People with disabilities of all kinds can discover how golf can give them “a new lease of life” at a free Golf Taster Session this week.
The event takes place at Southport Golf Academy, at the Leisure Lakes in Mere Brow, just outside Southport, this Thursday (22nd June 2023).
Regular visitors from Live To Learn, a centre for people with additional needs in Southport, have told how learning to play golf at the facility has encouraged them to “really believe in themselves”.
The event is also supported by England’s Disabled Golf Association (DGA), which is eager to tell people that conditions such as dementia, strokes or Parkinson’s need not stop people from getting out and enjoying life.
The family-run Southport Golf Academy is looking forward to welcoming people with disabilities, and the organisations that represent them, at the free Golf Taster Session this Thursday.
The impressive facility has been named by England’s Disabled Golf Association (DGA) as the region’s officially accredited centre for Disabled Golf.
The accolade follows intensive investment to support disabled golfers with tailored training packages, and provide them with what they need to enjoy the sport.
England Golf, the Disabled Golf Association, and professional golf coaches will all be on hand for the free Taster Sessions at the Academy with details on how to register an interest or book a place available at www.southport-golf.co.uk (look for the Disability Golf Taster Day).
The Disabled Golf Association’s Neil Patrick said: “Southport Golf Academy has been absolutely outstanding.
“We would love anyone with either mental or physical disabilities to come down, with a carer if they want, and have a fun day hitting a few balls.
“There’s no pressure. We just want people to enjoy themselves.”
The Academy enjoys regular visits from Live To Learn, a centre for people with additional needs situated near Southport town centre.
Live To Learn offers clients an opportunity to continue their learning journey at their own pace in a supportive, relaxed environment and offers a range of structured activities for clients to choose from.
Staff encourage trying new activities to develop and maintain life, work and social skills.
They promote independence, choice and social inclusion through a range of activities – with gold proving to be a very popular pastime.
Amanda Doyle from Live To Learn said: “We have around 10 to 12 clients that we bring along to Southport Golf Academy on a regular basis.
“I love seeing the difference in them all now!
“When they come here they are learning, they are engaging with other people, and the most important thing is that they are having fun.
“It is not all about the golf, although we do have three people who have discovered that they have a natural ability for golf!
“It has all been down to these guys at Southport Golf Academy for encouraging our clients to really believe in themselves.
“As you can imagine, they can suffer a lot of prejudice. But we don’t see that at all when we come here. The golfers and everyone who works here are really welcoming and appreciate everyone’s differences.
“We came here during the Covid pandemic. Walking onto the golf facilities felt like a gift from heaven.
“With the restrictions in place, we could all be socially diastanced, we could take our masks off, and we could all feel normal again.”
Neil Patrick, a Trustee from the Disabled Golf Association, said: “The idea behind this initiative is to try and build interest in people coming to learn how to play golf.
“There is still some stigma about people coming to golf courses.
“It is something that is seen by many to be very elitist, very exclusive.
“We want to use this event to make golf more inclusive to more people.
“One person coming to our Golf Taster Session is a local businessman who is a double amputee.
“Learning how to play golf has given him a new lease of life.
“When he lost his legs, he became depressed until one day he decided he had to do something to change his outlook on life. Playing golf has changed that.
“We hope more people with different conditions and disabilities will think about trying golf. It could be someone with dementia, someone with Parkinson’s, someone who has had a stroke.
“The team at Southport Golf Academy are able to provide people with the support they need, including tailored training packages and expert assessments.
“Playing golf has given me new opportunities in life. I can’t walk around a course, but I can travel around with the help of a golf buggy.
“I cannot thank Southport Golf Academy enough for the support they have given to us and to our members.”
Richard Carpenter, who runs the nine-hole facility with his wife, Gail, and Professional golf coach son, James, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have been named as the DGA centre for golf in North West England.
“We’ve already seen the rewards that engaging with golf can offer those with disabilities and the people who support them. What we want to do now is build on that by bringing more people and more organisations into the game.
“It doesn’t matter whether someone is challenged by a physical or a mental disability.
“We have seen, at first hand, how golf can change lives for the better.”
Amputees, stroke survivors, dementia sufferers and those with learning difficulties are all already benefiting from the new facilities with both professional and volunteer support on hand to help them as they enjoy the game.
Golf professional James Carpenter said: “This is the most rewarding part of my job.
“I just love it when I see the pleasure people are getting from the sport and the happiness it brings.”
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