Bill Thompson loves golf. He plays four to seven times a week. “He’s looking forward to it,” said his wife Debbie Thompson. “I think when you have that competitive spirit in you, it doesn’t go away. He is not satisfied. He’s always trying to improve.” Thompson started playing golf more than 40 years ago, but over the past 25 years the game has changed his life. In 1998 he was diagnosed with a rare disease. “It’s actually called primary lateral sclerosis,” Bill said. “It’s not just affecting my legs, it’s also affecting my arms. It’s also affecting my vocal cords.” Primary lateral sclerosis is a rare neuromuscular disorder with slowly progressive weakness in voluntary muscle movement that isn’t ideal for golf. When Thompson received the diagnosis, however, he took it as a call to action. The message came loud and clear from a University of Michigan neurologist: “He said it’s not life-threatening, it’s life-threatening,” Debbie recalled. “He said Mr Thompson you have two choices: you can either lie on the couch and then do nothing, you will be in a wheelchair within a year, or you can stay active. You can work out and you can walk,” Bill said. The choice was easy. Thompson continued to play golf. Playing sports and doing them well is a Thompson talent. “You know, baseball, he was pitcher, shortstop, football, we tease him, that’s what he’s called at the club now, they call him ‘cheap shot,'” Debbie said. “He was a great defensive halfback. He would knock out some people.” Bill starred in both sports at Valley High School. He played for a Vikings football team that defeated future Super Bowl MVP Phil Simms and Southern and for a Vikings baseball team that defeated No. 1 PRP High School. Golf may not have saved his life, but the sport did save his life path. He pushes his cart across the golf course at Owl Creek Country Club. Once close to being a scratch golfer, his handicap is just over 20. “Golf is his motivator,” Debbie said. “He knows that if he doesn’t maintain the strength in his legs, that in turn can cause his game to decline. He trains at home, doing floor sit-ups and stretches and anything he needs to do.” His handicap may be increasing, but so is his influence on other golfers and other people he comes into contact with, including himself own grandchildren, is gaining weight.”He’s really good at being funny and he likes golf,” said granddaughter Lexi Smith. “He plays golf at least seven times a week.” how dad gets overwhelmed can learn life lessons.”I remember dad was sick once, but he went anyway because he promised one of his friends he’d play golf,” Lena said.At Thompson’s was getting old Diagnosed with PLS at the age of 40, he retired at 43 and now 25 years later he’s still struggling.”Live your life, every day like it’s your last,” said Bill. “I love to just get out there and just being with people.”
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky—
Bill Thompson loves golf. He plays four to seven times a week.
“He’s looking forward to it,” said his wife Debbie Thompson. “I think when you have that competitive spirit in you, it doesn’t go away. He is not satisfied. He’s always trying to improve.”
Thompson started playing golf more than 40 years ago, but over the past 25 years the game has changed his life. In 1998 he was diagnosed with a rare disease.
“It’s actually called primary lateral sclerosis,” Bill said. “It’s not just affecting my legs, it’s also affecting my arms. It also affects my vocal cords.”
Primary lateral sclerosis is a rare neuromuscular disorder with slowly progressive weakness in voluntary muscle movement that is not ideal for golf. When Thompson received the diagnosis, however, he took it as a call to action.
The message came loud and clear from a University of Michigan neurologist.
“He said it wasn’t life-threatening, it was life-threatening,” Debbie recalled.
“He said Mr Thompson you have two choices: you can either lie on the couch and then do nothing, you will be in a wheelchair within a year, or you can stay active. You can work out and you can walk,” Bill said.
The choice was easy. Thompson continued to play golf. Playing sports and doing them well is a Thompson talent.
“You know, baseball, he was pitcher, shortstop, football, we tease him, that’s what he’s called at the club now, they call him ‘cheap shot,'” Debbie said. “He was a great defensive halfback. He would take out some people.”
Bill starred in both sports at Valley High School. He played for a Vikings football team that defeated future Super Bowl MVP Phil Simms and Southern, and for a Vikings baseball team that defeated No. 1 PRP High School.
Golf may not have saved his life, but the sport did save his way of life. He pushes his cart across the golf course at Owl Creek Country Club. Once close to being a scratch golfer, his handicap is just over 20.
“Golf is his motivator,” Debbie said. “He knows that if he doesn’t maintain the strength in his legs, that in turn can cause his game to decline. He works out at home, doing floor sit-ups and stretches and whatever he needs to do.”
His handicap may be increasing, but so is his influence on other golfers and other people he comes into contact with, including his own grandchildren.
“He’s really good at being funny and he enjoys golf,” said granddaughter Lexi Smith. “He plays golf at least seven times a week.”
Lexi’s twin sister, Lena, says there are life lessons to be learned from watching Dad get overwhelmed.
“I remember that dad was sick once, but he went anyway because he promised one of his friends that he would play golf,” Lena said.
Thompson was diagnosed with PLS at age 40, retired at 43 and now 25 years later he’s still struggling.
“Live your life, every day, like it’s your last,” said Bill. “I love just going out and just being with people.”
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