N.S. veteran with PTSD finds peace on the golf course, shares love of game with others

Nova Scotia veteran Daylan McNamara returned home from Afghanistan feeling lost and anxious, but with help from a colleague and Veterans Affairs, he found peace in an unexpected passion.

Now, the retired Cape Breton Highlanders reservist has discovered a new career in coaching golf, and is sharing his love of the game with others.

"One of my colleagues introduced me to golf. I had no interest, but when I went out I had a great time, fell in love with the game, really got into it," says McNamara, who was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.

After installing an at-home golf simulator, he received messages from professionals playing in the PGA, asking if they could teach students out of his space, which inspired McNamara to become a coach.

Hole9Golf was established with the help of McNamara's business partner, who introduced him to the Titleist Performance Institute -- an education platform for coaches.

"So everything started off as an assessment and that kind of boomed because it's something that’s not around here, so we wanted to explore that kind of thing and do something different," he says.

PGA professional and teaching professional, Austin Fraser, is one of the coaches at Hole9Golf. He says the company focuses on finding what works for each individual.

"The reality is, if your body doesn't move a certain way, then it's not going to move in that pattern and in that certain way. There's really almost no two swings that are the same. We gotta find the efficient swing for that individual," says Fraser.

As the sport tends to be male-dominated, the organization has created programs to open opportunities to others, such as free clinics for women and children.

"We want to provide for more kids and increase participation and bring more of the younger kids to the game. We really want to push that side to make everyone comfortable," says McNamara.

He adds golf has provided him mental relief, and says anyone can take a swing at the game.