FLORIDA OPEN FOR GOLFERS WITH DISABILITIES  From Fall 2007 Florida Golf Magazine ©Copyright 2007, All Rights Reserved.

The 2007 Florida Open
For Golfers with Disabilities and/or Mobility Challenges
"Our goal is to have fun while raising awareness of accessibility issues
concerning golfers who are disabled and / or mobility challenged"
 

by Joe Stine joestine@floridagolfmagazine.com
          The 2007 Florida Open For Golfers With Disabilities and/or Mobility Challenges was an inspiring success and a lot of fun for everyone involved. The second annual event was held on June 16th, 2007 at Kissimmee Bay Country Club in Kissimmee, Florida.
          Very much like the inaugural tournament, an eclectic group of golfers showed up and rallied to raise awareness for the accessibility issues concerning golfers with disabilities or mobility challenges. But, more importantly they came to have fun while playing golf.
          The generous folks at Kissimmee Bay CC hosted the tournament for the second consecutive year and provided range balls, 18 holes of golf including cart fees, and a wonderful barbecue buffet for the awards banquet afterwards. Each player also received an Affinity putter and a sleeve of Volvik golf balls.
          Sponsored by Florida Golf Magazine and the National Alliance for Accessible Golf, the goal was to "have fun while raising awareness of accessibility issues concerning golfers that are disabled and/or mobility challenged."
          The National Alliance for Accessible Golf is an organization focused on the inclusion of people with disabilities into the game of golf. The Alliance is administered by a Board of Directors representing the major golf industry organizations in the United States, organizations that provide services for people with disabilities, and individuals and others who advocate for the inclusion of people with disabilities into society.

Pg. 15, From Fall 2007 Florida Golf Magazine ©Copyright 2007, All Rights Reserved. Subscribe at www.floridagolfmagazine.com/subscribe

FLORIDA OPEN FOR GOLFERS WITH DISABILITIES  From Fall 2007 Florida Golf Magazine ©Copyright 2007, All Rights Reserved.


Virgil Price, a St Petersburg resident and Treasurer of the National Amputee Golf Association (NAGA), dominated the inaugural tournament in 2006, winning 1st Place overall, scoring a gross 72 on the challenging 18 holes at Kissimmee Bay.

In a conscious effort to be all-inclusive, golfers without disabilities were encouraged to play in the open tournament, along with their friends with disabilities, and were eligible to compete for the Low Gross Awards. Everyone with a USGA Handicap was eligible to compete for the Low Net Awards.
          There was quite a wide array of golfers with different disabilities represented at this year's event. There were “amputee golfers” from the Eastern Amputee Golf Association (eaga.org), and the National Amputee Golf Association (nagagolf.org), many of which wore prosthetics. But make no mistake this tournament was not just for amputees. There were also golfers participating, that were mobility challenged from the effects of such conditions as polio, stroke and paraplegia.
          Weight distribution is a personal issue that every golfer must deal with when swinging a golf club. For instance, the risk of slipping and falling while attempting to hit from a side hill lie can be a serious concern for a double amputee or a polio-survivor on crutches.
          Monroe Berkman, a Tampa resident and a polio survivor, who has braces on his legs and is unable to stand without crutches, played the entire round using an adaptive single rider golf car. Berkman won the 2007 Florida Open For Golfers With Disabilities, shooting a gross 83 score.
Pg. 16, From Fall 2007 Florida Golf Magazine ©Copyright 2007, All Rights Reserved. Subscribe at www.floridagolfmagazine.com/subscribe

FLORIDA OPEN FOR GOLFERS WITH DISABILITIES  From Fall 2007 Florida Golf Magazine ©Copyright 2007, All Rights Reserved.
          Berkman played while riding an adaptive golf car called a SoloRider onto the greens and through the sand traps. Unlike your average golf cart, these specially designed, single person golf cars have less impact on the greens and weigh less, (per square inch) than human footprints.
          And, what is an adaptive golf car? To best understand an adaptive golf car [or single rider golf car as they are commonly called], we need to consider the mobility impairment…a golfer who has no legs or does not have the use of his or her legs [paraplegic] cannot operate a standard golf cart.
          The adaptive or single rider golf car enables the mobility impaired to operate the car. A stroke survivor may only have use of one arm and hand, so the car must have hand controls for acceleration and braking and be able to be steered by either hand. The SoloRider has those controls. This type of golf car must also have a swivel seat for ease of entry and exit. SoloRider has a unique seat that not only swivels, but also can support a golfer from seated to standing in an infinite number of positions.
          These cars, because of their design, put no more pressure on the turf than the pressure of a person standing.
          Unlike accessible restrooms and ramps, single rider golf cars could help make it possible for the golf course owners to generate revenue from many of the golfers who are mobility impaired that currently do not have access to their courses. Equally important, aging seniors who are experiencing problems with hips, knees and stamina can use the adaptive or single rider golf car as well. Anyone can use an adaptive or single rider golf car.

