Photos courtesy of Lulu Gribbin via Instagram
Natural athletics and adaptive technology combine to help Lulu Griffin crush golf balls off the tee just a year after a shark attack took her leg and hand.
Lulu Gribbin is wowing them. Nick Saban saw it firsthand when she stepped up on hole No. 17 at the Regions Tradition earlier this year. The longtime Alabama coach admitted he was stunned to see her drive the ball farther and truer than he could.
But how does she do it?
The answer is part strength, part athletic instinct — and part adaptive technology.
A former volleyball player with strong balance and core strength, Lulu brings her natural athleticism to the game. But specialized equipment makes her tremendous swing possible.
“So there’s a golf attachment. This hand comes off, and then I attach a golf attachment,” she explained on “Good Morning America.”
For stability, she alternates between a high-tech carbon-fiber prosthetic leg and a crutch system, depending on the round. The combination allows her to transfer weight, keep her swing smooth and generate real power off the tee.
That’s the heart of adaptive technology — tools and innovations that help people with disabilities live, move and compete more fully. It can be as simple as a grip or as complex as prosthetics wired to nerves that respond to muscle signals.
It’s also a focus of her new Lulu Strong Foundation.
“We feel like the virtual reality for the leg would help other amputees, so really more innovation and research within technology for the amputee space,” Lulu told GMA.
Golf is just one visible example of how Lulu is thriving. But through her foundation, she hopes to ensure more amputees have access to the kinds of adaptive technologies that make those moments possible.
