Siskin Hospital for Physical Rehabilitation and The First Tee of Nashville are presenting a free First Swing Adaptive Golf Clinic. The clinic will be at Moccasin Bend Golf Club in Chattanooga on Friday.
The First Swing Adaptive Golf Clinics are for individuals with a disability, as well as golf professionals and recreational, physical, and occupational therapists. The First Swing Program is designed to instruct therapists and other rehabilitation team professionals to teach and encourage people with disabilities to learn or re-learn the game of golf.
Siskin Hospital and The First Tee of Nashville are pleased to have Bob Wilson, a double below the knee amputee, instruct the Adaptive Golf Clinics. Wilson is the National Amputee Golf Association (NAGA) executive director and founder of the First Swing program.
The clinic will have a morning and afternoon session. The morning session will be held at Siskin Hospital, and will be for teaching professionals to learn the basics of training individuals with disabilities to play golf. The afternoon session will be held at Moccasin Bend Golf Club. Mr. Wilson and the teaching professionals will provide hands-on instruction to help participants learn or re-learn how to play the game of golf.
Healthcare professionals can earn continuing educational unit (CEU) credits for $30. Golf professionals can also earn one point per hour of participation for free, as part of the First Swing program.
The clinics will take place from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with designated morning and afternoon sessions. Participants should bring comfortable clothes and golf clubs. For those who do not have their own clubs, they will be provided for the day, along with drinks and snacks. A SoloRider accessible golf cart will be available Professionals will be providing instruction and assistance for those using the accessible cart and other adaptable golf equipment.
The First Swing Adaptive Golf Clinics are designed to help participants learn how to overcome challenges with general golfing. The clinic will teach the appropriate golf club grip, how to assume the proper stance and address ball set-up and balance. Elements of the seated and standing swing will be taught, along with demonstrations of adaptive equipment, including the SoloRider accessible golf cart. Discussions on safety, the Americans with Disabilities Act Implications, and the general rules of golf etiquette, as well as the differences presented by various types of disabilities will also be covered at the clinics.
The Adaptive Golf Clinics work in conjunction with Siskin Hospital’s Adaptive Sports Program. The Adaptive Sports Program is designed for individuals with disabilities to be trained by professionals to learn or re-learn a sport, such as golf, tennis, or basketball.
Siskin Hospital and The First Tee of Nashville will present this free clinic. The NAGA, the Disabled American Veterans Charitable Service Trust, the PGA, and the United States Golf Association are sponsoring the nationwide First Swing clinics.
Pre-registration was required by May first for the clinic. To find out more information, please contact Lisa Morgan, First Swing Clinic coordinator, recreational therapy at Siskin Hospital, by phone at 423-634-1674 or by email at Lmorgan@SiskinRehab.org. Participants may also go online to register at www.SiskinRehab.org.