Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Therapeutic golf unlocks disabled kids’ ‘puttential’
NINE- year- old Zizo Macanyana’s smiles could not have been wider on the King David Mowbray Golf Club putting green in Cape Town, as she was introduced to the various fun-filled skills exercises that are part of the SA Disabled Golf Association’s First Swing Programme (FSP).
“I loved throwing the small ball into the net, and bouncing the big ball against the trampoline and catching it when it came back to me,” said Zizo in her soft, almost inaudible voice.
Zizo has diplegia, a form of cerebral palsy which severely restricts movement, mainly in her legs, and is tiny for her age. She attends the Filia special needs school in Cape Town for children with intellectual and physical difficulties. But she possesses inside that little body of hers, as FSP head coach Andrew Corthing observed, a surprising amount of ball sense.
Perhaps she couldn’t articulate this herself, but she knew she was enjoying what she was doing. She was achieving. She was hitting the targets set for her and, as a result, she was building confidence in her ability. She did throw the little ball accurately and hardly ever dropped the big one – made of Velcro – as it rebounded from a trampoline.
Zizo was part of a FSP clinic conducted during the Canon SA Disabled Golf Open held at King David Mowbray this past week.
The FSP introduces golf, or at least a form of golf, at a very basic level for children and it has been remarkably successful.
It is a countrywide initiative headed by Cape Town’s Lilly Reich who, like Corthing, is extremely passionate about the work.
Four years ago there were 70 youngsters in the FSP programme; today there 1 000 – whether they be amputees, deaf, visually impaired or diplegic – and numbers are growing fast.
The FSP comprises five levels, with levels 1 and 2 covering therapeutic modified golf for the disabled, using Snag (Starting New at Golf) equipment. This includes plastic and Velcro balls and clubs, nets and targets – all designed to create “feel”, strength and rhythm.
“Everyone, no matter how disabled, is trainable,” said Corthing.
“Our job is to help these beautiful kids realise their potential – and they’ve all got it – by increasing their mobility, flexibility, stability and confidence; not only for golf, but for general physical and mental conditioning. The improvement we see is amazing.”
Level 3 introduces mashie golf with wedges and putters, and levels 4 and 5 are for the more advanced golfers, who often go on to become single- figure handicap golfers, coaches and assistant coaches.
“The modified golf, whether it be on a putting green at a golf club or even in a school hall, has proved to be a lot of fun,” said Corthing.
“The youngsters may not be out on a proper golf course, wielding the latest high-tech driver, but ask them what sport they play and the reply is a resounding ‘We play golf !’ And that is music to our ears.”