RISE Adventures - Adaptive Golf Program

Great weather today or What??? It's going to be a fantastic year for the RISE golf program. Five, new, first time participants today at the North Texas Golf Center. Lots of interest from folks new to RISE, increasing interest from the "regular" RISE constituency, 18 hole regulation golf courses are interested in hosting our program and the RISE in-service programs conducted on-site at the Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation have been successful in getting people back to the golf course. Lots of quality volunteers from therapy students at UNT and TWU. A representative from Solo Rider, a single rider golf cart manufacturer in Plano, got a first hand look at the RISE mission in action today. If we need additional carts, they have volunteered to make them available during our golf events.

Check the calendar carefully. For the present, RISE golf is from 12:00 to 3:00 on Saturday's but will change during the year. RSVP is required.

Mark your calendar now for September 13th. Adventure Scuba in Plano will be sponsoring a golf tournament to benefit RISE Adventures. I'll post details as they develop.

Teaching the Teacher ..... Hosted by Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children

Another great day at the Scottish Rite Hospital. This annual seminar is for golf instructors, golf coaches, physical therapists, occupational therapists, recreational therapists, etc., anyone wanting to learn more about teaching golf to individuals with disabilities. The key "take aways" from the seminar include: resources, community contacts, outreach programs, the "how to's" of teaching disabilities and information on adaptive playing aids and mobility devices.

In one demonstration segment, participants experienced first hand the huge differences between swinging from a wheel chair and swinging from a single rider golf cart. Swinging from a wheel chair has its swing restrictions and mobility limitations but swing from a single rider cart......that's the equivalent of having legs! The swing is free and the player is mobile from tee to green.

Which brings us to another topic: Intentional Marketing to Individuals with Disabilities. For golf facilities looking for that "untapped market", i.e., new golfers to fill the tee sheet, more mouths to feed in the restaurant, more people who want to buy "stuff" from the pro shop, etc., here's a gold mine! Put it this way, "What does your facility and instructional staff do to solicit golfers with disabilities?"

Anyone interested in more "hands on" experience with disabled golfers, adaptive equipment and instruction methods; I'm always looking for volunteers to assist with the RISE Adventures golf program. RISE golf schedule is on the RISE web site. RSVP required.