NAGA in conjunction with the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Charitable Trust and the Professional Golf Association (PGA) sponsors nationwide "First Swing" seminars and "Learn to Golf" clinics annually. The one-or-two day clinics bring golf professionals, physical and recreational therapists, and the physically challenged together to teach, learn, and enjoy golf.
The First Swing began in 1988 and was
developed and perfected by a double below knee amputee, Bob Wilson, National
Amputee Golf Association Executive Director. The program was designed to
instruct therapists to teach and encourage the disabled to learn, or re-learn,
the game of golf — not only because just about every
physically challenged individual, regardless of
age, is able to play, but also because it contributes dramatically to the
individual’s emotional and physical well-being, instilling self-confidence and
pride in personal achievement.
The First Swing also enables the individual to enjoy the unique, friendly atmosphere found on the golf course.
Rehabilitation hospitals, parks, recreational departments and prosthetic and orthotic centers host the one or two-day program.
The first day of the program teaches the basics of the game to therapists and others interested in correctly teaching the disabled. The rules of golf and the singular differences presented by various types of disabled individuals are discussed. Participants are invited to swing a club standing on one leg, sitting in a wheel chair, using only one hand, etc., to better appreciate the demands that will be made on their educational training in teaching others. The second day is devoted to instructing the disabled participants attending the learn to golf clinic phase of the program under the supervision of NAGA instructors.
The program is open to every disabled individual and is offered at no cost to the host facility
For more information contact NAGA
NAGA's 2004 First Swing Seminar
Learn to Golf Clinic Schedule
Feb.
28th
New Orleans, LA
Julie Besaha
OPAF
1666 K St. NW, Ste 440
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: 202-223-2878
E-mail: jab@opfund.org
March
5th
Disney World
Dave Bowen
Pain Care, Inc.
Orlando, FL
Phone: 407-496-8479
E-mail: Dvdbowen2@aol.com
March
5-6
Cape Creek GC -
Phoenix, AZ
Mike Pack
Artificial Limb Specialists
2916 N. 3rd St.
Phoenix, AZ 85012
Phone: 602-745-2080
E-mail alspecialists@quest.net
April
9-10th
Mykawa Jr. Golf Learning
Center - Houston, TX
Tom Moyers
Kingwood College
2000 Kingwood Dr.
Houston, TX Houston, TX 77339
Phone: 281-312-1435
FAX: 281-312-1559
E-mail: thomas@nhmccd.edu
April
16-17th
Teravista Golf Club - Round
Rock, TX
Sorrel Richman
Teravista G.C.
4533 Teravista Club Drive
Round Rock, Texas 78664
Phone: 512-651-9851
Fax: 512-651-9853
E-mail: srichman@troongolf.com
April
23rd
Center Valley Club -
Allentown, PA
Linda Bollinger CTRS
Good Shepherd Rehab Hospital
501 St John St Allentown, PA 18103 Phone: 610-776-3588
E-mail: lbollinger@gsrh.org
April
26th
Fairway Golf Center -
Piscataway, NJ
Sue Callaghan PT
JFK Rehab Institute P & O Clinic
65 James St
Edison, NJ 08818
Phone: 732-321-7056
E-mail: probrace@msn.com
April
29th
Springfield Golf Course
- Mt. Holly, NJ
Kathy Elokdah CTRS
Moss Rehab Hospital
1200 West Tabor Rd
Philadelphia, PA 19141
Phone: 215-456-9102
E-mail: kelokdah@einstein.edu
April
30th-May 1st
Inglewood, CA
Licet Camilo
Daniel Freeman Memorial Hospital
333 N. Prairie Ave.
Inglewood, CA. 90301
Phone: 310-674-7050 ext. 3100
E-mail: licet.camilo@tenethealth.com
May
TBA
Harrison Township, MI
Claudia Cartwright
SJNSH Community Relations
26755 Ballard Rd.
Harrison Township, MI 48045
Phone: 586.-466-5354
Fax: 586-465-6135
E-mail: david.denny@stjohn.org
May
4th
Hartefeld National G. C. -
Avondale, PA
Amy Brown, PT
Christiana Care PT PLUS
200 Cleaver Farm Rd, Suite 400
Middletown, DE 19709
Phone: 302-378-6111
E-mail: ponnygirl@aol.com
May
6th
MAVERIC Driving Range &
Learning Center Lyons, NJ
Bob Valentino
VA Medical Center Lyons, NJ
151 Knollcroft Rd
Building 57 Room 148
Lyons, NJ 07939-5000
Phone: 908-647-0180 x6884
E-mail: robert.valentino@med.va.gov
May
7-8th
Fenway Golf - East
Longmeadow, MA
Lauren Ludwin, PTA
Shriners Hospital
516 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Phone: 413-735-1257 xt. 1261
