EDGA has trained coaches from International Mixed Ability Sports (IMAS) to deliver ‘D3’ golf skills to new and existing participants with disabilities.
At the excellent facilities at Loughborough University, six IMAS coaches enjoyed a day of training with EDGA. Also taking part in the training were three golf coaches who will be supporting the EDGA development team in the year ahead.
The attendees were present to learn how they can create better understanding of what a golfer with a disability needs to sample, participate and compete in golf, using easy access golf format D3 (part of a progressive learning pathway called D369
Later in the day a group of participants with disability were invited to a D3 session, where the newly trained coaches could gain some experiential training.
Follow-up training will also be delivered to the EDGA Development Team in the coming weeks, to extend development reach to more organisations, clubs, coaches, and new players with a disability, regionally in England.
Mark Taylor, EDGA Head of Development, Instruction and Education, said: “It was great to support the team of mixed ability coaches; I think they all appreciated just how inclusive golf can be for people with a disability. Whether you want to just learn to putt and chip or develop a full swing and play regularly, this really is a wonderful sport to help more people to gain regular access to excellent physical and mental health benefits.
“The D3 format we have developed has been very well received across our international member federations and is enjoyable to deliver. We are delighted that more multi-sport coaches and facilitators are eager to get out there and present golf to a wider audience.”
Mark Goodwin, IMAS Director, said: “We are really grateful and pleased to benefit from Mark and the EDGA team’s extensive experience with golf and the inclusion of players with a disability. We hope to use this new knowledge to build even more Mixed Ability golf offers.”
D3 is a highly flexible format offering golf’s fundamentals, that can be used anywhere where there is space and not necessarily in a golf environment. Fun and easy to try, facilitators and coaches quickly gain confidence to deliver D3 in individual or group sessions to new players with a disability. See more on the progressive pathway into golf of D3, D6 and D9 at the above link. EDGA’s training in this area is supported principally by the DP World Tour, The R&A, RSM and Dreams.
EDGA is the international not-for-profit association made up of the National Golf Federations from 38 countries around the world. Its objective is to help 500,000 people with disability to try the game. Supporters of EDGA include The R&A, European Tour Group, Ryder Cup European Development Trust, RSM, PING, Srixon, Dreams and Golfbidder.
* See more on EDGA at www.edgagolf.com
