Golf Is For Everyone

Unseasonably windy and chilly weather didn’t deter the nearly 60 golfers competing at Papago Golf Course in the inaugural Arizona Adaptive Open Championship, created and run by the Arizona Golf Association (AZ GOLF) and presented by PING. AZ GOLF, under the leadership of Executive Director Catherine (Cat) Carmignani, made history as the first west coast association to run an adaptive golf championship.

The three-day event began with a golf clinic for local attendees with disabilities and was followed by the two-round, 36-hole championship, crowning overall men’s and women’s champions, plus winners in 15 individual adaptive golf categories.

Adaptive golf is exactly what the name implies – adapting and modifying rules or equipment for people with disabilities, based upon the person’s impairment. Classifications – G1 to G15 – include limb, amputee, neurological, multiple, seated, short stature, vision and intellectual impairments. The classification system enables golfers to compete on a level playing field against their peers.

The Arizona tournament was a year in the making and required full commitment from AZ GOLF. Staff traveled across the country visiting different adaptive events to better understand logistics and the operations behind the scenes.

Said Carmignani, who assumed her post halfway through the planning process, “Thankfully, there are a lot of national golf associations and organizations that specialize in this. So there are already trainings in place, there are already best practices in place, and an understanding of how somebody would be appropriately categorized based on their impairment. Our staff absorbed everything they possibly could and we’ve used the resources that were already in place.”

It’s Different Out Here

One of the most striking aspects of the tournament was the diversity of the field in age, impairment, skill level, gender and experience. The true spirit of adaptive golf – camaraderie and friendship, with a healthy dose of competitive fire – was on full display at Papago.

For example, seated on a hillside overlooking the 18^th green, 23-year old short stature golfer Ricky Reilly enthusiastically cheered on his rival Albert Bowker, even as he putted out to earn the victory over Ricky. The two became friends at the 2024 USGA Adaptive Open and were the only golfers competing in their category in Phoenix.

“I’m super pumped for him,” said the Syracuse native about his buddy. “Albert’s a great guy and an even better golfer.”

The adaptive golf community is a tight knit one, and competitors genuinely celebrate each other’s successes.

Explained Carmignani, “Their impairment doesn’t define them. They’re here to play really well. This is a championship event, so I think they’re looking for some hardware at the end of the day.”

Said Men’s Overall winner Ford Martin, “Everybody’s so nice to each other, so encouraging, and the people out here are inspiring for sure. That’s part of the fun of doing these events.”

His one-under, a seven-stroke victory over Kody Conover was his first tournament win and fourth adaptive tournament. The Nashville native competed in the G8, neurogenic category based on bilateral neurogenic club feet that completely restrict movement in his fused feet and ankles.

A former lacrosse player and undergrad coach at Vanderbilt (TN), Martin noted that his primary issue is balance, especially on uneven lies, so he focuses on tempo and finish.

Women’s Overall champion Cassie Sengul, who plays golf at Drew University (NJ), competes in G8 due to cerebral palsy. Her 10-stroke victory over University of Arizona’s (U of A) Amanda Cunha was her second in a matter of weeks, following a win at the Golf Association of Philadelphia’s (GAP) inaugural Adaptive Open.

Like Ford, she struggles with rotation, balance and keeping posture in her stance. Without a coach, she admitted she’s trying to perfect her own swing and “figure it all out alone.”

“I’m probably doing stuff I shouldn’t be doing, but it works,” laughed the two-time winner.

She is sure to have lots of local support at July’s 54-hole USGA Adaptive Open that takes place in Maryland, less than an hour from her home. And she hopes the partisan crowd will help propel her onto the winner’s podium, improving on her fifth-place overall finish last year.

The elite field at the Arizona Adaptive Open Championship included many golfers who competed in one or more of the three USGA Adaptive Opens, considered the Major championship for disabled golfers.

Last year’s Women’s Overall winner, Bailey Bish (G8 – Neurological) will be on hand to defend her wire-to-wire national title, but had to withdraw from the Arizona tournament prior to finishing the second round.

Amanda Cunha has won the Vision Impairment category in each of the three USGA championships and last year finished fourth overall. The native of Kaneohe, Hawaii, was diagnosed with Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy, a disease that causes vision loss due to a degeneration of the optic nerve.

She began golfing at the age of five and competed regularly in junior golf leagues and state tournaments, but the visual impairment that began in her junior year of high school made for an uncertain golf future.

Thanks to the University of Arizona’s Adaptive Golf program, and the rise of adaptive golf tournaments, she can still pursue her passion.

