Bournemouth student encourages disabled golfers to take part in his area
Bournemouth student Richard Warren is encouraging Dorset disabled people to get into golf – the sport which has supported him to be active with Cerebral Palsy. The 20-year-old will be volunteering at a Feel Inspired day at Canford Magna Golf Club on Sunday 4 May, when disabled children and adults will be offered an introduction to the game by PGA professionals.
The day is organised by the Dorset Golf Partnership, which works to grow the game. County Development Officer Dee Wood said:
“We’ve invited lots of families and we are planning a great day to introduce people to golf. We’ve also got lot of follow-on activities planned for those who want to take it further.”
Richard will be one of the volunteers at the day and will be ready to share his own experiences. He is studying for a degree in Sports Management (Golf) at Bournemouth University, has a work placement with the PGA at The Belfry, and has played the game since he was seven.
“My mum booked me a golf lesson at the local golf club. My dad thought I would never be able to hit a golf ball because of my balance, well the rest is history!” he said. Richard won a club junior scholarship and now has a handicap of 34. I feel that golf has allowed me to grow as a person through meeting new people and allowing me to compete on an equal basis with able bodied golfers. Golf overall is a very social sport with many golfers welcoming to everyone. I have been made to feel welcome wherever I have played. Golf also allows people to get out in the outdoors with courses available for all abilities. Even if you just go to the driving range once a week, it’s still is a good form of exercise.”
Later this year Richard will be a volunteer on the tournament team at the ISPS Ladies European Masters at the Buckinghamshire Golf Club. He has also been selected as part of the marshalling team for the Ryder Cup being held in September at Gleneagles.
The Dorset Golf Partnership brings together the men’s, women’s and professionals’ county organisations to grow the game in Dorset. County Golf Partnerships are part of the England Golf Partnership’s Whole Sport Plan for golf and an integral part of its vision to grow the game and make England the world’s leading golf nation by 2020. The England Golf Partnership (EGP) is a partnership between the amateur governing body, England Golf, and the Professional Golfers’ Association, and supported by the Golf Foundation and Sport England National Lottery funding. Get into golf is a campaign to inspire adults to play the game, run by the EGP through its network of CGPs.
