With spring on its way, thousands of people across southern Ontario have only one thing on their minds; golf. It’s a sport enjoyed by the young, the old and everyone in between, but for those dealing with physical disabilities, playing the game was often only a dream. Until now, that is.

In late March, second-year Durham College (DC) students in the Sport Administration program teamed up with local golf pro Todd Keirstead, who operates a unique golf program called Bring Back the Game. The organization works with groups like Wounded Warriors to give men and women who are differently-abled an opportunity to try golf as a sport for the first time, or rebuild their golf skills after suffering an injury or illness. With Keirstead’s help, the students hosted a golf clinic at the Abilities Centre in Whitby for almost 30 participants facing a variety of physical challenges.

“It goes without saying that I am very proud of the group of students who put on this event,” said Nadine Lamarche, professor, Sport Management, at DC’s School of Business, IT & Management. “They connected with the Abilities Centre and had multiple meetings to set things up, including booking the date, corresponding with staff, even using Twitter to promote the event.”

The participants ranged from people who had never held a club to those who had previous golf experience but, for a variety of reasons, felt they couldn’t currently play. Keirstead, an accomplished golf professional and entertainer, specializes in showing differently-abled people how to play golf using adaptive techniques and equipment and by harnessing their dedication and commitment. At the event, DC students managed registration, assisted with the teaching efforts and, at the end, handed out prizes.

And how did the participants feel about taking part in the event? Their answers speak for themselves:

• “I found out today I can still golf.”
• “I can’t believe I got to hit a golf ball again. It’s been a long time!”
• “For 10 years I wasn’t able to do it, and by the grace of God, I did it today.”

“Other events being hosted by the Sport Management students include video game, floorball and water pong tournaments, all of which will help them build their event management skills,” Lamarche said. “This is the first time we’ve ever put together a golf event like this, and it’s another way that DC has a positive impact on our local community.”