Barnet’s Kris Aves turns 43 on Saturday (11 May) and is preparing for one of his favourite weeks on the calendar – The G4D Open.
Woburn Golf Club plays host to the Championship from 15-17 May, in which the competition features nine sport classes across multiple impairment groups, with players representing 19 countries. And Aves, who featured in last year’s inaugural G4D Open, will be returning again this week as one of this year’s 80 participants.
Aves was a keen able-bodied golfer till 2017. After attending an awards ceremony where he received a Commander’s Commendation for work as a Public Liaison Officer, he was tragically struck by a terrorist who drove onto the pavement of Westminster Bridge. When he woke from an induced coma eight days later, he learned that the attack had killed five others, and faced up to the reality that he may never walk again.
Six years on, he is set to play in his second-ever G4D Open, as well as aiming for a host of summer golf across tournaments, trips and societies. He said: “Before my injury, my handicap was probably down to high-teens, early-20s, just playing in societies, including one I set up for the Camden Borough police officers, ex-police officers and friends. I really enjoyed my golf. After the accident, obviously everything changed and I never thought I’d walk, let alone play again.
“There’s a local charity based out of my home club, called The Golf Trust, and while I was in hospital, my physio, who knew I was a keen golfer, did some research and got in touch with them. Phil Meadows, who owned a Paragolfer, kindly came down to The Shire and allowed me to try it. I was on the edge of the putting green just doing a bit of chipping, but doing that first swing, I just broke down in tears. It’s something I never thought I’d do again.”
While Aves was elated to just be swinging a golf club again, he admits his journey back into the game hasn’t been a straightforward one. He explained: “Everywhere I play I have to hire a van for transport because I don’t drive. So, every event I go to, I have a lot of costs, not just for entering, but hiring a van for three or four days. With the Paragolfer, being paralysed from the chest down, I can put weight through my legs but I can’t move them. I am all arms with my shots as I have no turn in my hips. My swing is half to three-quarters maximum, so I’ve lost a lot of distance since before my injury.
“The golf course terrain also plays a big role. If you’re driving along and it’s flat, it’s no problem at all, but if you’re on a slope, you can’t keep your body stable, so you’re leaning over and the shot itself is very awkward. There are times where I’ll be in the trees and where most would be able to get a shot away, because I have the Paragolfer, I have to get myself to an angle where I can tap it out because it won’t fit by the tree.
“On the greens, I can’t get down and read them. Bunkers are an issue but Woburn were brilliant last year as they put a ramp in all bunkers. Where the Paragolfer is built to be all-terrain, you still can’t go over a lip that’s more than about 10-12cm. So, for the big bunkers, you can get in, but you can’t get out! The R&A rules for golfers with a disability stand that you can take a one-shot penalty if you go in and bring the ball out. For Paragolfers, obviously things take time compared to able-bodied players.”
Winter also proves a real challenge for Paragolfers like Aves, especially this latest one, due to the record amounts of rainfall forcing courses to be closed or ban buggies and trolleys. Aves revealed: “I fall into that ‘fair-weather golfer’ category because having a Paragolfer, it’s near-impossible to play during winter because courses don’t allow buggies when it’s been raining. I haven’t been able to play at my home club since October last year. So, in winter months, I don’t play a lot, I just go to the range now and then. I have a Paragolfer in Spain so when I go out there, I can play everywhere, but once the courses are open here and the Paragolfer is allowed, I’ll try and play as much as I can. I’ve got a few EDGA (formerly the European Disabled Golf Association) events, The G4D Open, the English Open, I’m going to Spain with friends, and I play at The Shire, so I’d like to get down to the low-20s so I can compete and play off similar handicap indexes to my mates.”
Away from the game, Aves spends time with his children and enjoying some of his other passions. He shared: “I have my children every other week so when I have them, golf goes out the window. We go out bowling and to the cinema, but I also like to go to the football at weekends and take my daughter to watch Tottenham. I do hydrotherapy/swimming and football, and as part of my rehabilitation, I try and do physio every other day at home too. I have some gym equipment where I’ll do some upper body strength training but pushing around in my wheelchair every day is enough strength training in itself!
“I do inspirational talks and do a lot for spinal charities and also work closely with a company called Hollister, who supply medical gear like catheters. Other than that, I like to just put my feet up on the sofa and have some of my own time. Nothing has changed with me mentally, I’m still Kris Aves and I like to go out and have a drink and socialise, but also sit in my pyjamas and do nothing!”
Speaking about his love for the game and what it’s given to him, Aves continued: “The best thing about golf is that it’s just a social event. My partner always jokes: “If we have plans on the weekend, you struggle to get out of bed, but if you have a morning tee time, you’re up at 6.30, showered, washed and got your bag, ready to go. Why can’t you do that for me?!” Golf just gives you that bit of energy – that bit before knowing you’re going golfing tomorrow morning, but also, you’re out on the course in the fresh air with friends or in a competition. It’s such a great social atmosphere and that’s what I love.