“Why some single rider golf cars have a stand up seat”

          Of the nearly 7 million walking impaired persons in the U.S. who use assistive devices, 75% use canes, crutches or walkers and 25% use wheelchairs or mobility scooters. Many who use wheelchairs are paralyzed and have no leg strength. Those in wheelchairs and many of those who use other assistive devices benefit from a stand-up seat like the unique seat provided by SoloRider. While some play from a totally seated position, the normal way to swing a golf club is from a standing position. Depending on the golfer’s swing plane, these golfers could raise the seat just enough to cause their swing to clear their knees or raise themselves to higher levels, ultimately to the near standing or golfing position. Thus, of the walking impaired population who would be interested in playing golf, at least 85% could swing from a standing position when a stand up seat is available.
          To attract golfers with disabilities, particularly those who are mobility impaired, golf courses could provide accessible golf cars with a stand-up seat. It is difficult to swing or play golf from a totally seated position. Many walking impaired persons will not play from an accessible golf car that does not have a stand-up seat.
          When a mobility-impaired golfer is not using an adaptive or single rider golf car, able-bodied golfers can easily use it too.

Pg. 17, From Fall 2007 Florida Golf Magazine ©Copyright 2007, All Rights Reserved. Subscribe at www.floridagolfmagazine.com/subscribe

FLORIDA OPEN FOR GOLFERS WITH DISABILITIES  From Fall 2007 Florida Golf Magazine ©Copyright 2007, All Rights Reserved.

“Addressing the needs of golfers with disabilities is more than just the right thing to do, it's good business.”

          Making an investment in golfers with disabilities is a hot new trend in the business world. According to the 2002 census bureau report, one in five U.S. residents has a disability. That’s about 18% of the U.S. population or 51.2 million people. More and more people, such as inventors, designers and golf course owners, are making an effort to address the needs of golfers with disabilities.
This tournament lets everyone have a lot of fun while raising awareness of those issues.
          Kissimmee Bay Country Club should be commended for being at the forefront of this type of event. Accessibility for mobility challenged golfers is considered "business as usual" at Kissimmee Bay.
          Kissimmee Bay owner, Bill Stine, said "Addressing the needs of golfers with disabilities is more than just the right thing to do, it's good business."

(above left) With braces on his legs and using crutches, Monroe Berkman, a polio survivor and avid golfer, is shown here putting while standing. (above right) He prefers to putt standing without crutches, leaning against his SoloRider adaptive golf car, leaving the adjustable seat, in the down position.
These adaptive golf cars are light weight and gentle on the sensitive grass of greens and tees. Unlike your average golf cart, these specially designed single person golf cars have less impact on the greens and weigh less, per sq inch than human footprints.
When swinging the golfclub, to avoid falling, Berkman, (seen here with an uphill lie) takes advantange of the stability provided by SoloRider's patented stand-up seat. Monroe Berkman, has no problem getting out of the sandtraps using his stand-up seat to support him during his full golf swing.
Pg. 18, From Fall 2007 Florida Golf Magazine ©Copyright 2007, All Rights Reserved. Subscribe at www.floridagolfmagazine.com/subscribe

FLORIDA OPEN FOR GOLFERS WITH DISABILITIES  From Fall 2007 Florida Golf Magazine ©Copyright 2007, All Rights Reserved.
Jim Sylvester, a stroke victim from Port Orange was sponsored in the open tournament for second consecutive year by The Golf Club At Cypress Head.

Palm Beach Gardens resident John Barton, pictured here and below is an excellent golfer and a member of the East Amputee Golf Association (EAGA).

The Golf Club at Cypress Head, in Port Orange, Florida, sponsored a golfer in the Florida Open for Golfers with Disabilities.

          The Golf Club at Cypress Head, an Arthur Hills designed municipal course in Port Orange, Florida, should also be commended for their part in sponsoring a golfer in the 2007 Florida Open Tournament for Golfers with Disabilities. When asked about the company check that was used to pay the tournament’s fifty-dollar entry fee, Jim Sylvester, a stroke victim and an avid golfer from Port Orange said “The folks that run the Golf Club at Cypress Head are very conscientious of mobility issues concerning seniors and golfers with disabilities. They sponsored a player in last year’s open tournament, also. The Golf Club at Cypress Head deserves special recognition for sponsoring a player in the event.

Don’t miss The 2008 Florida Open for Golfers with Disabilities and/or Mobility Challenges

          The 2008 Florida Open for Golfers with Disabilities is scheduled for the Summer of 2008, the date for the tournament will be selected in November 2007, to assure a date that doesn't conflict with any EAGA or NAGA events.
          Representatives of the U.S. International Council on Disabilities (USICD), Eastern Amputee Golf Association (EAGA), National Amputee Golf Association (NAGA) and the National Alliance for Accessible Golf (NAAG), will play in The 2008 Florida Open for Golfers with Disabilities.
          So, if you would like to play golf, while helping to raise awareness for the accessibility issues concerning golfers with disabilities and/or mobility challenges, come and play in The 2008 Florida Open for Golfers with Disabilities.
          For more info you can view the entry form on-line at: www.floridagolfmagazine.com/open or call 863-227-2751.
Pg. 19, From Fall 2007 Florida Golf Magazine ©Copyright 2007, All Rights Reserved. Subscribe at www.floridagolfmagazine.com/subscribe