16 year old Heather Gilks showed how inclusive golf can be when she and three friends from EDGA competed in last week’s Rose Ladies Series tournament at the Buckinghamshire Golf Club – with their day helped thanks to buggies supplied by Golf Car UK.
“Being able to drive a golf cart gives me so much independence” said the 11-handicap Coventry GC member, who took up golf four years ago as a form of physio to help with her cerebral palsy.
“Since falling in love with golf I’ve found that my CP affects my balance and I tire easily, so the only way I can play every hole is by using a golf cart. I would like to say a big thank you to Golf Car UK for helping the EDGA players to take part in last week’s tournaments.”
Last week’s event was one of four in 2021 in which EDGA (formally known as the European Disabled Golf Association) have entered players in Rose Ladies Series tournaments to promote awareness of female disabled golf.
Golf Car UK, the UK’s largest independent golf buggy supplier, provided four E-Z-GO RXV Elite Lithium golf buggies to the EDGA team for last week’s two Rose Ladies Series tournaments at North Hants Golf Club and the Buckinghamshire Golf Club.
“Golf has the power to change the lives of people with disability” said EDGA’s Director of Development, Aimi Bullock, who was diagnosed as having Multiple Sclerosis (MS) just before her 40th birthday. “But to get around the course many golfers whom EDGA supports need to use a golf cart. At the Buckinghamshire, playing a long course off the same tees as the other competitors, our four ladies and their caddies took just 3 and a half hours to complete their rounds thanks to the Golf Car UK buggies, which were just brilliant.
“Naturally, our thanks also go to the organisers of the Rose Ladies Series, which is a superb new showcase for elite-level women’s golf.”
Golf Car UK Managing Director, Chris Ivess-Mash, said: “It’s nice to share news of the good things in life. We’re a socially-responsible company and supporting EDGA is always a great pleasure. Golf clubs in the UK are more welcoming than ever before, these days, to golfers with disability, and across the sport we are just one of many firms who are taking direct action to improve accessibility.”
At the Buckinghamshire event, Aimi Bullock herself won the EGDA trophy with 38 points. Heather Gilks took second, with Nicky Weeks and Ellie Perks also competing.
Earlier in the week Bullock also scored a win at North Hants Golf Club, this time pipping Nicky Weeks to the trophy. Ellie Perks and Gail Owen also represented EDGA at the event.
See more about Golf Car UK at www.golfcaruk.com, and for EDGA info see www.edgagolf.com
