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The latest chapter in the story of the First Swing Program began last week as the children of TransOranje School set their hands on a golf club for the first time.
A quartet of FSP coaches, Charles Williams, Justin Godfrey, Daren Hanekom and Ruan Jooste conducted four sessions with 250 children taking part. The coaches are thrilled about the depth of untapped potential within the school and are eager to cultivate this talent in the coming months.
Through the invaluable contribution of our patron Dale Hayes, Justin Godfrey will coordinate weekly practice sessions and guide the children through the Go for Gold program for the deaf. Operations Manager Lily Reich remarked that TransOranje is a welcome addition to the FSP.
“The expansion of the First Swing Program into TransOranje is fantastic for our association. Our aim has always been to try and get as many people in South Africa with permanent disabilities to take up the game as possible and we are one step closer to achieving that,” says Reich.
A number of parties have banded together to ensure the sustainability of the Program. Thank you to Volkswagen Group South Africa for helping us ensure the safe transportation of our coaches to and from the school. To Canon South Africa for ensuring our golfers are always nicely kitted out and for the tournament golf they provide for the disabled.
To the Gauteng North Golf Union for continually offering our golfers affordable green fees. Finally to Zwartkop Country Club, the home of disabled golf in Gauteng, thank you for your unwavering generosity and for making our members feel so welcome.
This collective time, effort and support from all involved will undoubtedly bear fruit come year-end at the Canon South Africa Deaf Interschools tournament.
Time will tell but there may well be a TransOranje pupil teeing it up in the Canon South Africa Disabled Golf Open in the years to come.
