From the Executive Director: Happy New Year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!!

As we start the New Year, I wanted share with you some exciting news.  On January 25^th at 2:30 p.m. in Room 221B during the 2017 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Fla, the National Alliance for Accessible Golf will be hosting a 2-hour session with various organizations from around the country that use golf to serve individual with dis/Abilities.  This session will focus on sharing best practices from the programs in attendance and sharing with those organizations how the Alliance can help.  The session will also provide great input on how we all can make a positive difference in the lives of those with dis/Abilities through the game of golf.  If you are attending the PGA Merchandise Show and conduct such a program or have a local, regional or national organization with that mission, please RSVP me at Steve@accessgolf.org.

In February, also in Orlando, the Alliance will be attending the National Golf Course Owners Association’s Annual Business of Golf Conference along with the Golf Industry Show.  Dates are the week of February 5^th.  We will also be scheduling meetings during that week so let us know if you are going to be there.

During our Board of Director’s monthly conference call in December, we had Alliance Board member Dana Dempsey, of Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children in Dallas, present their “Learn to Golf” program.  What a great program and the Alliance has been pleased to be able to help through our USGA/Alliance Grant Program.  Check out these links for more information about the TSRHC “Learn to Golf” program:

http://www.tsrhc.org/Learn-to-Golf
http://eyeopenertv.com/2016/11/11/teenage-amputee-doesnt-slow-down-for-anything/

As we have mentioned before, if you have a grassroots program that develops individuals with dis/Abilities into the game of golf, check out our website at www.accessgolf.org for resources as well as an application for the USGA/Alliance Grant Program.  You will find grant information under “Program Funding” tab.  Through programs that have received grants and through local, regional and national organizations, we have seen that golf can make a positive difference in the lives of those with dis/Abilities.  So, when you look at programming to grow the game of golf, consider reaching out to local rehab facilities, hospitals and non-profit/service organizations that work with these individuals.  They may have never thought about using golf in their programs.

So, Happy New Year and let’s all strive in this new year to ensure that the game of golf is truly “Inclusive.”

Steve Jubb, PGA – Executive Director