Beacon House uses golf for in addiction treatment program

The Beacon House is the oldest treatment center for drugs and alcohol on the west coast. There are daily activities the Beacon House uses to help treat their patients and golf is one of their most successful programs.

For nine years, Beacon House has had a golf based recovery program. Every other week those in the program go out to Bayonet golf course in Seaside and hit the range or play 18.

“People that struggle with this disease are carrying around just a bag of rocks every day and with this they can set the bag of rocks down, and they can just leave it behind it just feels so good,” Beacon House executive director Susan Cowen said.

This program is also on par with their daily yoga, surfing classes, music therapy and a birding program. The Beacon House says their golf treatment is one of their most successful tools, and they’ve even expanded the program in the last year.

“They get the fresh air, and they realize wow I can do this without drugs or alcohol,” Cowen said.

The people in the program work with a local PGA golf pro, Ducky O’Toole.