“With golfers with a disability, I love hearing people’s stories about how golf might have been taken away from them, but that they found EDGA, England Golf or The G4D Open, and know that there’s someone or something out there that wants to support them and help the game grow. It gives me all the excitement and social wellbeing and it’s fun even if a bit frustrating at times, plus it’s a game you can play with people of all ages and all handicaps.”
So what does Aves count as his biggest achievements in the game to date? “Before being injured I think it would be my hole-in-one at Fairlop Waters in Essex in 2012,” he proudly shared. “I was lucky because we had an early tee-off and by the time we came in at 11am, there was hardly anyone in the clubhouse who I needed to buy a drink for! Since being injured though, my greatest achievement is just being able to play golf again. It really is.”
Aves recently played in a fundraiser in the Cotswolds for the Cairns Cup, a Ryder Cup-style event played between people of various abilities and disabilities. At the event, he came in with a superb score. Playing off 28.9, Aves admitted: “I shot 45 points and felt guilty, but I hadn’t played on a course since the middle of October! I was so proud of myself though because I played really well!”
While Aves will be celebrating his birthday by watching Tottenham play Burnley on Saturday, followed by a family gathering, he admitted that he cannot wait for Wednesday’s competition at Woburn on the biggest stage for golfers with a disability. He added: “Entering competitions like these mean the world to me. I’m excited to meet and play with so many players with different disabilities and it gives me and others the chance to showcase golf with a disability. Having our lives changed by a disability doesn’t mean that we are unable to carry on with our love of golf. No matter what life throws at you, you can still achieve your dreams.”
Aves had a message for those thinking about taking up the game, disabled or able-bodied, who may have endured tough times. He urged: “Search the internet and social media and find a local club or charity/organisation and give golf a go, because there is something out there for everyone. There are people with prosthetics, people with one arm, people in wheelchairs, and it gives you that sense of wellbeing. Many people tell me stories about where they’ve been in a dark place and sit at home for long periods, worried about a number of things like their appearance. We’re not judged on our appearance or ability or our injury/disability, it’s about going along, making it fun and enjoyable, and I can guarantee people that if they do give golf a go, they will enjoy it.”
The public can watch The G4D Open at Woburn Golf Club from 15-17 May, with free entry and free parking. For more information, visit The G4D Open (randa.org). The English Open for Golfers with a Disability takes place between 25-26 June at Stoke by Nayland Golf Club in Essex. Find out more by clicking here.
Aves was a keen able-bodied golfer till 2017. After attending an awards ceremony where he received a Commander’s Commendation for work as a Public Liaison Officer, he was tragically struck by a terrorist who drove onto the pavement of Westminster Bridge. When he woke from an induced coma eight days later, he learned that the attack had killed five others, and faced up to the reality that he may never walk again.
Six years on, he is set to play in his second-ever G4D Open, as well as aiming for a host of summer golf across tournaments, trips and societies. He said: “Before my injury, my handicap was probably down to high-teens, early-20s, just playing in societies, including one I set up for the Camden Borough police officers, ex-police officers and friends. I really enjoyed my golf. After the accident, obviously everything changed and I never thought I’d walk, let alone play again.
“There’s a local charity based out of my home club, called The Golf Trust, and while I was in hospital, my physio, who knew I was a keen golfer, did some research and got in touch with them. Phil Meadows, who owned a Paragolfer, kindly came down to The Shire and allowed me to try it. I was on the edge of the putting green just doing a bit of chipping, but doing that first swing, I just broke down in tears. It’s something I never thought I’d do again.”
While Aves was elated to just be swinging a golf club again, he admits his journey back into the game hasn’t been a straightforward one. He explained: “Everywhere I play I have to hire a van for transport because I don’t drive. So, every event I go to, I have a lot of costs, not just for entering, but hiring a van for three or four days. With the Paragolfer, being paralysed from the chest down, I can put weight through my legs but I can’t move them. I am all arms with my shots as I have no turn in my hips. My swing is half to three-quarters maximum, so I’ve lost a lot of distance since before my injury.
“The golf course terrain also plays a big role. If you’re driving along and it’s flat, it’s no problem at all, but if you’re on a slope, you can’t keep your body stable, so you’re leaning over and the shot itself is very awkward. There are times where I’ll be in the trees and where most would be able to get a shot away, because I have the Paragolfer, I have to get myself to an angle where I can tap it out because it won’t fit by the tree.
“On the greens, I can’t get down and read them. Bunkers are an issue but Woburn were brilliant last year as they put a ramp in all bunkers. Where the Paragolfer is built to be all-terrain, you still can’t go over a lip that’s more than about 10-12cm. So, for the big bunkers, you can get in, but you can’t get out! The R&A rules for golfers with a disability stand that you can take a one-shot penalty if you go in and bring the ball out. For Paragolfers, obviously things take time compared to able-bodied players.”
