02 Apr 2024 | All Abilities | Amateur golf | Participation |
NSW Inclusive Championship kicks off fantastic week of golf
by Contributor
The NSW Inclusive Championship will tee off a fantastic week of golf on the Coffs Coast of New South Wales today.
The tournament features players with a physical, sensory or intellectual impairment (based on the International Golf Federation (IGF) definitions).
Forty male and female competitors are taking part with several interstate players in the field.
A strong local contingent is competing, headlined by Cameron Pollard from Coffs Harbour Golf Club, a multiple winner of All-Abilities titles in the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia's Webex Players Series.
Other locals include Cara Reeves and Lochie Smith of Sawtell, with James Lehn from Coffs Harbour rounding out the hometown hopes.
Chasing Pollard for the overall title are a number of credentialed interstate competitors, including former Japanese Tour winner Wayne Perske of Queensland, and Port Kembla's Nick Taylor, who plays in the G4 category for players confined to a wheelchair.
The tournament, hosted by Golf NSW and Coffs Harbour City Council, will call the popular tourist destination home for the next three years.
"This will be the first time this event is run in Coffs Harbour, and it sits alongside the Australian Women's Classic to be played at Bonville," City of Coffs Harbour Mayor Cr Paul Amos said.
"The Classic has been held at Bonville since its inception in 2018, and we are thrilled that the NSW Inclusive Golf Championship has been secured for the Coffs Harbour Golf Course."
Graeme Phillipson, Golf NSW's Chief Operating Officer, endorsed Councillor Amos' comments, saying the tournament was an essential part of the organisation's calendar of events, from elite golf to club-level competition Golf NSW offered.
"The Coffs Harbour area has been an excellent destination for several of our biggest championships, and we are thrilled a tournament that has attracted competitors from across Australia has a home as wonderful as Coffs Harbour," he said.
"Participation in the sport by anyone, regardless of their ability, age or gender, is critical to the growth of our great game.
"Knowing that the All-Abilities championship is on the Golf NSW Calendar for 2024 and beyond is significant for our organisation and the sport across the state."
About Coffs Harbour Golf Club
A renowned golfing destination, the City of Coffs Harbour has a long and close partnership with Golf NSW.
The premier 27-hole Coffs Harbour Golf Club layout has already hosted a NSW Women's Open and will host a regional qualifying event for the Men's NSW Open later this year.
About The NSW Inclusive Championship
The NSW Inclusive Championship is an important event on the National All-Abilities Calendar. All-Abilities competition is fierce, and tournaments are now held alongside many major professional events across Australia and internationally.
The World Rankings for Golfers with a Disability is open to Men and Women with a GA handicap up to 54 across three ranking categories: Stroke and Nett (Handicap 18.4 or below) and Stableford (Handicap 18.5+).
Players with a disability must obtain either a national (access) or international (WR4GD) pass through the online application platform at https://edgagolf.com/online/pass/pass_info.php
Intending competitors can find more information on these definitions here.
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