Photo via Yahoo Sports

After birth injury, Massachusetts HS golfer uses 'funky' swing to become a star

Nolan Engelhardt, a senior at Nashoba Regional in Lancaster, Massachusetts, was born with Erb’s palsy affecting his left arm and also carries hereditary multiple exostoses, a condition that has required him to undergo sixteen surgeries. Despite the nerve damage and bone growths, he has become one of Central Massachusetts’ top junior golfers, known for a distinctive “funky” swing that compensates for his left‑arm limitations.

His mother, Kate Engelhardt, recalls early therapy that involved wrapping his right arm to encourage use of the left, while his father, Jason Engelhardt, says the family’s relentless support helped him persist. Engelhardt’s college essay describes the lifelong challenges of the birth injury and how a supportive gym environment at Unified Health and Performance, run by former Nashoba graduate Brendan Aylward, gave him a place to train.

He credits his resilience and the encouragement from his parents for driving his ambition to be among the best golfers in the region.

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