Zoe Hixon just met her new heroes. Zoe, a 3rd grader at North Fayette Elementary, was recently a special guest at the inaugural US Adaptive Open at Pinehurst Golf Resort in North Carolina.

The US Adaptive Open brings together the world’s best golfers with disabilities. It is open to males and females, professionals and amateurs, with either physical impairment, sensory impairment (vision), or intellectual impairment.

“It was exciting,” said Zoe. “I’ve never seen golf played like that before.”

Zoe was inspired to meet the golfers and watch them compete.

“I was able to meet adaptive golf players from all over the world. One guy was even blind! There were people with no arms or no legs, in wheelchairs, and even little people,” she said. “They were so good. I got all their signatures on my flag.”

Born without her left forearm and hand, Zoe hasn’t been golfing long, but she is perfecting her game as she works towards participating in the Open in 2030.

“I got lots of tips on my swing and might be changing from right handed golf clubs to left, even though I only have my right hand. I am also going to get a prosthetic that will attach to my little arm and be able to hook onto my golf club so I have a stronger swing,” she said. “I have to work on my chipping more. I like making the ball go in the air.”