Tony Coates is the epitome of a straight-talking Aussie who has taken the cards that life has dealt him in his stride. However, his laid-back approach to life masks a fierce determination to make the most of the opportunities that he now sees opening up in golf for the disabled.

At almost 63 years of age, Tony feels like he has a limited amount of time left at the top end of the sport. But with his ‘have a go’ attitude and approach to staying in the moment, don’t be too surprised if he is still competing for titles for many years to come.

It is worth remembering that two people born at the same time, in the same place, to similar families, can turn out to be very different. In part, due to nature, the genetics influence amongst other things, both physical and personality characteristics. The other element is nurture, the environmental variables such as where and how we were raised, the relationships we form and the experiences we have. Although our genes are set, and our early upbringing is somewhat out of our control, the experiences we have shape and polish each and every one of us. It is said that “the stones in the path of the water give the stream its music”.

If Tony were to be a music genre, then we would hear a soothing chillout rhythm that calms the mind and soul. When speaking with Tony, the overwhelming impression is that nothing overly bothers him and that he has learned to go with the flow. Typically, when Tony first played golf, he simply used the clubs he could get his hands on, “We were only kids. I think I might’ve been about 15, 16, somewhere around there. I played once with a right-handed player and once with a left-handed player, and so theirs were the clubs I used.” No drama, no-nonsense, just get on with it and ‘have a go’.

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