'Pink Links' teaches cancer survivors about golf

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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Jeri Millard was taking golf lessons seven years ago when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Treatments for the disease forced her to put the clubs down.

Stan Badz/PGA TOUR

The second class of "Pink Links" women pose at TPC Sawgrass.

Over the course of a lifetime, one in eight women will hear those four scary words: You have breast cancer. Every 13 minutes a woman dies from this disease.

No one is immune. Not mothers, grandmothers, wives, sisters, daughters or friends. From Judy Rankin to Jeri Millard, breast cancer strikes 12.6 percent of women.

Rankin is a familiar name because of her World Golf Hall of Fame career and her 26 LPGA Tour victories. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2006 and completed treatment by August.

Over 12 weeks ago in early November, Rankin joined Millard and eight others, dubbed the "fine nine" like a fine wine, to kick off a new "Pink Links" experience at TPC Sawgrass. Baptist Health, THE PLAYERS Championship and the TOUR Academy at Sawgrass came together to teach this inaugural class of breast cancer survivors to use golf as a way to connect, share their experiences and continue on their journey to healing.

At the start of their 12-week journey, the women were strangers to each other and some were strangers to the game of golf.

The classes, which taught the basics of the game, gave them "enthusiasm for life, just to get outside. Not to be cliché," Millard said, "but it got the women back in the swing of things. Friends and fresh air -- there's nothing better than that."

By their graduation ceremony on Feb. 16, 2008, the women had become more like survival sisters than strangers. They spent several Saturday afternoons in the bright Florida sunshine learning the basics of the game from the capable instructors at TPC Sawgrass.

"You can't play golf and think about anything else. It grabs you mentally and physically and it certainly is a bridge for all people," said Vickie Rose, known as "Sparkle" to her new friends because of her glitter-encrusted clothing style.

Mary Stratton had stage IV cancer immediately prior to the "Pinks Links" class but she didn't let that control her life. Armed with an ancient set of golf clubs, she hit the practice links with the gals.

Some of those ladies and her golf instructors gave her a little good-natured ribbing because of her old clubs. So she made an investment in a new set, one she hopes she will be using for many years to come.

"I was kidded about my old clubs and they gave me a great suggestion about what clubs to get. I absolutely love them," Stratton said. The technical tips, driving and putting lessons and one-on-one attention helped her improve significantly in her game and her condition.

"I actually went into remission three weeks after I started. Maybe I swung so bad it knocked the cancer right out of me."

Though none of their pink golf hats or bedazzled visors were thrown in celebration of their graduation, the women did have a special ceremony to mark the end of their time as the inaugural class. They passed the reins on to a dozen women who take their place as the next "Pink Links" class but not without leaving behind a parting gift for their TOUR Academy instructors.

If you spot a few of the manly golf instructors at TPC Sawgrass sporting pink collared shirts and using pink teddy bear head covers, don't be surprised and don't think that they aren't tough.

After all, they learned what tough was all about from these pink ladies.

"It was eye-opening," JP Guarneri, instructor at the TOUR Academy, said. "When we started, we didn't know what to expect. It was amazing -- they showed up early and were so excited. They became decent golfers and, if you looked out on that practice tee, they could beat half the people on the range.

"It's amazing that they could progress that much and even have the strength to get out there and go. They are definitely not quitters. They are all good to work with and the ladies came a long way."