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CNN Sunday Morning

Interview with Ruben Samaniego, Tom Winterstein

Aired April 28, 2002 - 10:18   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Have you ever thought about golf as your physical therapy? One special golf pro has and is now the coordinator of "Saving Strokes." It's a fitness and training program that gives stroke patients the chance to use golf as therapy and as an avenue to completely rebuilding your self-confidence. Ruben Samaniego is the chairman of the northern California PGA Disabilities Committee. And Tom Winterstein is one of his prized students. Tom is recovering from a stroke that he suffered a year ago. Tom, are you beating Rubin yet on the golf course?

TOM WINTERSTEIN, STROKE PATIENT: Not yet, but we're getting there.

PHILLIPS: Rubin, see, he says not yet.

SAMANIEGO: It's true.

PHILLIPS: All right, Tom, you were a golfer before you had a stroke. Take us back, a little bit here and tell us what happened.

SAMANIEGO: Tell them what happened, Tom.

WINTERSTEIN: Well, I was in Arizona. I played at True North on March 31. And that night we had a nice dinner, went out, came home. At 1:00 in the morning, I had the stroke. And what really upset me, I didn't think there was anything wrong with me. My wife called the ambulance. I was a little upset because we had a game scheduled. I had some friends of mine down there. We were going to play Legend Trail in Arizona the next day. And so I couldn't play golf on that next day on April the 1st when I had the stroke so that is why I was a little upset.

Of course, it's been -- it was a little bit -- it's been a little bit tough on the golf -- or my golf game since then until I met Ru here.

PHILLIPS: That's right. Let's talk about that relationship. Rubin, you stepped up to the plate -- I've known you for a number of years. For full disclosure, I have to admit, you have been my golf pro for about a decade. But you've always been involved with Special Olympics and folks with physical challenges. You got to Sacramento, why did you start this program?

SAMANIEGO: Actually Kyra, the program itself, "Saving Strokes," is a creation of the American Heart Association. And the -- it's been going on for three years now. And this is our third season, so to speak. And it's our largest. It's something that's always been near and dear to my heart. And I just -- I just felt that it is something I want to continue to contribute to the community, and also to the different disabilities that are out there that need the assistance for access to the golf courses.

PHILLIPS: Rubin, let's talk about Tom. How has that changed his self-confidence, just his life since the stroke? Obviously, not an easy thing to deal with. How has golf been a freedom for him?

SAMANIEGO: When that stroke occurred on April 1st, Tom lost a very dear friend in his golf buddy, in his bag of clubs, and the friends that he meets every day out at the golf course. Consequently, by giving him back the ability to hit the ball and feel that impact in the hand, it gives him back that confidence that he can do it again. Maybe not at the same level that he played before, but he will be able to play again. He will be able to get out on the course and smell the grass and see the ball go in the hole. And this is the thing that is most important to him.

PHILLIPS: Hey, Tom, are you ready to show off your swing?

WINTERSTEIN: OK, I was going to say, I wasn't very good before, but I wish now I could play as bad as I used to.

(LAUGHTER)

WINTERSTEIN: I was telling a guy the other day, that wish I was as slow, I never was very fast, but I wish I was as slow as I used to be even.

PHILLIPS: I have no doubt you're going to be running around on that course with Rubin. Rubin, why don't you, on a regular day, why don't you show us how you lead Tom through the routine? Go ahead, let's get him up out of that chair, Tom, grab a club, and demonstrate a typical day. How do you go through the practice?

SAMANIEGO: We'll be happy to. The main thing we need to do, and that's hampered Tom in the past, has been his balance. So we got to get him up here. OK, Plant that foot. OK, here we go. Up. Here we go. Got ya. OK.

Getting Tom up in the beginning is a little difficult because he has to get stretched out. We have to get the legs working like we want them to. Tom, let's get this back here. Now, I just want you to step forward a little bit, Tom. There you go, left foot, bring it up. There we go, good. I'll sneak around behind you a little bit here, Tom, to get you straightened out.

PHILLIPS: Tom, you're looking good.

SAMANIEGO: Yes, he's standing tall. OK, here we go. Bring your left leg around. There you go. It takes a little bit of time. We have to get his balance in there. OK. Now, here we go, Tom, sorry for turning my back on you. PHILLIPS: No, it's OK, and I know we've got cords there and stuff, too, I know they're helping you with that. Let's pay attention to those.

SAMANIEGO: Here you go, Tom, this might help you out.

PHILLIPS: Tom, obviously, you have to maintain your balance.

SAMANIEGO: And we just get him situated here. We get this leg that doesn't want to cooperate quite as much as we want it to now. Move it left, Tom. There we go,. OK, so now, move yourself to right. Good. Now, you got your balance? OK, now, here we go. I got this club. Now, from this point -- what we're going to do here, I'm going to step out of the picture.

Tom's pretty well got himself set up now. You'll notice he takes a good balance, has his lips back slightly, which is something he hasn't been able to do in the past. What we try to do, what we've done with Glen Fong (ph), who is a physical therapist who has been working with Tom, is that we've been working on his balance and his confidence that he can retain his balance.

Now that we've got him in this position -- assume the position again, Tom, give me a little balance, kick that hip back a little bit. There we go, good. Now he's in a position where he can actually swing the club.

PHILLIPS: How far, Tom, are you hitting that ball? Look at that swing, not bad.

SAMANIEGO: The other day, Tom hit our ceremonial first ball on Wednesday. He hit a 6 iron 60 yards down the middle of the fairway. He did that about three times. It's something he's developed now, he can make a repetitive swing.

PHILLIPS: Outstanding. Rubin, let's see you get back in there with him.

SAMANIEGO: You bet.

PHILLIPS: Oh, he lost his (UNINTELLIGIBLE) shucks. OK, so he is not able to hear us. Does he have it on his shoulder?

SAMANIEGO: Yes, I got it.

PHILLIPS: There we go. We can get one final thought here, Tom, can you hear me OK, Tom?

WINTERSTEIN: Yes.

PHILLIPS: Hey, Tom, we got to go. Final thoughts, how you feeling, and tell everybody right now who is going through a stroke what they need to do and get out on that golf course.

SAMANIEGO: What do you need to tell them Tom? WINTERSTEIN: If you're going to be a golfer or not, think it's a great program because it was kind of tough for a while, I thought, well, I can never play again. Now Ru got me playing.

PHILLIPS: Tom, we salute you, sir.

WINTERSTEIN: I'll be out there pretty soon hitting that ball, standing up.

SAMANIEGO: You bet, you bet.

PHILLIPS: Outstanding, Rubin, thank you so much. Northern California PGA Disabilities Committee. It is happening all across the country. Hope to see more programs like this. We salute you both. Thank you so much.

SAMANIEGO: Thanks, Kyra.

PHILLIPS: You bet.

SAMANIEGO: Bye-Bye.

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