Winter also proves a real challenge for Paragolfers like Aves, especially this latest one, due to the record amounts of rainfall forcing courses to be closed or ban buggies and trolleys. Aves revealed: “I fall into that ‘fair-weather golfer’ category because having a Paragolfer, it’s near-impossible to play during winter because courses don’t allow buggies when it’s been raining. I haven’t been able to play at my home club since October last year. So, in winter months, I don’t play a lot, I just go to the range now and then. I have a Paragolfer in Spain so when I go out there, I can play everywhere, but once the courses are open here and the Paragolfer is allowed, I’ll try and play as much as I can. I’ve got a few EDGA (formerly the European Disabled Golf Association) events, The G4D Open, the English Open, I’m going to Spain with friends, and I play at The Shire, so I’d like to get down to the low-20s so I can compete and play off similar handicap indexes to my mates.”
Away from the game, Aves spends time with his children and enjoying some of his other passions. He shared: “I have my children every other week so when I have them, golf goes out the window. We go out bowling and to the cinema, but I also like to go to the football at weekends and take my daughter to watch Tottenham. I do hydrotherapy/swimming and football, and as part of my rehabilitation, I try and do physio every other day at home too. I have some gym equipment where I’ll do some upper body strength training but pushing around in my wheelchair every day is enough strength training in itself!
“I do inspirational talks and do a lot for spinal charities and also work closely with a company called Hollister, who supply medical gear like catheters. Other than that, I like to just put my feet up on the sofa and have some of my own time. Nothing has changed with me mentally, I’m still Kris Aves and I like to go out and have a drink and socialise, but also sit in my pyjamas and do nothing!”
Speaking about his love for the game and what it’s given to him, Aves continued: “The best thing about golf is that it’s just a social event. My partner always jokes: “If we have plans on the weekend, you struggle to get out of bed, but if you have a morning tee time, you’re up at 6.30, showered, washed and got your bag, ready to go. Why can’t you do that for me?!” Golf just gives you that bit of energy – that bit before knowing you’re going golfing tomorrow morning, but also, you’re out on the course in the fresh air with friends or in a competition. It’s such a great social atmosphere and that’s what I love.
“With golfers with a disability, I love hearing people’s stories about how golf might have been taken away from them, but that they found EDGA, England Golf or The G4D Open, and know that there’s someone or something out there that wants to support them and help the game grow. It gives me all the excitement and social wellbeing and it’s fun even if a bit frustrating at times, plus it’s a game you can play with people of all ages and all handicaps.”
So what does Aves count as his biggest achievements in the game to date? “Before being injured I think it would be my hole-in-one at Fairlop Waters in Essex in 2012,” he proudly shared. “I was lucky because we had an early tee-off and by the time we came in at 11am, there was hardly anyone in the clubhouse who I needed to buy a drink for! Since being injured though, my greatest achievement is just being able to play golf again. It really is.”
Aves recently played in a fundraiser in the Cotswolds for the Cairns Cup, a Ryder Cup-style event played between people of various abilities and disabilities. At the event, he came in with a superb score. Playing off 28.9, Aves admitted: “I shot 45 points and felt guilty, but I hadn’t played on a course since the middle of October! I was so proud of myself though because I played really well!”
While Aves will be celebrating his birthday by watching Tottenham play Burnley on Saturday, followed by a family gathering, he admitted that he cannot wait for Wednesday’s competition at Woburn on the biggest stage for golfers with a disability. He added: “Entering competitions like these mean the world to me. I’m excited to meet and play with so many players with different disabilities and it gives me and others the chance to showcase golf with a disability. Having our lives changed by a disability doesn’t mean that we are unable to carry on with our love of golf. No matter what life throws at you, you can still achieve your dreams.”
Aves had a message for those thinking about taking up the game, disabled or able-bodied, who may have endured tough times. He urged: “Search the internet and social media and find a local club or charity/organisation and give golf a go, because there is something out there for everyone. There are people with prosthetics, people with one arm, people in wheelchairs, and it gives you that sense of wellbeing. Many people tell me stories about where they’ve been in a dark place and sit at home for long periods, worried about a number of things like their appearance. We’re not judged on our appearance or ability or our injury/disability, it’s about going along, making it fun and enjoyable, and I can guarantee people that if they do give golf a go, they will enjoy it.”
The public can watch The G4D Open at Woburn Golf Club from 15-17 May, with free entry and free parking. For more information, visit The G4D Open (randa.org). The English Open for Golfers with a Disability takes place between 25-26 June at Stoke by Nayland Golf Club in Essex. Find out more by clicking here.
ENDS
Contact details:
Tom Vale, Press & Media Manager
Tel: 07912 240850
Email: tom.vale@englandgolf.org
www.englandgolf.org
Contact details:
Tom Vale, Press & Media Manager
Tel: 07912 240850
Email: tom.vale@englandgolf.org
www.englandgolf.org
