Walmley Foundation Community Interest Company was awarded the highly-coveted Respect in Golf Award at Wednesday’s England Golf Awards, hosted by Mark Chapman at the Hilton Manchester Deansgate.
The Warwickshire-based organisation received the award in recognition of their ground-breaking work in creating the UK’s first disability-friendly putting green.
The newly-developed artificial short-game area, designed to be fully accessible for mobility equipment, has helped to transform access to golf for individuals with disabilities.
With traditional wheelchairs or walking aids unable to be used on grass greens without causing significant damage, and with the current equipment designed for disability golf remaining expensive and inaccessible to many, Walmley Golf Club’s disability-friendly green has proved a game-changer for many individuals looking to play golf.
Since founding in 2017, Walmley Golf Foundation has also provided golf sessions for over 1,000 participants from more than 40 organisations, while the new putting green will allow even more people— including wheelchair users, stroke survivors, amputees, and those using walking aids— to engage with the sport in a meaningful way.
Sam Stuart, Teaching Professional at Walmley Golf Club, said: "It's amazing to be recognised. Being able to open up golf to more people is incredibly important to us as a golf club.
"None of it would be possible without the hard work of all the board members on a voluntary basis, and the many hours that they have put in, writing grant applications, collecting data, turning up and helping sessions.
"We are proud to have opened the first disability-designed putting green for people who use wheelchairs or walking aids, to open up golf to a wider auidence. We hope to achieve more of what we've been doing - showing more people that sport is for them and our sport is one of the most accessible sports out there for them to come and try."
The newly-developed artificial short-game area, designed to be fully accessible for mobility equipment, has helped to transform access to golf for individuals with disabilities.
With traditional wheelchairs or walking aids unable to be used on grass greens without causing significant damage, and with the current equipment designed for disability golf remaining expensive and inaccessible to many, Walmley Golf Club’s disability-friendly green has proved a game-changer for many individuals looking to play golf.
Since founding in 2017, Walmley Golf Foundation has also provided golf sessions for over 1,000 participants from more than 40 organisations, while the new putting green will allow even more people— including wheelchair users, stroke survivors, amputees, and those using walking aids— to engage with the sport in a meaningful way.
Sam Stuart, Teaching Professional at Walmley Golf Club, said: "It's amazing to be recognised. Being able to open up golf to more people is incredibly important to us as a golf club.
"None of it would be possible without the hard work of all the board members on a voluntary basis, and the many hours that they have put in, writing grant applications, collecting data, turning up and helping sessions.
"We are proud to have opened the first disability-designed putting green for people who use wheelchairs or walking aids, to open up golf to a wider auidence. We hope to achieve more of what we've been doing - showing more people that sport is for them and our sport is one of the most accessible sports out there for them to come and try."
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