A new website to help disabled golfers take part in and benefit from golf has been created by the England Golf Partnership (EGP).
The aim of the new site, www.disabilitygolf.org.uk, is to support all individuals across a wide range of disabilities who would like to try golf, and to create a stronger network for existing players and disability groups who want to improve their sports offering to members and clients.
The members of the EGP: the English Golf Union (EGU), English Women’s Golf Association (EWGA), the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA), and supported by the Golf Foundation and Sport England, are all working together to offer greater playing opportunities for more disabled golfers. The new website is part of a long-term strategy to make the sport more accessible to a wider group of people.
The site is clearly presented with easy-to-navigate features that include: ‘Getting Involved’, ‘Success Stories’, ‘Find a Coach’, ‘Events’ and key contacts. Information on training courses, golf club projects and relevant policies and legislation are all available to the user at the click of the mouse.
The ‘Getting Involved’ tab leads to funding options for disability groups and individuals, as well as details on ‘GolfMark’, the EGU and EWGA initiative which recognises junior and beginner-friendly golf facilities that promote disability golf. In this area of the site, the user can also find ‘Golf Roots’, the Golf Foundation programmes that actively support both able and disabled young golfers, regionally and nationally.
‘Find a Coach’ is a unique mapping initiative which will chart, county by county, those PGA professionals and coaches who specialise in working with disabled golfers. This work is in its early stages and as with other features of the site, content will be built progressively as the EGP works closely with disabled groups and in return, local projects share details of their work and events.
Joel Graham-Blake, Inclusion & Diversity Development Officer for the EGP, said: “I am sure everyone in golf will support the aims of this website service as we pull out all the stops to increase access to golf for disabled players. Golf offers disabled golfers wonderful opportunities.
“The new website may be in its early stages but we are here for the long haul and are very excited that we can now reach and engage with more disabled people interested in golf. In turn, we will encourage them to help us develop the site further and open up golf to individuals who may feel they are not given fair opportunity to enjoy the sport.”
The county golf partnerships up and down the country will also be working closely to support all disability projects connected to the EGP and its partners.
Disability golf provision is an important part of the England Golf Partnership’s ‘Whole Sport Plan’ for golf and is an integral part of the England Golf Partnership’s vision to ‘Grow the Game’.
England Golf Partnership www.englandgolfpartnership.com
Disability Golf www.disabilitygolf.org.uk