Adaptive Golfing in an APEX A – Max Togisala

Max is a passionate 19-year-old college student who lives for the thrill of skiing and the challenge of golfing. When he’s not on the slopes or the green, he can be found surrounded by his close-knit group of friends and family.

On February 19, 2022, Max had an accident while skiing, where he fractured his t12 and separated his shoulder. But that did not stop Max from being the living image of someone who enjoys life and excels in everything he does! Only 18 months after his accident, Max has significantly recovered and has tried many adaptive sports, like wheelchair basketball, hand cycling, mono-skiing, and adaptive golfing.

Max has been playing golf since he was a kid. After his accident, Max wanted to make sure that golfing was still possible for him. Fast forward to only 18 months after he got injured, and he won the US Adaptive Open Golf Championship in the men’s seated category. This event took place in Pinehurst, North Carolina, and it was only the second edition of this kind of event, but the competition was intense, nevertheless.

When we learned that Max won, we could not resist asking him to meet with us and tell us all about it.

Interview:

Motion Composites: Hello Max! Thank you for taking the time to meet with us today! We read that you have been playing golf since you were young. How did you fall in love with this sport?

Mike Togisala: Oh man, I have been golfing since I was three years old! My dad introduced me to this amazing sport, and I just never stopped. I started getting into competitive golf when I was 12 years old.

MC: Only 18 months ago, you had your ski accident. Today, you are the US Adaptive Golf Open Seating Champion, and you are back doing the mountain mono-skiing. You are truly amazing! How do you feel to have been able to accomplish this?

MT: I feel on cloud nine! It’s crazy to see how far I’ve come in just a year and a half!! I feel so proud of myself when I think that I overcame all those challenges through my journey to get to where I am right now.

After my accident, I wanted to return to enjoying life with the sports I grew up with (golf and skiing). Throughout this journey, Dad and my sister encouraged me to get back out there and push myself every day.

On one side, my sister always pushed me to do more while recovering in the hospital. It’s like she just knew that I was capable of great things, and she saw my potential and never stopped believing in me and pushing me to my limits, and I love that!

My dad, on the other side, helped me get back to the game of golf. He knew how important it was for me, and he wanted to make sure that I would not miss out on anything. I started playing in my  APEX A, and he would push me on the grass, taking me out golfing at least twice a week; he even helped caddy for me in the US Adaptive Open. He is the best!

MC: What brought you to participate? How did you hear about this event?

MT: Five months after my accident, I was at home, watching the Golf Channel, and I saw they were showing highlights of the 2022 tournament. There were seated players with special mobility devices, and I did not know that this was a thing. I looked at my dad and said, “Next year, I am going to participate in this tournament, and I’ll try to win.”

Fast-forward to today, and I was able to do it! I still can’t believe it! They only accepted 7 seated players in the Nation, and I made it in. We competed against a total of 96 players. I got 17^th place overall and 1st place in the Men’s seated category. It was unbelievable!

MC: Let’s talk a bit about Bruce (your APEX A); how did you hear about Motion Composites?

MT: When I was in the hospital, they had me try out a bunch of rigid wheelchairs to see which was more comfortable for me. I got the opportunity to try a Motion Composites Wheelchair, and the main differentiator that convinced me to go with my APEX Aluminum was how lightweight it was compared to the other wheelchairs I tried.

I thought my life would be a lot easier if my chair was lighter for transferring and moving my chair into the car, and I was right (laughs).

MC: Why did you name it Bruce? What is the thing that you like the most about your APEX A?

MT: It’s a funny story: My brother named my first car Bruce, after Bruce Wayne. We are big Batman fans! And, of course, I wanted my first wheelchair to share the same name as my first car.

What I love the most about Bruce (my APEX A) is how adjustable it is and how easy it is to adjust. Especially when you are newly injured, and as you navigate through your recovery journey, you realize that you need to adjust more things on your chair. Having a wheelchair that allows us to do so is everything that I could have asked for.

MC: What would you like to say to other wheelchair users who, like you, are golf aficionados and would like to participate in events like this one?

MT: Just stick at it and trust the process. It was very hard for me to start playing golf again, but I decided to just trust the process. Go day by day, and try not to get frustrated (which I know can be really hard in golf). But also, have a ton of fun while you’re doing it! That’s the key to everything.

We want to thank Max for his time meeting with us. It was a pleasure to talk to him. We are still in awe of how much he has accomplished in just a year and a half, and we cannot wait to see where he will go next!

If you, like us, want to stay updated on his adventures, we encourage you to check his Instagram account, where he constantly posts updates about his recovery journey and everything about adaptive golf.