Leading audit, tax and consulting firm RSM celebrated its long-established support of EDGA by inviting leading ‘G4D’ (golf for the disabled) players to a special charity tournament at Roganstown Hotel & Country Club on Thursday June 13.
RSM partners, staff and invited guests welcomed players who compete regularly in the 140 EDGA-run, badged or supported G4D tournaments held around the world.
Through the support of RSM, golfers with a disability now have more opportunity to sample, participate and compete in golf.
The day’s team event at Roganstown Hotel & Country Club followed the Irish Open for Golfers with Disability which took place at the same venue (June 11-12). The invited players teed it up with RSM teams for not only a golfing day to remember at this superb golf course, but one that underlines the company’s philosophy in encouraging G4D players with EDGA since 2019.
G4D players included Fiona Gray, from County Down to the north, who is 11th in the gross World Ranking and plays with orthopaedic injuries, Cian Arthurs from Dublin, who plays with one arm and has been a leading competitor in more than 20 EDGA events over five years, and Scotland’s Gordon Mclay, a lower leg amputee who arrives having won the 2024 Johnny Reay Classic in England earlier in June.
All G4D players feature in one of nine ‘Sport Classes’ created by EDGA to offer competitive opportunities across the spectrum of disabilities and at Roganstown golfers from Visual and Standing sport classes took part.
Niall May, Managing Partner of RSM Ireland, said: “We were delighted to host this important charity event with EDGA and our colleagues at RSM UK, following on from the Irish Open for Golfers with Disability.
“EDGA does incredible work to widen participation among golfers with a disability and to raise the profile of the sport, and the golfers themselves are an inspiration to us all. At RSM Ireland we are committed to working to create an inclusive environment and partnering with EDGA helps us to continue to deliver on this. Despite the weather on the day, it was a brilliant day out with great competitive spirit.”
RSM support makes a significant impact on EDGA’s work across multiple areas, including:
– The EDGA-RSM European Net and Stableford Play-off Series for 16 players who qualify through the World Ranking for Golfers with Disability. Last year’s finalists came from nine countries;
– The EDGA Gross Series which covers six events in 2024;
– Training volunteers (including RSM staff) to provide outreach sessions to a new audience of players, some simply learning the basics of the game;
– Supporting women across G4D to ensure golf can become more inclusive;
– Golf course/facility training and the donation of equipment and;
– Continued research and development that is helping to better understand the playing needs of golfers with a disability.
Tony Bennett, President of EDGA, said: “The support of RSM is so important because it really is helping to change the lives of people with a disability. Just one good example is that we were not at all surprised last year when a number of RSM team members chose to volunteer to help EDGA in providing outreach sessions to a range of disability associations, including delivering our R&A approved ‘first-touch’ golf format for brand new ‘samplers’ wanting to try golf.
“It is wonderful that the team at RSM invited our G4D players to join them at Roganstown, and our players and everyone associated with RSM enjoyed meeting each other and having a great game together. There was much in common on the fairways, as both groups share characteristics such as positivity, the desire for inclusion and the commitment needed to make great things happen. That RSM really understands this philosophy is a credit to all involved.”