The fifth event of the G4D Tour season provided an exciting start to the week, with the top ten players from the World Ranking for Golfers with Disability (WR4GD) taking on Wentworth Club’s West Course.
Kipp Popert, who has a form of cerebral palsy called spastic diplegia that affects his lower body, claimed his third win of the season but it was not just inside the ropes that inclusivity came to the fore.
The European Disabled Golf Association (EDGA) teamed up with Special Olympics GB to put on a clinic with an EDGA community coach and senior professional, also offering a clinic for people with Parkinson’s from the local area.
“We call ourselves inclusion in action,” said Colin Dyer, Chief Executive Officer of Special Olympics GB.
“We’re about seeing people with disability and without disability in the same place, competing together and practising together. So, these partnerships and being able to come to Wentworth in the middle of the BMW PGA Championship is amazing.”
EDGA President Tony Bennett added: “The initiative with the European Tour group has just been fantastic because it’s got more eyeballs on what we do. And every time we attract someone new they look at it and go ‘I didn’t realise golf for the disabled was a thing’.”
There was also a drive to get young fans involved, with invited groups and spectators alike able to take part in games and activities on The Golf Foundation’s stand in the Championship Village.