A state-first championship for golfers with a disability will be contested during this year’s Nexus Risk WA Open at Cottesloe Golf Club in Perth.
Playing on the same course, at the same time and under the same playing conditions as the professionals, Australia’s leading golfers with a disability will compete over 36-holes for the inaugural WA Open All Abilities Championship.
This will be the first time that an Australian State Championship event has included an all-abilities category. Melville Glades Golf Club member Tony Coates is the only Western Australian with an all-abilities world ranking. He is just one of eight golfers who will be standing proudly on the first tee eager to make history.
Tony’s golfing career to-date is impressive. He is the current Australian Amputee Golf Open Veterans Champion and represented Australia at the 2018 ISPS HANDA Disabled Golf Cup at Metropolitan Golf Club in Melbourne.
For someone that has already achieved so much in his golfing career, Tony is incredibly excited about the prospect of playing in front of a home crowd.
“This is a great opportunity to show West Australians with a disability that they have an outlet to play golf and get out there and enjoy life, have fun and meet new people. Golf really is the best way to build up friendships with others as you have their full attention for hours at a time,” Tony said.
“This opportunity is something that has rarely been done before and to play in front of the big boys of golf and spectators is somewhat daunting yet very exciting for us guys that haven’t done it before,” Tony said.
Golf is about inclusiveness, equal opportunity and a sense of belonging and the sport has made a positive impact on the lives of so many people.
“After my accident, I really thought sport was a thing of the past until my brother talked me into having a hit of golf. I quickly got the ‘golf bug’ and it has given me the confidence to move forward with my life,” Tony said.
As Tony walks the fairways of Cottesloe Golf Club at the 2019 Nexus Risk WA Open, he will be helping to inspire the next generation of all abilities golfers. Tony is living proof that everyone can pick up a golf club, everyone can learn to swing it, everyone can give golf a go and that golf makes life better.
