Maine Adaptive Golf is on a Roll

The first two adaptive golf carts in Maine were unveiled last week during a ribbon cutting ceremony to recognize the growth of the Cumberland County YMCA Adaptive Golf Program.

Thanks to fundraising activities and private contributions, the YMCA was able to purchase the carts this fall. Toddy Brook Golf Course of North Yarmouth hosted the ceremony and will house and maintain the carts in support of the program.

The YMCA is in its third year of providing adaptive sports for disabled athletes, including a wheelchair rugby program, fishing, tennis, and bowling. The Y's Adaptive Services Program has been focusing on the development of adaptive golf for the past three months.

"We said, we want to take it a little bit further. How can we do that? We need to get people out to the golf course, allow them to enjoy the full game of golf. One of the ways we can do that is if we had adaptive golf carts," said Scott Krouse, Executive Director of the Casco Bay YMCA.

The introduction of the USGA approved adaptive golf carts will allow physically challenged golfers to access every part of the course. The cart's design even allows players to drive onto greens with minimal impact on the turf. Studies have shown that an average golfer with spiked shoes will actually cause more damage to a green than adaptive golf carts.

From Florida to Maine

The Adaptive Golf Association began in the Sunshine State with guidance from Sonny Ackerman, a PGA certified adaptive golf instructor. With a little inspiration from Ackerman, disabled golfers organized the first adaptive golf chapter of its kind.

The Maine Adaptive Golf chapter began one year later under the leadership of Walter Corey, who now serves as the group's president. Corey transferred the concept from Florida to Maine and discovered an incredible amount of local interest and support.

Last May, Corey invited Ackerman to teach a clinic at Nonesuch River Golf Club in Scarborough. The event was attended by 80 physically challenged individuals who discovered how simple adaptations would allow them to enjoy and compete in the sport they love.

This high level of interest comes as no surprise to Nancy DeFrancesco, Executive Director of the Maine State Golf Association. "The United States Golf Association (USGA) is very much into handicapped golf and junior golf, promoting them both."

Dale Erickson spent his summer rediscovering the game after working with the YMCA Adaptive Services staff. Playing from his wheelchair, Erickson focused on his swing and technique 3 or 4 times a week while learning to make the necessary adaptations.

"Fourteen years ago, I had my accident. The summer prior to my accident, I started to play golf," explained Erickson.

Sonny Ackerman's adaptive golf clinic inspired Erickson to get back on the course. "Since then, I've been going to the Cumberland course. I've been there probably 10 times all summer. I didn't think I'd ever be able to do it and found out I could. You learn, you adapt to your disabilities."

A Bright Future for Adaptive Golf

The Maine Adaptive Golf Association is currently planning tournaments for this spring and participation in the clinics is expected to grow substantially.

"There are a lot of handicapped people participating already, but adaptive golf is a fairly new concept…one that has been embraced by the USGA and is being promoted nationwide," said DeFrancesco. "I can see this is something that's going to be growing in the future which is good for the game of golf."

story and photos by Scott Baker
November 15, 2002

For more information, visit the following sites…

Greater Portland YMCA | Casco Bay YMCA
The United States Adaptive Golf Association
Maine Adaptive Golf Chapter of the USAGA
USGA Approved Rules of Adaptive Golf
Toddy Brook Golf Course, North Yarmouth: 207-829-5100