGA TOUR Champions event held at Greystone Golf & Country Club in Birmingham, Alabama.
The clinic brings dozens of adaptive golfers — many for their first exposure to the sport — onto the same course that hosts golf’s legends.
“It’s exciting because we’ve seen this event grow year after year,” said Schiela Peña, Disability Services and Outreach Manager at Regions Bank. “The feedback we receive is unbelievable, and participation continues to increase every time.
“They’re excited about the setup and about being part of the Tradition. If you want to play golf or need equipment, we’ll help you figure it out.”
According to Mark Senter, Regions’ Experiential and Sponsorship Marketing Program Manager, nearly 200 tickets were distributed for Thursday’s adaptive golf clinic – more than double the previous high set in 2025.
The feedback we receive is unbelievable, and participation continues to increase every time. Schiela Peña, Disability Services and Outreach Manager at Regions Bank
Griffin was invited by Senter and Atlanta-based author and public speaker Bruce Pulver after Pulver learned of the opportunity.
“Once you get involved in adaptive golf, you can’t get uninvolved,” Pulver said. “This partnership and our connection with Mark Senter were crucial. We want to spread the word about adaptive golf because it highlights what I call ‘unique abilities,’ not disabilities.”
Noah Galloway coaches a participant during the adaptive golf clinic.
Nearly 100 adaptive golfers participated, rotating through four stations designed to teach and reinforce the fundamentals of the game. Coaches included Noah Galloway, who lost an arm and a leg during the Iraq War and has since become a nationally recognized motivational speaker, extreme sports athlete, and former contestant on Dancing with the Stars. Also coaching was Lulu Gribbin, a local athlete who lost limbs in a 2024 shark attack and took up golf as part of her recovery, inspiring others along the way.
Griffin plays from an adaptive Vertacart provided by the Stand Up and Play Foundation, which allows him to maintain the natural swing he developed as a competitive golfer –now powered solely by his right arm. He also partners with PGA TOUR Superstore, training employees nationwide on how to adapt golf equipment and experiences for players with disabilities.
Lulu Gribbin warms up on the driving range.
“My passion for golf is no longer centered on tournaments,” Griffin said. “I had those experiences before my injury. Now it’s about volunteering, helping others, and giving back.
“To do this on the driving range at the Regions Tradition — where our heroes were competing just hours earlier — is incredible. The level of commitment to this event is truly inspiring.”
It’s just another reason the Regions Tradition is more than a golf tournament. It’s an extraordinary opportunity to give back to the community.
My passion for golf is no longer centered on tournaments. I had those experiences before my injury. Now it’s about volunteering, helping others, and giving back.Chance Griffin
“We’ve been out here all week and it has been awesome,” said Sheletha Bevelle, the Community Integration Coach for United Ability. “It’s a great experience for our participants to meet people, to get socialization opportunities.”
The chance to learn the game from people who’ve overcome so much is a benefit that can’t be measured.
“It can give them hope that, just because you have a disability, your story is not over,” Bevelle added. “There is not a period to your story just because you have a disability. You still can achieve whatever you put your and your heart to.”