PRESS RELEASE
Scotland hosts First Pan-Disability Open Golf Championship

Over thirty Special Olympic competitors, Open Champions, International players
and established golfers from across Europe will take on the golfing challenges at St Michaels
Golf Club on Monday 8 to Wednesday 10 September 2008, to challenge for the First Open Championship.
The three days of competition will commence with a Pro-am at 13:30 on Monday 8
September, where each golfer with a disability, will participate in this event following an
invitation by the Captain and Council of the club.
Players and their coaches will travel from numerous European countries, as well as England, Ireland and most parts of Scotland, to play over the following two days in this inaugural 36-hole Open Championship.
Several MSP's will play in the Pro-am on Monday 8 September, including Rt Hon
Jack McConnell (Motherwell & Wishaw Scottish Labour) and Tom McCabe (Hamilton South Scottish Labour).
Shona Robison MSP (Dundee East SNP), will also attend the event on Wednesday
10 September. And the Provost of Fife, Cllr Frances Melvill will host a Dinner and present the Open trophies and prizes, following the competition.
With the assistance of Scottish Disability Sport, Scotland has generated the UK's first
pan-disability golf group, The Scottish Disability Golf Partnership. The Partnership was
officially launched in 2006 to bring together the many and varied disabled groups throughout
Scotland and provides golfing opportunities and support to golfers with sensory loss, i.e. the
blind, vision impaired and the deaf, as well as amputees and those with learning difficulties or
other serious health issues.
Jim Gales, a competitor and the Event Organiser said, "This is a wonderful opportunity for us to
demonstrate to golfers and the general public, that having a disability should not prevent anyone from continuing to play or to een take up the sport. There are golfers out
there who have played for many years and encountered a problem that may restrict their play and they have to rely on friends or family to continue playing the game. There are lots of golfing
opportunities throughout Scotland for people with various disabilities, so we would invite people to contact us and give it a try.
For further details about the event, contact Jim Gales on 01334 650 963 or
j.gales@btopenworld.co.uk