Hartle Represents Western Pennsylvania at U.S. Adaptive Open
By: Jared Barton
North Allegheny grad Harley Hartle was not a golfer in high school, but has risen to the top level of the game in competition for players with impairments.
Hartle had a portion of his arm amputated following a car accident at nine years old, and since then has been actively involved in sports.
During his time with the Tigers, Hartle was a member of the 2012 football team that won a PIAA Championship, and he was also a successful wrestler. He didn’t turn to golf until after his senior year when he was invited to an adaptive scramble.
That newfound love for the sport has since evolved into a career for Hartle, who recently participated in his second U.S. Adaptive Open at Woodmont Country Club in Maryland. It was the fourth overall Adaptive Open the USGA has hosted, giving players dealing with forms of physical and intellectual impairments a chance to compete against people with similar impairments.
Players are divided into 15 categories based on their impairment. Hartle was one of 11 players competing in the Upper Limb Impairment division. His scores of 76—79 were good enough for sixth in the division, with the top four players making the cut.
To learn more about Harley’s journey and the U.S. Adaptive Open, you can read Josh Rowntree’s full article here.
(Photo courtesy Ted Pio Roda/USGA. Portions of the article courtesy of Josh Rowntree and the Western Pennsylvania Golf Association.)
