BURLINGTON — Tom Gardner is a lot like other golfers.

He gets out onto the links at Avalon Golf Club whenever possible. He has an impressive long game but struggles with his putting. He also enjoys smoking cigars the size of hot dogs and thrives on competition.

The difference between Gardner and others is he’s much better than your run-of-the-mill golfer, despite the fact he has only one arm — his left.

“When he first started out, he was driving the ball between 150 and 175 yards,” said Gardner’s longtime friend and golfing partner Eric Skaugrud. “Now he’s hitting it out there a long ways, 200 to 225 yards. For a guy like me with two arms, it’s really annoying. That being said, he’s fun to watch.”

When not behind his desk at Coldwell Banker in Burlington or working out at his home gym in Sedro-Woolley, Gardner can usually be found playing a round or hitting a bucket of balls at Avalon.

This year, he played on the Western Amputee Golf Association Tour, where he was named the association’s 2008 Player of the Year. Gardner won all three WAGA tournaments, finishing first in Phoenix, Washington and California.

“It’s a big deal,” said Gardner of the award. “I got a couple of nice trophies out of it. It shows just what you can accomplish when you get down to business.  I can’t wait until next year. It was a lot of fun and a great time.”

Golfing at WAGA tournaments is therapeutic for Gardner.

“It’s great to be around guys that are in the same boat as me,” he said. “Everyone has a story. Just talking about it helps a lot. My only regret is I didn’t start participating (on the tour) much sooner.”

Gardner’s aspirations go beyond the WAGA. He has set his sights on qualifying for the 2010 Fightmaster Cup.

The Fightmaster Cup is a match-play competition between Europeans in the Society of One-Armed Golfers and members of the North American One Armed Golf Association. It’s based on the Ryder Cup format. The 2010 event will be in Wales.

“He’s so competitive,” said Skaugrud. “That’s what drives him. If he sets his mind to doing something, it usually gets done.”

The North American squad won the inaugural Humana Fightmaster Cup in September. That event was held in Louisville.

There are differences between the Western Amputee Golf Association and the North American One Armed Golf Association.

While WAGA tournaments use handicap scoring, NAOAGA events do not. The NAOAGA hosts only one tournament a year. Gardner finished sixth in 2007 but had a rough tournament this year.

“This year, I had a horrible qualifying day,” admitted Gardner. “It was held at a Las Vegas course. It was the first time they’d held a tournament west of the Mississippi.

“It was very competitive and there were some big-time golfers. I didn’t make the (Fightmaster Cup) team, so the three days they were playing for the cup, I was playing in California at a WAGA tournament.”

Gardner’s handicap is 12.2.

A golf handicap is a numerical measure of an amateur golfer’s playing ability. It allows players of different abilities to play against each other on somewhat equal terms.

Gardner will attempt in 2010 to qualify for that year’s Fightmaster team at PGA National in Palm Beach, Fla.

“That’s my big goal,” said Gardner, “making that cup team. I’ve been improving. The last two months, I’ve lowered my handicap by 2.5 strokes. I want to get that (handicap) into the single digits.
That’s very competitive. The top golfers have handicaps in the 8 to 11 range. There are a few freaky golfers who have 1 or 2.”

To lower his handicap, Gardner made changes. One of the biggest was switching his putting style. After 19 years, he went from putting out of a right-handed stance to a left-handed one. It paid immediate dividends. He won his last tournament putting with the new stance.

“It’s about having the right equipment,” he said, “and having the right instruction. Thus far, I’ve had a half-hour instruction on putting and another hour when I was fitted for my clubs.”

For Gardner, when he lost his right arm he also lost significant club speed.

“My club head speed is about 80 mph,” he said. “Tiger (Woods’), as an example, is 130 mph. My 15-year-old son generates more club head speed than me. This is probably the last summer I will be able to beat him.”

A year-round golfer, Gardner doesn’t shy away from wintery conditions.

“I have a glove that the wetter it gets, the better it grips,” said Gardner. “I actually shoot better in inclement weather. However, I do lose distance (in the winter) because the ball doesn’t roll as far.

“Really, the hardest thing for me is the grip. I get tired because I don’t have the support of the other arm. What happens is I start to drop my shoulder and then I ‘chunk’ the ball.”

An athlete at Sedro-Woolley High School (Class of 1984), the 42-year-old Gardner saw his physical stature change dramatically in 1987. The then 21-year-old was in a motorcycle accident that left his right arm paralyzed.

Two and a half years after the accident, Gardner was at a niece’s birthday party where his two brothers were hitting plastic golf balls in the yard before heading off to a course. Gardner picked up a club and hit a couple of balls. He then ventured to the course with the rest of the family, and with a set of rented sticks he tallied a round of 61 for nine holes.

For the next 18 years, Gardner’s right arm hung lifelessly at his side. The only thing it was good for was using it as a bridge while playing pool.

While golfing, the arm would flail wildly on each swing.

“It was pretty violent,” admitted Gardner. “I didn’t know just how violent it was until I saw a video of myself. The arm would swing way up and then slam down against me. It really tired me out. There was a lot of stress put on my shoulder and neck.”

In 2005, Gardner decided to have the arm amputated. The only person he told about his decision was his wife Dianne.

“Having that arm amputated was really a relief,” said Gardner. “It was like cutting off seven pounds of dead weight. I walked a little differently because of it. Honestly, it changed my life. I wish I had done it before. Not because of my golf game, but because it really changed my life for the better.”

Four days after having his arm removed by the same doctor who initially saved it after the accident, Gardner was out on the course.

“I was tired,” he said. “It was a pretty traumatic experience. But I still say it (having the arm amputated) was a life-changing decision.”

Life-changing in more ways than one.

Gardner dropped 40 pounds. And his golf game improved.

“I just felt better,” he said. “And you have to remember, I am competing with a lot of older guys. Guys in their late 50s and 60s who have been at this for 40 years. Those guys are good. I’ve only been in these sorts of tournaments for a short period of time.”

Many say they’d like to take on Gardner. Few actually do — especially if they have to play one-handed.

“Tom is always up to a challenge,” said Skaugrud. “He challenges guys with two arms all the time to come out and play a round one-handed. There hasn’t been a single guy show up. Once they go out and practice and find out how hard it is, they say forget it.”

So, has Skaugrud ever beaten his high school buddy?

“I’m not that good of a golfer,” admitted Skaugrud. “I shoot in the high 90s. He beats me every time. The closest I have ever come to beating him was a single stroke.

“He’s very good. I think if Tiger spotted him a stroke a hole, he’d give him a run for his money.”

• Vince Richardson can be reached at 360-416-2181 or by e-mail at .