First Published by The Golf Wire
“The Compelling story of an 11-year-old, capturing the attention of people nationally, internationally and now SPORTS ILLUSTRATED! Concerns over losing his parents during the Pandemic led to him launching his own line of golf apparel and NOW it’s getting GLOBAL ATTENTION, including from Legendary Golf Pros, NFL Pros, Major Media giants like Sports Illustrated Kids, NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt and NBC Nightly News Kids Edition!”
Carter Bonas, who is autistic, named his apparel Spectrum Golf, CartersSpectrumGolf.com because he ranks high on the Autism Spectrum Scale. He decided to showcase his apparel at the PGA Show 2022, which is one of the largest golf merchandising shows in the nation. That set off a tsunami of media coverage. His first interview was LIVE with the GOLF CHANNEL. That led to interviews with the PGA, PGA Magazine, Golf Digest, Golflife.TV and many more. https://www.cartersspectrumgolf.com/book-carter—press.html#/
The exposure also caught the attention of Legendary Golf Hall of Famer, Ernie Els, whose son also has autism. Els, who has a foundation called Els for Autism, invited Carter to walk the course with him during the Chubb Classic Golf Tournament in Naples, Florida last year, which put Carter and Spectrum Golf on the World Stage.
Carter also walked the course during the LPGA’s Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational in Midland, Michigan. He also spoke during their Inclusion Summit, called SOAR, sold Spectrum Golf apparel in the merchandising tent, and first met LPGA Golf Pro Anita Uwadia, who he now sponsors with Spectrum Golf Apparel.
Following the GLBI, Carter returned to Tiburon, Naples, FL, this time to play in the South Florida HBCU Golf Classic, alongside the Founder, William McCormick. McCormick was instrumental in having Florida Memorial University offer Carter a full scholarship at the University. He ended 2022, being named Sports Illustrated’s SportsKid of the Year!
During the pandemic, Carter began asking his parents, “Who would take care of me?” If both of them died during the pandemic. He was afraid no one would hire him because he is autistic. That’s when he kept pressing his parents to start his own company. At the time, he had fallen in love with the game of golf, and ultimately it led to his line of golf apparel. Now he’s getting requests to customize his apparel for golf tournaments and invitations from Pro Shops to carry his line! He just introduced his AUTISM Themed Golf Gear!
Products You’ll see at the PGA SHOW 2023:
Shirts, Pants, Joggers, Hats, Caps, Belts, Spectrum Golf Towel
Autism Designed: Socks, Golf Towels, Golf Towel Holder, Golf Neck Gaiter, Apparel for Men, Women, Children!
Customization for Tournaments/Organizations Available!
There’s more to Carter’s story. He was unable to speak until he was 4 years old. When he finally went to school, he underwent intense bullying, to the point one day he told his teachers, “If one more bad thing happens to me today, I’m going to kill myself.” This was devastating to his mother, Dr. Thelma Tennie, a licensed therapist and life coach. She created a nonprofit in Carter’s honor in 2015 called Healing Arts Institute of South Florida, Inc., HealingArtsSFL.org. The nonprofit offers NO COST Mental Health Services primarily to youth 22 and under and their families, across the State of Florida by way of licensed and intern therapists.
Carter also holds a charity golf tournament every year, attracting NFL players like Weslye Saunders who has struggled with mental health and Doug Flutie who also has a son on the spectrum. Carter just launched Spectrum Vitamin Water, started his own nonprofit to offer free golf lessons to children and even had a day in the city of Lauderhill proclaimed after him “Carter Bonas Day – April 25th.”
This month, the Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism named Carter as one of the foundations four “Golf Flutie Fellows” as the foundation kicked off its Inaugural golf program as part of its’ “Stars of the Spectrum programming”.
He and his mom have been sharing their experience through speaking engagements and the media, trying to change the face of Autism, and hoping to END the Stigma of Autism and receiving Mental Health Services. #DynamicDuo
