Sometimes golf has the power to change and improve lives. For Mark Yphantis, it did just that.
According to the Manchester Ink Link, the 58-year-old Yphantis, who hails from Manchester, N.H., drank heavily and often ended up behind bars. But one police officer, Justin Maguire, came to know and like Yphantis, and through their interactions discovered they both loved golf.
So about 18 months ago, in order to help Yphantis, Maguire gave him a challenge: sober up, and the two would play golf together.
Yphantis entered rehab at the beginning of 2019 and hasn’t had a drink since, making him more than 100 days sober.
To celebrate the occasion, Maguire brought a set of golf clubs to Yphantis on Wednesday. They were donated by Golf and Ski Warehouse, a popular retail destination for golfers and skiers in New England.
Maguire even threw in a gift certificate for 10 rounds on behalf of Derryfield Country Club in Manchester. Now the two are hoping to play a round of golf later this year.
“Alcohol is a tough thing,” Maguire told the Manchester Ink Link. “I truly don’t know if I thought he’d do it but I’m a man of my word. The last thing I wanted was any attention from this. I just wanted to do something nice for a guy who likes golf because that’s my passion too.”
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