E-Mail: lludwin@shrinenet.org
May
14th
Fairview Golf Center -
Elmsford, NY
Deirdre Otto, CTRS
Burke Rehab Hospital
785 Mamaroneck Ave.
White Plains, NY 10605
Phone: 914-597-2355
E-mail: dotto@burke.org
May
14-15th
Coastal Rehab - New Bern, NC
Amy Burdulis, OT
2000 Neuse Blvd
New Bern, NC 28561
Tel: 252-633-8020
FAX 252-633-8954
E-mail: burdulis@ncfreedom.net
May
20-21st
Fiddlesticks Rec. Facility -
N. Kingstown, RI
Becky Blaine
Nunnery O&P Technologies
7418 Post Rd.
North Kingstown, RI 02852
Phone: 401-294-4210
E-mail: blbnun@aol.com
June
1st
Pine Ridge G. C. - Baltimore,
MD
Pam Cauley, CTRS
Kernan Rehab Hospital
2200 Kernan Dr.
Baltimore, MD 21207
Phone: 410-448-6320
E-mail: pcauley@kernan.umm.edu
June
2nd
Cannon Ridge Golf Club -
Fredericksburg, VA
Greg Wright, CPO
US Orthotics & Prosthetics
30 Town & Country Dr. Suite 103
Fredericksburg, VA 22405
Phone: 800-333-4102
E-mail: gwright011@aol.com
June
3-4th
St. Louis, MO
Bill Nolin, CPO
Precision P&O
11102 S. Lindbergh Business Ct.
St. Louis, MO 63123
Tel: 314-843-3339
Email: billnolin26@yahoo.com
June
4th
Stadium Golf Course -
Schenectady, NY
Kim Whiteman, CTRS
Sunnyview Rehabilitation Hospital
1270 Belmont Ave.
Schenectady, NY 12308
Phone: 518-382-4576
E-mail: kwhiteman84@hotmail.com
June
5th
Milwaukee, WI
Julie Besaha
OPAF
1666 K St. NW, Ste 440
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: 202-223-2878
E-mail: jab@opfund.org
June
11-12th
SRT P & O - Ft. Wayne,
IN
Sam Santa-Rita, C.P.
4109 W. Jefferson Blvd.
Ft. Wayne, IN 46804
Tel: 419.633.3961
Fax: 419.633.3981
Email: melanie@cityofbryan.net
June
17th
Heartland Golf Center -
Farmingdale, NY
Carol Chamoff, PT
Brunswick Hospital Center
366 Broadway
Amityville, NY 11701
Phone: 631-789-7333
E-mail: pepsi4651@aol.com
June
18th
Ash Brook Golf Course -
Scotch Plains, NJ
Ellen Chase
Co of Union, NJ Parks & Recreation
Union Co Admin Building
Elizabeth, NJ 07207
Phone: 908-527-4096
E-mail: echase@unioncountynj.org
June
18 - 19th
Tomacey's Golf Center -
Watertown, NY
Josh Mullen, CPO
Hanger P & O
19472 US Route 11
Watertown, NY 13601
Phone: 315-788-2503
E-mail: jmullen@hanger.com
June
23rd
Suneagles Golf Club -
Eatontown, NJ
Jean Manfredi
Manfredi Orthotics & Prosthetics
289 Broadway
Long Branch, NJ 07740
Phone: 732-222-0366
E-mail: jean.manfredi@verizon.net
July
10th
Eisenhower Park G C -
Manhasset, NY
Patricia Kerney, PT
North Shore University Hospital / Long Island Jewish
1554 Northern Blvd.
Manhasset, NY 11030
Phone: 516-719-3700
E-mail: pkearne@nshs.edu
July
13th
The Beach Club Golf Links -
Berlin, MD
Amy Mulford, CTRS
Health South Chesapeake Rehab
220 Tilghman Rd.
Salisbury, MD 21801
Phone: 410-546-4600
E-mail: amy@robertmulford.com
July
14th
Washington, DC
Jason Bugler
NASCOTT Rehabilitation Services
2301-C Broadbirch Dr.
Silver Springs, MD 20904
Phone: 800-535-6556 x2159
E-mail: jason.bugler@medstar.net
August
6-7th
Seattle VAMC
Kristine E. Goedhard, CTRS
VAPSCHS
1660 S. Columbian Way (S-117-RCS)
Seattle, WA 90858
Tel: 206-277-6683
E-mail: Kristine.Kvitle@med.va.gov
August
12th
Stonebridge Golf & C C -
New Hartford, NY
Marc DePerno, PT
Sitrin Medical Rehab Center
2050 Tilden Ave.
New Hartford, NY 13413
Phone: 315-797-3114
E-mail: madyankee3@adelphia.net
August
24th
Fox Hill Country Club - West
Pittson, PA
Karen Stroney, PT
Allied Rehabilitation Services
P O Box 1103
Scranton, PA 18501
Phone: 570-341-4627
E-mail: kstron@allied-services.org
Sept.
8th
Aronimick Golf Club - Newtown
Square, PA
Krista Eckard Beach, CTRS
Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital
414 Paoli Pike
Malvern, PA 19355
Phone: 610-640-7880
E-mail: folksj@mlhs.org
Sept.
10th
Blue Heron Pines G C -
Galloway, NJ
Beth Hoffman, PT
Bacharach Institute for Rehab
61 W Jim Leeds Rd.
Pomona, NJ 08240
Phone: 609-748-2081
E-mail: bethh@bacharach.org
Sept.
20th
Hollywood, FL
Julie Besaha
OPAF
1666 K St. NW, Ste 440
Washington, DC 20006
Phone: 202-223-2878
E-mail: jab@opfund.org
Sept.
22nd
MAVERIC Driving Range &
Learning Center - Lyons, NJ
Bob Valentino
VA Medical Center Lyons, NJ
151 Knollcroft Rd
Building 57 Room 148
Lyons, NJ 07939-5000
Phone: 908-647-0180 x6884
E-mail: robert.valentino@med.va.gov
© 2004 National Amputee Golf Association