HORSHAM, Pennsylvania (WPVI) — Special Olympics Pennsylvania plays host in August to the North America Golf Championship, where hundreds of players partners and coaches from the United States and Canada will take part.
But a Montgomery County father and son are looking even further down the road to next year’s USA games in Minnesota.
John and Brian Quinn of Horsham, Pennsylvania first hit the links together in Special Olympics two decades ago.
“It was an activity that we could do together and we really enjoyed it,” John remembers.
Brian took to it right away.
“We started at a level where he had to have a partner playing with him. Eventually, he got to a point where he could play his own ball,” his dad says proudly.
Now, John often caddies for his son, though they still work as a team.
“I try to get him lined up and if we can get him lined up on the tee, he hits it pretty much down the middle,” John says.
And they play most weekends.
“We rotate around on Sundays, three different courses,” he says. “We’ve played the state championship games at Penn State.”
Next year, they’ll represent Special Olympics Pennsylvania at the USA games in Minneapolis.
Brian has been involved with Special Olympics year-round. His dad says the opportunities are amazing.
“They literally have everything from powerlifting, golf, tennis, horseback riding, really, really wide range of athletic activities, and that’s just summer,” John says.
Brian, whose best score is 54 for nine holes, can be a tough competitor.
“Oh, he has his moments!” John says, as Brian chimes in, “Right!”
But they know sports is about more than winning.
“It’s really about good sportsmanship. When another person hits a ball well, we cheer them on,” John says.
“Meet people,” Brian says is his favorite part of Special Olympics experience.
“Met a lot of different people from a lot of different counties from throughout the state,” says John. “With the Team USA golf going to Minneapolis, I mean, now we’re meeting people throughout the entire country.”
Brian does have someone else he’d like to meet – his golf hero Tiger Woods.
Copyright © 2025 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.
