The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Disability charity brings huge benefits to golfers
“It all started out as an idea in the pub – and that’s where the best ideas tend to come from.” Jim Gales, the Scottish Disability Golf and Curling chair, has played a pivotal role in transforming the organisation from 30 players based around the St Andrews area to more than 1,100 spread across 20 countries.
Twenty years ago, a desire to create a group for disabled golfers prompted Jim to travel to Canada to learn what it would take.
He said: “We got a fellowship from the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust to go to Canada and basically steal all their ideas.
“We went across and played in a couple of competitions, met a lot of people, got the best ideas and brought them all back to Scotland to become a pan-disability group.”
With the assistance of the R&A, Scottish Golf, the PGA and Sportscotland, the Scottish Disability Golf Partnership was formed in 2004.
It later became a charity in 2009 and merged with Disabled Curlers Scotland four years ago to become Scottish Disability Golf and Curling (SDGC) and provide year-round sports opportunities for disabled people across the country.
Jim is blind and competes in the SDGC events with the assistance of his guide Martin Lowe, whose role is “to paint a picture” of the course.
The partnership seems to be working well as Jim won the British Open for the third time at Strathmore last year following previous successes in 2001 and 2008. He will look to defend his title at the same venue this September.
He said: “The big two events are the British Open and the Phoenix Cup – a four-team Ryder Cup-style event with Scotland, Wales, England and USA competing at Forest of Arden in August.
“I have played in more than 100 team international and open competitions in 14 countries.
“I have managed to travel the world through disability golf and it has given me plenty of opportunities.”
While the SDGC offers a serious competitive side for those looking to test themselves against fellow disabled golfers, Jim says the camaraderie and support offered to members is even more important.
The 58-year-old, who was born in County Durham and moved to Fife in 1990, said: “We take on anybody with any type of disability and any age. We say physical, sensory or intellectual – anybody who fits into any of those three categories can join as a member. Membership is free.”
SDGC member John Ramsay, from Glenrothes, says being part of the group has given him a new lease of life.
The 52-year-old was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease seven years ago and was part of a trial who received deep brain stimulation surgery to reduce tremors and other symptoms.
The impact has been massive for John, who joined the SDGC last year after learning about the group online.
He said: “The difference between the medication for Parkinson’s seven years ago and now is massive. I couldn’t play golf back then. I was still too shaky and my legs were really bad. Then I was sent to Western General (in Edinburgh) and I was given a wee machine that goes in my arm and it directs different signals to my brain.
“When you are starting to shake that signal in your brain gets changed to counteract it. It has been fantastic. I was in a trial in the UK, I believe I was one of only five people at the time.
“It has allowed me to get back to golf. I loved playing golf for years and to be able to play again has meant so much.”
Mr Ramsay believes more disabled people would benefit from joining the group. He said: “It has made a massive impact for me. Everyone has made me feel really welcome.”