There are 96 inspiring stories about adaptive opening in the United States. This is one of them

Andreas Brandenberger describes himself as “the guy with short arms and real clubs.” This line provides his sense of humor, but only hints at everything he overcomes.

Brandenberger, 39, was born in Greece, and the rare disease called Phocomelia caused him to truncate his upper limbs. He was adopted by a family in Kansas and grew up in a small town outside Lawrence. Brandenberger started exercising since childhood and didn’t let his differences stop him. He participated in the same sports as his friends: basketball, football, baseball, football. In high school, he was appointed to the All-State wrestling team.

Golf is not on his radar, though.

“I know Tiger Woods is in the background,” Brande said. “But that’s it.”

this Ah ha Time is at the University of Kansas. One day while surfing the channel, Brandenberger caught a TV show about a short-weapon golfer named George Utley discussing everything he could do. It turns out that Utley can’t tie his shoelaces, but he can kick the ball to the center of the fairway.

“I thought, ‘I can tie my shoelaces, this guy looks like me,’” Brandon Berger said. “I decided I wanted to be a golfer, too.”

A local club maker helped Brandenberger start the prototype stick, six feet away at the butt end, which Brandenberger could hold under his arms. Brandenberger said in his first swing in the series: “The club is farther than the ball.”

That’s it.

Today, Brandenberger has performed with an upgraded club he designed with Ping, and he stands out in his favorite sport. This weekend, he will fly from his home in San Diego to Maryland for the U.S. Adaptive Open, which is his debut.

Founded in 2022, the tournament is the latest addition to USGA’s National Championships Rota. In a short life, it is a symbol of inclusion and inspiration, open to amateurs and professionals of all ages with a WR4GD pass (the world ranking for disabled golfers).

This year’s version is scheduled for July 7-9 at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Maryland, with 96 players participating in eight obstacle categories, with overall men’s and women’s championships also participating. Every player in the field is an elite talent, and each name carries a fascinating story.

For more information on Brandenberger’s story, check out the video above. To follow the 2025 U.S. adaptive opening action, keep an eye on this space.