LESS than nine months after losing all sensation below his belly button in a BMX accident, Clint Morgan returned to the driving range with the help of Empower Golf this week.
Established with the aim of facilitating and promoting participation in golf for people of all abilities, Empower Golf has only been operating in WA for about six months.
Mr Morgan was one of three participants in the not-for-profit organisation’s come and try day at Point Walter Golf Course on Wednesday and said he could not be happier to be swinging a club again.
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READ NOW“Today has definitely encouraged me to get back into it, it’s been fantastic and I’m looking forward to the next session and possibly taking it further if time and injury permits,” he said.
In September last year Mr Morgan fell off a BMX bicycle and landed on his head, breaking two vertebrae and fracturing the top of his neck, leaving him paralysed.
With the help of a ParaGolfer all-terrain wheelchair owned by Empower Golf, he is able to stand up with support and swing a club.
“It was a little bit awkward at first but very easy to get used to and I definitely made big improvements over the course of the day in terms of my swing,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to the next session and possibly taking the sport further if time and injury permits.”
Empower Golf’s WA representative Tom Hughson said the ParaGolfer could be used all over a golf course.
“Today we were just on the driving range as a starting point but from there you can progress to learning a few more shots and dealing with different clubs and the end game is going on to the course itself,” he said.
“The machine can go on the greens and on the bunkers so you can actually play a full game of golf and there are people around Australia using it for just that purpose.”
Mr Hughson said Empower Golf catered for people living with both physical and intellectual disabilities and encouraged anybody interested in taking up golf or returning after an injury or accident to attend one of the organisation’s free sessions.
For more information visit www.empowergolf.com.au or call Tom on 0439 486 889.
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