Share this story
One of our readers, John Wayne Parrish, thoughtfully sends me notes and stories to lift me up.
Working as a professional grouch is harder than you might imagine. I walk around with a mournful face every time I read in the papers about some of our guys and gals on the front lines who won’t be coming home alive.
Wayne is a military veteran, too.
He sent this little story the other day that may put a smile on your face. 
It put one on mine.
A wounded vet
According to the story, the writer played the Disney Lake Buena Vista course. 
As usual, the starters matched him with three other players. After a few holes they began to get to know each other a little bit. 
One fellow was rather young. His wife rode along in the golf cart with him. 
He noticed the man’s golf bag had his name on it.
On closer inspection he saw that it also read - “Wounded War Veteran.”
When he had at chance to chat, he asked about the bag. The veteran’s reply was simply that it was a gift. 
He asked if he had been wounded and he said "yes". 
When he asked more about his injury, the response was, “I’d rather not talk about it, sir”. 
His goal in golf
As they played, he learned that the vet had spent the last 15 months in an army rehabilitation hospital in San Antonio, Texas. His wife moved there to be with him and he was released from the hospital in September. 
The vet was a quiet fellow but he said he wanted to play golf better.
After the round he asked about the brand new set of Ping clubs the vet was playing. Some looked like they had never been used. His response was simple.
This was the first full round he had played with these clubs. Later, he said that as part of the discharge process from the rehabilitation hospital, Ping provides three days of golf instruction, and a club fitting.
Ping gives discharged veterans – about 40 soldiers – a brand new set of custom fitted clubs along with an impressive golf bags. 
His name is Ben
The veteran was named Ben Woods and he looked him in the eye and said that being fitted for those clubs was one of the best things that ever happened to him.
He was determined to learn to play golf well enough to deserve the gift Ping had given him.
Ben is now out of the service, medically discharged. 
Ping, whose products are made with pride in Arizona, has the good judgment not to advertise this program.
They feel it is something they can do to help wounded veterans. They don’t do it for credit or recognition.
My father used to tell me it is amazing what you can do if you don’t care who gets the credit for it.
Wouldn’t it be great if more people read this story?
Would you share it with a few of your friends?

The Sports Grouch and his boss welcome comments on his column at ChronicleSports@yahoo.com.