From the Executive Director: Our Most FAQ
September 17, 2019 Leave a comment
Well, summer is almost over, children are back to school and now we are entering my most favorite time of the year – Fall. Hope everyone had a great summer of golf.
“Who is the National Alliance for Accessible Golf?”
During the summer, several people have contacted our office asking, “Who is the National Alliance for Accessible Golf?” While most of the national golf associations in the United States know of the National Alliance because they are represented on our Board of Directors along with other recreation and therapeutic organizations and advocates, many grassroots programs serving individuals with disabilities as well as the general public may have not heard of the National Alliance and what we do. So, I thought I would take this opportunity to share again with you all briefly who the National Alliance for Accessible Golf is and what we do.
The National Alliance for Accessible Golf was formed in 2001 as a national alliance of the golf industry working to ensure the opportunity for all individuals with disabilities to play the game of golf. About 61 million adults in the United States have some form of disability, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That is nearly 1 in 4 people in the USA.
The mission of the Alliance is to not only provide opportunities for people with disabilities to experience the game of golf, but also create and promote awareness of the benefits of accessible golf. Through golf, individuals with disabilities can become actively engaged in the social fabric of a community and derive health benefits that improve the quality of life.
The Alliance accomplishes this mission through several means: Education and training resources for golfers and golf facilities; promotion to the golf industry and the general public that golf is for everyone; provide resources for both individuals with disabilities plus those who serve them such as golf facilities; and finally, serving as an advocate for accessible and inclusive golf. While our grant program is currently being reviewed for restructuring, we are proud to say that we have provided more $900,000 since 2010 to grassroots programs across the country. For more information about the National Alliance, check out our website at www.accessgolf.org.
Steve Jubb, PGA – Executive Director