The European Disabled Golf Association (EDGA) is partnering with miSport Coaching Ltd to offer a specially tailored online coaching platform that enables golfers with disabilities to work with an international field of appropriately trained PGA professional coaches.
The EDGA, an international non-profit organisation for golfers with disabilities, was the Official Charity of the Portugal Masters in both 2016 and 2017, raising funds to help EDGA train 20 PGA of Portugal professionals to engage with people with disabilities and encourage them to try the game.
The new partnership between miSport and EDGA begins with a pilot programme inviting a trial group of EDGA players with different impairments and golfing abilities to connect with a choice of coaches – all trained in working with disabilities – from five countries, including England, Australia, Scotland, Holland and Sweden. Here, players can benefit from a range of targeted online coaching services, weekly tips, a community forum and more (see the platform atwww.edga.misport.golf).
After the pilot programme, more trained PGA coaches will join the project and EDGA golfers will be invited to participate; golfers across the 24 national golf federations which make up the membership of EDGA, the organisation that assists people with disability to try, participate and compete in golf under the banner of ‘Golfers First’.
PGA Fellow Professional and EDGA Development Director Mark Taylor said: “We have been closely engaged in the development of this project and are highly impressed with the miSport coaching platform and thus delighted to launch this pilot programme for a trial group of EDGA players and specialist coaches.
“We at EDGA are aware that PGA professionals are well versed in coaching; some of these professionals have gone on to specialise in coaching golfers with disability and this platform enables players to connect with an appropriately trained professional and to upload their swing from practice or tournaments for review by their selected coach in their own language.
“This can surely be of great benefit to both new and established golfers with a disability. Great for novice golfers, building confidence, in some cases overcoming isolation issues while improving the player pathway from first swings to regular club golf. The fact that all the coaches in the programme are specially trained in the area of golf and disability is hugely important, for both encouraging new players or helping our experienced EDGA players who play in our international tournaments to fine-tune their games.”
Craig Boucher, CEO of miSport, said: “miSport Coaching is delighted to be partnering with the European Disabled Golf Association in their endeavours to promote golf to existing golfers and inviting new golfers to Start, Stay, Succeed and Enjoy the game. We believe our coaching platform will help overcome some of the difficulties golfers encounter when looking for specific coaches and accessing relevant online coaching, and may be particularly beneficial to golfers with disabilities.
“It is timely and exciting that golfers with a disability will be able to find some of the very best expert coaching support online, helping these players to maximise their enjoyment in the sport and reach their full golfing potential.”
EDGA is supported by The R&A, the European Tour, The Ryder Cup Europe Development Trust and 24 national golf federations, plus several valued partners including PING and the Association of Algarve Tourism. Supported by globally respected health and disability experts, the organisation is currently working with the International Golf Federation (IGF) as it seeks to influence the Paralympic bodies so that elite golfers with a disability are able to take their golf to the very highest international level. There were 14 tournaments in EDGA’s Tournament Series in 2017. This number is set to grow further in 2018.
