The Greg Chalmers family seems to be in a constant battle. Amidst the ongoing 2024 senior PGA Championship, the Australian golfer shot a solid 66 with only two bogeys, leading himself to the final round. However, he often finds his mind consumed by thoughts of his family, especially his wife, beyond the golf course.

Nicole Chalmers, the wife of the 50-year-old golfer, also faces her challenges. While supporting their family, she dedicates herself to advocating for autism awareness. Let’s delve further into the life of this PGA Tour pro’s wife and discover more about her journey.

How did Greg Chalmers and Nicole meet?

Despite her marriage to a professional golfer, Nicole maintains a highly private demeanor, revealing very little about herself. Consequently, details regarding her birth, upbringing, and education, including her school and college life, all remain shrouded in mystery to this day. While specifics about her college years remain elusive, it’s confirmed that Nicole holds a degree in marketing or public relations. Regarding her online presence, Nicole abstains from platforms like Instagram or others yet maintains a LinkedIn profile.

The couple initially crossed paths in their early twenties in Australia through a mutual friend. At that time, this mutual friend believed that Nicole and the golfer were the perfect match, and it turned out they were correct. However, Nicole wasn’t entirely convinced at first; it took her five years to finally accept her friend’s suggestion.

Back then, one day, the golfer called Nicole out for a meetup, and she agreed instantly just to say to her friends, “We finally met,” as revealed on purpose2play. It seems their date sparked a romantic relationship, leading to marriage. They moved to the U.S. in 1999 to support Chalmers’ golf career.

After a while, the couple welcomed a baby boy named Max. Initially, everything went smoothly, and the little one was healthy for the first 15 months. However, soon after, things took a different turn for both parents.

What happened to Max after 15 months?

Greg Chalmers and Nicole observed that their child’s behavior differed from that of other infants. Later, the golfer disclosed, “He was stimming, which is self-stimulating behavior. He would get really excited when he would watch videos like “Thomas the Tank” and kind of shake and clench his fist, or his mouth would get all tense. He still does that when he gets overstimulated.” 

This sparked concern in both parents, prompting them to take Max to a doctor. It was subsequently confirmed that Max was officially diagnosed with autism at 22 months old. This brought a great deal of anxiety to the minds of the mother and father, leading Nicole to have numerous questions, such as “Would he ever be verbal? Would he ever communicate?” 

After encountering a long waiting list to see a behavioral therapist, they left the hospital without immediate treatment. Advised to start speech therapy immediately, Nicole took it upon herself to learn about autism to help her son. Through this journey, she realized that what works for one autistic child doesn’t always work for the next.

Later, she revealed, “I read something years ago from another mother whose child falls on the autism scale, and she said, ‘If I had to go back and do it again, I would expect more because these kids are extremely capable.’ So, I tried to follow that mindset.” Her battle with autism appears to be winning; as a result, she continued, “To look at him, he seems quite a typical child, but he’s been through years and years of treatment, and he’s actually responded well to everything, which is why he’s so high functioning today.” As it turned out, she won the battle against autism, but she continues to fight.

Nicole’s step to raise awareness of autism

After fighting for her son, Nicole realized that many mothers likely shared her struggles. Determined to help, she founded a nonprofit organization named after her son, “MAXimum Chances.” Utilizing her degree in public relations, she effectively leads the organization. Additionally, she collaborates with the PGA Tour Wives Association to support the Dallas/Fort Worth community in raising children with autism.

The main goal of “MAXimum Chances” is to become a national organization that provides hope and help to families, enabling them to get treatments for their children with autism. Nicole Chalmers is fully committed to this cause after experiencing autism firsthand. What are your thoughts on her efforts?