PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – After 15 years as a professional golfer, Rob Strano felt a calling to share the game he loves with the deaf and hard-of-hearing community. In 2003 he took up sign language and that decision was one that changed the course of his life.
“At the end of my playing career I got injured and I was led to take up sign language, not knowing why God was dragging me in that direction,” said Strano. “One day after learning the language I Googled golf deaf instruction and found out that there was nobody actively teaching deaf kids how to play golf in their own language.”
That revelation led Strano to become the Director of U.S. Golf Deaf Camps. In 2004 he held his first clinic in Florida and now travels around the country teaching golf to those who may have never been able to learn the game. For most of the students, Strano’s clinic is the first time they’ve ever stepped on a golf course. This is the 15h year of this event at The Players.
"This is the longest running program of its kind anywhere," said Strano. "We've got some students from the Florida School for the Deaf [and the Blind]. It's just another fun year. It's hard to believe we've been doing this for 15 years at The Players. We're so blessed to have the support of the PGA Tour and to have so many fun kids here. To be able to have them learn the game of golf in their native language of American Sign Language is amazing."