An English golfer with a prosthetic leg is suing a local council for refusing to let him play with a buggy on a council-owned golf course. Paul Houghton’s right leg was amputated in 2000 after he was affected by a lethal bacteria that destroys human tissue. The affected He learned to walk again using a prosthetic leg and golf became an important part of his life, but he still uses crutches and a wheelchair.
He claims that the City Council of Brentwood in Essex discriminated against him, but the authorities maintain that their action was legal and so far have refused to comment any further on the matter. The lawsuit is against that public administration because it is the holder of the Hartswood Golf Course in Essex. As he made his way to the first hole on the course, a club employee told him he couldn’t play unless he produced medical clearance indicating the need to make use of a buggy in order to play. “I couldn’t believe it, I really couldn’t,” Houghton said.
Paul is lucky to be alive. In November 2000, while working as a roof repairman, he knelt in contaminated water and contracted necrotizing fasciitis, an infection that consumes muscle and body tissue at a rate of two centimeters per hour.
“The surgeon told me he had to operate immediately,” Paul told the BBC.
“He said he had no choice but to keep cutting until he was sure he had removed all the infected tissue. I had only two hours to prepare for an operation that, at best, I would survive with the amputation of a leg, but at worst I would not survive.”
In total he underwent five operations, some for skin grafts because his amputation was too hasty and the perfect stump could not be formed.
The curious thing is that Houghton is not just any golfer, but a very outstanding one who, with a 14 handicap, has represented England thirteen times in handicap golf competitions and has played on courses in many European countries.
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