LENOX, Mass - Playing golf has always been a passion for Annie Hayes.

"I had a net in my backyard. I'd be hitting balls at all hours of the day," said Hayes.

But there's something different about the way Annie goes about her game. She's paralyzed.

"On August 18th of 2006 I was mountain biking on some trails behind my house and I flipped over a bridge and my back crushed onto a log and I was paralyzed pretty much immediately," said Hayes.

Now she uses a modified cart that props her up and allows her to tee off without having to use her legs. Annie's longtime golf instructor, LPGA member Kay McMahon says building strength has been key.

"Over the course of the last few years, she's really worked on her upper body and she's now up to 150 yards," said EduKAYtion Golf instruction director Kay McMahon.

Hayes says golfing helps her to stay active, but it's also a great way to focus on what's really important in life.

She said, "I ran and I biked and I was a pretty good athlete, but the thing with the golf that's different is it's the thing that I can do that's most like it was before and I can do it by myself. I can be independent."

Independence her coach says keeps her golf game and her spirit alive.

"I always say keep your head up.because in golf, it's all about the attitude. She personifies the attitude. There's nothing that she can't do," said McMahon.

Hayes has faced plenty adversity but she's dealt with it, one swing at a time.