‘EDGA Profiles Supported By PING’ Tees Off For Second Season

‘EDGA Profiles supported by PING’ is a series of recorded and written interviews that aims to raise awareness of remarkable golfers – who refuse to be defined by their disabilities and instead are reaching their potential with the help of golf.

The second (2019) series of EDGA Profiles supported by PING tees off this Friday (October 4th) with an audio and written interview with Mauricio Gutierez-Pena (pictured above) and can be found at www.edgagolf.com/profiles 

A key objective of the project has been to encourage people of all ages who have a disability to consider trying golf while highlighting the power of golf to change lives. Demonstrating the game’s mental and physical health benefits for all participants at all levels internationally, EDGA aims to encourage 500,000 people to play, succeed and enjoy golf, while working with partners to create sustainable golf projects for people with disability. 

Visitors to the EDGA site will discover an existing first collection of more than 45 player stories in audio interviews and written features, Through the sport and its camaraderie, many of these golfers have battled through traumatic times and enhanced their lives. “Golf saved/improved my life” has been a common view. 

Eighteen of this first collection of stories were collated and edited to create a 2019 book, entitled ‘MULLIGAN – tough love and second chances’. MULLIGAN is now in its third printing and has already reached 31 countries (see below on how to obtain a copy). 

Tony Bennett, President of EDGA and Head of Disability and Inclusion for the International Golf Federation, said: “We are incredibly grateful to PING for supporting this project so wholeheartedly and for a second year. PING is a company that clearly cares about people and its backing will help us widen our reach through these personal stories. 

“We believe EDGA Profiles supported by PING is a highly worthwhile listen or read. We hope the project can encourage other people who may be at the start of a difficult journey after personal trauma, to help them know they are not alone and how sport and friendship – in this case through golf – can make a tremendous difference.”

John Clark, Managing Director of PING Europe Ltd, said: “PING is proud to extend our support of golf for the disabled through our links with EDGA and the Battle Back Golf programme. Our ability to make and adapt equipment for a variety of disabilities is unique in the golf industry and allows us to make the game inclusive to all people wanting to play the sport.”

PING has been a supporter of EDGA for the last four years, during which time its technical staff have worked with EDGA players, offering club-fitting advice during tournaments and providing free custom-fitting for players at PING’s Gainsborough HQ. PING also offered significant support to EDGA in the development of the then ‘Ranking for Golfers with Disability’, which was incorporated by the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) in 2019 to become the World Ranking for Golfers with Disability (WR4GD). 

Please visit www.edgagolf.com/book for details of the Give and Gift campaign, and the opportunity to donate and receive a complimentary copy of ‘MULLIGAN – tough love and second chances’ as a token of EDGA’s appreciation.