Tee-rific initiative pitches to make Cork the sports inclusion capital

Inclusive golf initiative at Muskerry Golf Club, in association with the Cope Foundation, takes place next week

Brian O'Shea, David Horgan, and William McCarthy, Cope Foundation, at Muskerry Golf Club with, back from left: Fred Twomey, professional at Muskerry; Michael Hanley, volunteer; and Terence McSweeney and Mary Kenefick, Cope Foundation. Picture: Denis Minihane

Meet the golfers who are putting Cork on course to be the sports inclusion capital of Ireland.

Brian O’Shea, David Horgan, and William McCarthy sunk a few putts at Muskerry Golf Club today before they begin an inclusive golf initiative at the club in association with the Cope Foundation next week.

The programme will see six adults with various intellectual disabilities, all supported by Cope, attending Muskerry Golf Club for coaching with club pro Fred Twomey and mentoring with six club volunteers.

While learning the skills of the game will be a key focus, Terence McSweeney, the manager of physical activity and sports at Cope, said it will also be about fun.

“They’re not going just to improve their game. It’s for the fun, it’s for the social contact, and for the cup of tea and craic afterwards,” he said.

“Cope’s job is to provide opportunities for the people it supports to be active, engaged citizens in society. We will use whatever sport or physical activity we can to enable the people with intellectual disability to be involved.

Our ambition is to make Cork, a sports-mad county, the sports inclusion capital of Ireland.

Double gold medal-winning Special Olympian golfer James Healy, 28, from Ovens in Cork, will also take part in the inclusive golf initiative.

“I started in 2010, my first golf was the driving range in Doneraile, the second was Frankfield, and the third was Fota Island where I won two golds in 2014 and 2015.

“Inclusive golf is for people with disabilities, it’s a bit like pitch and putt or crazy golf, it’s a great atmosphere, it’s very inclusive, and everybody can come along and play.

“I would encourage anyone to pick up a golf club and just go out and play golf and just enjoy it — give it a go and keep practising.” 

Mr Twomey said he hopes to deliver the coaching in a fun and relaxed way.

“We all have different strengths and weaknesses and I will work with them on various aspects of their game but this is as much about fun and confidence as it is about the skills of the game,” he said.

James also plans to take part in Cope’s annual golf classic at Monkstown Golf Club on August 19 and 20 — the organisation’s first physical fundraising event this year because of Covid restrictions.

Two teams of people supported by Cope will take part alongside players from the Northern Ireland Blind Golf Association and Irish Blind Golf, and Cian Arthurs, president of the One Armed Golf Association, who won the World One Armed Golf Championship in 2019.