Golf Business News – Game Changer: Share 150 Stories of Golfers with Disabilities

The EDGA, the international authority on all things G4D (disability golf), has just published its 150th article and podcast featuring every golfer with a disability. These stories form a comprehensive library of player interviews, photos, audio recordings and video designed to inform people with disabilities and encourage them to try golf.

EDGA's emphasis is on sharing these stories for free with the general public to encourage new players.

All articles and podcasts – featuring players from over 25 countries and across all groups with physical, sensory, sensory and intellectual disabilities – are 'white label'. This means that the piece can be reproduced including images free of charge by any recognized media outlet, national federation or health/sports organization looking to increase awareness and promote inclusion and diversity.

The EDGA (formally the European Disabled Golf Association) works with international partners the R&A, the European Tour Group, the International Golf Federation, and 50 national golf associations to grow the sport.

Exploring the 'players' way' – from the first putts and chips to competing at the highest G4D level – the 150 EDGA stories in the dedicated media section at www.edgagolf.com are presented in a multimedia format that allows visitors to consume the story in whatever way best suits their needs. Individuals can search for stories about a disability or a country to find a moving snapshot of the human spirit that can inspire the can-do attitude within each of us.

Often in each subject, players with organ differences, emotional, orthopedic or intellectual challenges; wheelchair golfers and those with visual impairments, talk about how the game has had a significant impact on their lives and improved their lives.

'Golf saved my life'

Welshman Mike Jones almost died at the scene of a motorbike accident in 2015; his lower left leg had to be amputated three days after the accident. Later, in his hospital bed, Mike watched golf videos online and found clips of a golfer, Manuel De Los Santos from the Dominican Republic, who had also lost his left leg in a traffic accident. Mike said: “I watched Manuel's videos and heard him speak with enthusiasm. You don't often get the chance to reset your life, but that was my chance there. If I didn't have golf as my focus, I would have ended up in a very bad place I think, so it literally saved my life.”

In recent times, a leading study by Syngenta and IPSOS, 'Golf & Social Media: The Great Divide' (2024), highlights how exposure to the positive actions of disabled athletes can influence the perception of sport among people with disabilities. and encourage them to participate.

Dr Tony Bennett, President of EDGA, adds: “The study by Morris et al. (2018) examining the Internet information seeking behavior of People with Disabilities (IwD) reported that the Internet serves as an important resource for finding information related to disabilities. Today that search for information extends to social media, and such golf should create opportunities for IwD to 'imagine' playing the game before sampling the golf course.”

Bennett adds: “By focusing attention on our 150th such issue this week we hope to introduce more people to the collection and give resources freely to more organizations to support inclusive sport.”

Inspired by others…

The 150th story published today features English golfer Michelle Lau, who has autism and ADHD. Similar to Mike and Manuel's story, Michelle recalls being inspired after seeing an Instagram post by Swedish golfer Erika Malmberg and then reading her story.

Michelle says: “I actually found out about EDGA and signed up for my first tournament because of Erika Malmberg, she definitely inspired me a lot.

“Golf can change life, it can change physical and mental health, even playing alone. A world we can escape to when this plane of reality is a little over.”

Michelle, Mike and Erika will be mixing it up at The G4D Open next week (May 15-17) in Woburn, the world's largest G4D competition linked to The Open itself, organized for the second year by the R&A in partnership with DP World. Tour is also supported by EDGA. As this event is covered by media around the world, EDGA wants more sports and health organizations to be able to share this collection of stories to help others. Thirty-nine of The G4D Open field of 80 are entered in the EDGA series.

The EDGA is a non-profit, volunteer-led organization active in the promotion and delivery of opportunities to sample, participate and compete in golf.

All articles in the series can be reproduced to spread awareness, available at