The SDGC, the driving force behind disability golf in Scotland

Wed, Mar 27th 2024 at 12:40 am - 2:00 am

Jim Gales MBE will give the presentation

Club members please log in for more information.

The Guest Speaker was Jim Gales MBE who gave a heartwarming talk on Scottish Disability Golf and Curling (SDGC), a wonderful charitable organisation devoted to encouraging people with disabilities of all types to enjoy the sports of golf and curling. Jim, himself disabled with blindness, explained that the germ of an idea for the charity had come to him in 2002 although the charity was not finally set up until 2018. While certain groups did exist for disabled people wishing to participate in sports before 2002, the rules that applied were very restrictive and had the effect of dividing participants into narrow groupings determined solely by the extent of their disabilities. Jim’s ambition was to involve all such disabled people in one group which catered for all levels of disability. He was given an opportunity to do just that when he was awarded a Winston Churchill Fellowship which allowed him and his wife to travel to Canada to see how they dealt there with disabilities in sport. The Canadians had lots of good ideas which Jim took back to Scotland and two years later he set up a group catering for all disabled golfers whatever their disability. He was helped by many organisations including VONEF, the R&A and the St Andrews Links Trust. Games of golf were played, competitions arranged and tuition provided. This proved hugely successful, resulting in the establishment in 2009 of a flourishing charity attracting a substantial membership; many international matches were played alongside a full diary of other events. The same benefits are now enjoyed by disabled curlers (their charity merged with Jim’s in 2018/19 to form the SDGC). The free membership of SDGC gives subsidised entry to over 100 games per year, participation in local golf and curling hubs where tuition, practice time and social activities are organised. There is also the opportunity to be selected to play golf in the British Open and Masters Championships and to curl in the National Curling Championships. SDGC also has its own ‘Ryder Cup’, where a team representing Europe plays the USA for the Phoenix Cup. The 30th competition will be played in St Andrews in October this year and SDGC would welcome sponsors to help fund this event. A warm vote of thanks was given by member of the Club,Tommy Brown.