HELENA — If you make your way to the Green Meadow Country Club this year, you will find renowned PGA Pro Ryan Cutter as he begins his journey of bettering communities across the nation.
Cutter is starting a local nonprofit golf academy for all people with disabilities, whether you’re a veteran with PTSD or someone born with a physical disadvantage, the academy will introduce you to the game of golf. The goal of the organization — known as the All Abilities Golf Academy — is to provide easy access and opportunities in golf for everyone.
Cutter is the only double amputee PGA Pro in the nation, and to get his organization off the ground he is soliciting donations for the 100 Hole Marathon put on by the PGA's Pacific Northwest Region. “A lot of golf in one day,” Cutter said. “It’s pretty brutal, especially with no legs.”
In 2021, Cutter completed his first round of 100 holes for the Ray Hunthausen Junior Golf Foundation, which he helped to establish in 1997. Cutter, who was born with Amniotic Band Syndrome, had both of his legs amputated at birth and got into golf at a very young age.
Cutter was able to play golf throughout his high school years. When he went to college he decided to give up the game for nearly four years. During that time, he mentioned, “I kind of lost my life during those four years, didn’t really know what I wanted to do or where I was going.”
He then decided to pursue a career in the sport, taking the hard-hitting PGA Golf Management route which is obtained through a national accredited University.
The PGA Golf Management University Program provides extensive opportunities for player development for aspiring PGA Professionals. Offered at only 17 universities nationwide, the program allows students such as Cutter to earn a degree and gain skills to succeed in golf. Cutter ultimately received his accounting degree as well as his PGA membership from The University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.
Cutter said there are only a couple single-amputee PGA professionals, and another professional with a form of cognitive disability.
"There are definitely some with disabilities, but we’re few and far between," he said. "You talk over 27,000 people, of that group there are only like three of us that have disabilities.”
Now he is ready to give back. Cutter has set up a GoFundMe account for his academy and the 100 Hole Marathon. His goal is to raise $5,000. For information or to donate, click here.