“To be able to continue playing with a disability has been the dream of a lifetime, to be honest. It’s given me a chance to meet people while also still being so competitive,” she explained.

With no central vision, Amanda is unable to see bunkers or flags on the greens, only large objects in the background like trees or mountains. Her dad serves as her guide, directing her aim on the fairway and lining up putts. It’s a relationship built on trust and one that was difficult to establish initially.

“There’s been a lot of growth and development,” she said of the past three years working together. “But we’re pretty much almost there where I fully trust.”

Because she can’t golf without him, the U of A subsidizes travel from Hawaii for Amanda’s father so he can be on the bag for her tournaments.

The U of A has been a leader in adaptive sports. The D1 school’s Adaptive Athletics Department has existed for more than 50 years, and launched its Adaptive Golf team in 2019, making it the first collegiate-based adaptive program in the country.

Peter Hughes, director of adaptive athletics at U of A, was on hand at the Arizona Adaptive Open, along with Dennis Schmelzel, coach of the Wildcats adaptive golf team. Dennis is the father of LPGA player and 2024 Solheim Cup team member Sarah Schmelzel, who was also on hand to cheer on the U of A players.

Challenging Logistics

Putting on the first-ever Arizona Adaptive Open Championship presented daunting and unique challenges that most golf tournaments don’t face.

According to Carmignani, “The main thing is finding the right site that can be a good partner to you and understands how important it is to serve this clientele in a different way because they deserve to be served in the most appropriate way possible.”

Course set up is complex because tees must be placed according to impairment category. Yardages must be set, and rules adapted to impairment. For example, can a solo rider on a motorized cart safely get in and out of a bunker? If not, that bunker becomes out of play. And a rule that would apply to a blind golfer would be different than a rule applied to a golfer with another impairment.

Partners in Success

Partnerships were crucial in launching the inaugural Arizona Adaptive Open Championship and making it a sustainable event. Organizers even hope the event will become a qualifier for future USGA Adaptive Opens.

Papago GC, home to the Arizona State University men’s and women’s golf teams, was the perfect golf course partner. General Manager Daryl Crawford is committed to serving the community and sets an example to his peers in the golf course industry. The course holds numerous events targeted to diverse segments of the community, including Ability 360 clinics and the AZ Caddy and Leadership Academy.

The golfers fell in love with the course nestled below the scenic backdrop of Papago Buttes.

Said Ford, “Being at a course like this definitely makes it feel like a like a bigger tournament.”

He added, “And I’m amazed this is Arizona Golf Association’s first Adaptive Open because other than the USGA Adaptive Open, this was the most well put together adaptive tournament I’ve been to in terms of the course, hospitality, volunteers and the organization.”

Ricky echoed those sentiments.

“They did an absolutely amazing job putting this event on. First off, they selected a spectacular course. They put a ton of effort in and the volunteers and course staff were absolutely fabulous. They really didn’t miss anything. And they did a great job of making us feel like we’re the pros.”

PING was the official tournament sponsor. Bryan Rourke, master adaptive fitter, was on hand during the clinic to provide conforming equipment for the golfers, fitting them to make sure they were comfortable with the grips and shafts. Like professional golf, there are compliance standards in adaptive golf to ensure no players are getting an advantage.

Phoenix-based Ability 360 provided carts for seated golfers.

And over 80 tournament volunteers gave their time and effort to help make the event a success. All completed online and onsite training prior to the start of the tournament. They learned how to talk about the different impairment categories, how to best communicate with the athletes, and how to be the best supporters possible.

Explained Carmignani, “It’s important to learn how to communicate with that population and recognize that within that population they’re all different too, because you have different impairment categories. So, you can’t treat somebody with an intellectual impairment the same as maybe an amputee. They have different ways of communicating different needs.”

Truly Growing the Game

According to the US Adaptive Golf Alliance 10 percent of persons with some disability now play golf; 22 percent of those with disabilities played golf before incurring their disability but are not playing now; and 35 percent of individuals with disabilities are currently not playing golf, but are interested in learning.

Ford Martin has a message for those who have never even considered adaptive golf.

“Give it a go. Being out here is so much fun. You don’t have to be nervous. Everybody is so welcoming and supportive. So it’s not about what you can’t do. It’s about trying. Failure’s OK. Just keep on trying.”

Concludes Carmignani, “It puts a lot of thing in things in perspective for us. We’re all about access and opportunity. Everyone should be able to enjoy the game of golf, whether you want to be competitive at it, whether you want to have fun recreationally or just make sure it’s part of your lifestyle.”

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