Читать книгу Your Best Shot - Jorge Croda - Страница 15

Now let's go one step further, let's talk about inclusion in golf, and let's talk about golf for people with disabilities or special needs. No, don't let that sound strange... on the contrary! Thanks to the inherent values of this sport, any golf course becomes the ideal environment in which people with any particular condition and who apparently cannot perform some functions, can actually do so, since it improves some of their physical and mental abilities, within an aura of respect and tolerance according to the characteristics of each case. It can be seen that golf in the key of inclusion has a bet where religion, economic status, sexual orientation, gender, ethnicity and in particular the physical or mental condition, are not excluding, on the contrary, "everyone is welcome".

It is important to clarify that this is a reality, timid yet, but it is giving convincing results and surely very soon many countries will join Argentina and Spain, which are the nations where we currently find golf courses with special programs for people with particular conditions. Based on the interview made in 2015 to Nora Lelczuk Goldfinger in the web channel Down21.org of the Ibero-American Foundation Down21, we can conclude that thanks to these programs, many people with disabilities manage to learn and enjoy this sport components, because they can:

Achieve the goals achieved by able-bodied players and set an example for society.

 Receive the same stimuli as any other player, in addition to participating in the same environments. This helps them learn the guidelines for a natural coexistence in any environment.

 Improve in mathematics because they learn the concepts of direction, distance, force and space. In addition, by having to keep track of the number of strokes, they also improve their addition skills.

 Improve physically because the movements of golf serve as rehabilitation.

 Improve coordination.

 Improve mood.

 Stimulate and improve the relationship with parents, family and society in general.

 Learning to understand and follow rules in a fun way.

 Acquire, like any other athlete, values such as responsibility, companionship, solidarity, respect, organization, joy, among others.

 Making family and friends proud thanks to the happiness and joy with which they live their progress, but, above all, allowing a favorable feedback in all their environments.

 To be a testimony so that other people are encouraged to practice it.

So, if we keep an open mind to all the possibilities that we can look for and find, or that can be presented to us to get started in the world of golf, you will see that any effort is not only worth it, but it is little compared to all the benefits that this magnificent sport can give us to make our life become a healthy, balanced, profitable, coherent and happy existence.

I believe that at this point we can leave the myths aside... a golf ball, a club and a small space in your home are enough to start this adventure that will undoubtedly cease to be a hobby or a simple test and will become a lifestyle... a new life... your life!

The image of golf is always linked to the fact that it is an elitist sport, expensive and for old people; nothing more out of reality, there are many examples of practice facilities and golf courses, that if we took a picture every morning, we could see that all customers are like you and me ... These myths of golf, do much damage to golf, away from popular sports because people simply have a wrong image already preconceived. Already when they see the word golf, they are prejudiced and think it is a sport inaccessible to them.

Testimony of J.F. (He started golf in his youth)

I have firsthand experience of what the sport of golf through First Tee has achieved in my children after 10 years forming their character, strengthening values and life skills such as communication, self-control, goal setting, and overcoming challenges, in addition to living with diversity in inclusion, helped them to be good people and more responsible citizens.

Testimony of R.C (A parent)

I have had the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of the game with minimal investment and using a reasonable amount of time. In my mind all the myths that exist about golf have been demolished, instead, I have found many benefits for my personal life, my family's life and my professional life. The values and skills learned from this sport are essential for life.

Testimony of A. S. (Initiated in golf as an adult)

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