Golf Inclusion Monthly

April 2023

**************************************

Your source for news, stories and education related to increasing participation of people with disabilities in the game of golf.

Support our Mission

Visit the Alliance Website

The National Alliance for Accessible Golf is the industry leader in inclusion— working to ensure the opportunity for all individuals with disabilities to play the game of golf and is represented by major golf, recreation and therapeutic organizations across the country.

I GOT THIS Foundation Aligns with the National Alliance for Accessible Golf to Deliver Continuing Education to Golf Coaches and Instructors

PHOENIX, AZ, UNITED STATES, April 13, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- The I GOT THIS Foundation announced the launch of their I GOT THIS Instructor Academy presented by the National Alliance for Accessible Golf.

The I GOT THIS Instructor Academy will be launched at the end of April 2023. The online training program consists of 7 training videos addressing a variety of lessons and tools for instructors to use when working with our constituency. Instructors who successfully complete the academy will be presented with a teaching certificate from the foundation and will be placed in a preferred instructor database available through the National Alliance for Accessible Golf.

The National Alliance for Accessible Golf places emphasis on inclusive golf through advocacy, research, ongoing education and program support.

“Our support of this initiative by the I GOT THIS Foundation represents a commitment from the National Alliance for Accessible Golf to the growth of participation in golf by individuals with all disabilities, from all walks of life, young or young at heart through education that creates coaches, programs and golfers,” commented Dave Barton, PGA, Executive Director for the National Alliance for Accessible Golf.

Read the Full Press Release Here

Click HERE for DisabilityScoop Article Photo: Yuri Gripas/Abaca Press/TNS

Photo: solorider.com

Websites, the ADA, and the Law

As recently posted on disabilityscoop.com the U.S. Supreme Court will soon hear a case (Acheson Hotels, LLC vs Laufer) related to the rights of individuals to sue under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Per the article, "At issue is whether individuals with disabilities have standing to sue a business under the ADA if they have no intention of actually visiting the establishment."

This matter is a reminder of the importance that your golf facility not only having an accessible website, but that it is used properly to communicate to your potential customers with disabilities the products or services you offer AND your commitment to an accessible and inclusive environment.

The National Alliance for Accessible Golf encourages any golf course, public or private, that does not yet provide an accessible website and information on facility access to take the initiative now and create a welcoming "first impression" for individuals with disabilities so they too may understand what you offer. Read More

Want to learn more and get started? Click HERE and contact us at info@accessgolf.org

From the Alliance: A Brief History

The Vision of the Past Remains the Mission of Today

On July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (the ADA) was signed by President George H.W. Bush. Over the next few years, various provisions of the law took effect. In its original form the ADA largely dealt with the "built environment" addressing accessibility requirements for buildings. However, questions soon arose regarding access and the application of accessibility requirements to numerous outdoor sports, recreation, or other activities such as campgrounds, playgrounds and golf courses.

Beginning in 1993, the first of six National Forums on Accessible Golf (NFAGs) was convened by the National Center on Accessibility (Indiana University) and the National Project for Accessible Golf (Clemson University) with the purpose of "bringing together representatives of major golf associations, golfers with disabilities and organizations representing golfers with disabilities for general discussions of the Americans with Disabilities Act on the game."

Leading this effort were Mr. Gary Robb, Founding Director of the National Center on Accessibility at Indiana University and Dr. Larry Allen, Head, Department of Recreation Parks, and Tourism at Clemson University. Also involved were representatives from the U.S. Access Board and leading golf industry associations. Mr. Robb is not only a past President of the National Alliance for Accessible Golf, but he also served as Board Member and Grant Consultant for many years up until early 2023. Read More

Congrats on the 30 Year Anniversary

of the MABGA Junior Program!

As relayed in the video, "The year was 1993. The World Wide Web was just invented. Two Friends, Gil Kayson and Norman Kritz, started the Middle Atlantic Junior Blind Golf Program. Both the web and the Junior Golf program have grown in the ensuing years." Thanks for sharing this Mike Molloy and the Middle Atlantic Blind Golfers Association.

Click HERE or the video to the right for MORE.

Golfer Spotlight with Rich O'Brien

Golf - A Positive and Meaningful Therapeutic Modality

By Rich O’Brien - Thirty-two years ago, Charles Brugh suffered a severe brain injury in an automobile accident in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. Without a moment to spare, he was flown by LifeFlight to Jacksonville’s Level I Trauma Center where he remained in a deep coma for two weeks in the Critical Care Unit. The accident would test his faith and change the course of his life. He emerged from his coma with a broken brain, legally blind for several months, and also experiencing paralysis from the neck down for several weeks. Read More

Does Your Course Provide an Accessibility Statement?

The National Alliance provides an Accessibility Statement “template” as a sample policy that may be adapted and used to publish your specific facility policies and help foster a welcoming and inclusive environment for individuals with disabilities. We encourage you to visit our RESOURCES and get started today. Communication is Job #1! Should you have any questions regarding the ADA and access to your facility, contact us at info@accessgolf.org and we will be happy to assist!

Starting a Program for Individuals with Disabilities - A Checklist

Things to Consider for Success

By the Alliance: Are you thinking about starting a golf program to help individuals with disabilities learn to play golf? Perhaps you are a therapeutic specialist and want to incorporate golf into your treatment plan for your patients. You could also be a family member or a friend of an individual with a disability and a program such as this does not exist in your area and you are looking to facilitate that very effort? Whatever the reasons, it can be a fantastic journey for you, the instructors, the volunteers and most importantly, the golfers. But, there are some things you need to know to maximize your chances of success. Read More and Access the Checklist HERE

Access and Inclusion in the News

Use of materials from Golf Inclusion Monthly: Please note, the Alliance encourages you to repurpose and share articles we have written or that have been provided to us for publishing in Golf Inclusion Monthly. We request that you please reference Golf Inclusion Monthly Published by the National Alliance for Accessible Golf and share the link for the article you have sourced. If you have any questions, please reach out to info@accessgolf.org. Thank you.

Click HERE for the National Alliance for Accessible Golf MEDIA KIT

Thank you to our golf industry friends and supporters who contribute in so many ways to our mission of increasing participation of individuals with disabilities in the game of golf.

Please contact our Executive Director, davebarton@accessgolf.org, if you and/or your company are interested in helping us further enhance our educational and resource offerings as well as generating grant funds to distribute to programs across the country.

Our Company | Contact Us | Privacy Policy