At People's Arc of Suffolk, golf helps empower disabled adults
Ryan Kayton, right, assists Larry Freund during a golf class / program in Bohemia earlier this month. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.
Every week, a group of adults with disabilities gathers on an indistinct patch of grass not far from Veterans Memorial Highway in Bohemia to do something they may not have otherwise had a chance to pursue: learn how to play golf.
“I’m getting very good at it," Erik Zarse proudly told Newsday after he swung a colorful golf club and sent a tennis ball downrange.
Zarse is one of about 150 people registered with the People’s Arc of Suffolk who participate in the nonprofit's golf clinic, one of the latest “adaptive” sport programs that have cropped up over the past decade with the goal of making sports accessible to people with a range of disabilities.
Participants take shots at targets such as hula hoops and are guided through golf basics by Special Olympics-certified coaches from the Metropolitan Golf Association, according to MGA adaptive golf program manager Ryan Kayton.
On Aug. 16, the People’s Arc launched free Saturday golf clinics at its Bohemia location that are open to all, not just those who are already enrolled with the program, such as Zarse. The clinics are geared toward people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Proponents say adaptive golf not only exposes those to the sport who may not otherwise have the chance, but also provides participants everything from social interaction to potential employment opportunities at golf clubs once they have a general understanding of the game.
“It affords a lot of them an opportunity,” said Denise Giordano, assistant director of day habilitation at People’s Arc. “It provides community integration, sportsmanship, and overall, just a fun, learning experience.”
Kathleen Craig, a program participant at People’s Arc, told Newsday, “I love to go to the program, do my golf. I love playing golf.” She added, “I have fun playing the game out here.”
The free clinics were launched earlier this month. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.
Two clinics upcoming
The free clinics are scheduled to run at least the next two Saturdays from 10 to 11 a.m. Individuals can get registration details by emailing sgagas@suffahrc.org.
The MGA has overseen more than 100 similar clinics in the tristate area since it began offering the service in February 2024, according to Kayton.
The instruction at those clinics can have varying levels of intensity. Kayton said the focus at People’s Arc is on “a lot of just introductory golf,” such as aiming, having a good grip and posture, and “making a good swing and getting the ball up in the air.”
“This is something that we do just to get individuals really introduced to the game and get their feet wet,” Kayton said of the Bohemia clinic. “It’s really just about opening up doors for the game for these individuals who didn’t know this was an avenue that they have.”
Adaptive golf is on the rise nationwide, according to U.S. Adaptive Golf Alliance executive director Jonathan Snyder. USAGA helps organize adaptive golf events and sets best practices for tailoring “golf for everyone, regardless of their … current health, physical, mental, sensory, coping or well-being status.”
USAGA has grown from six-member organizations in 2014 to more than 50 today, including MGA and multiple international groups in places like Japan that host clinics and tournaments in their regions.
Michael Kelly works on his swing earlier this month. Credit: Newsday/J. Conrad Williams Jr.
Adaptive programs expand on LI
On Long Island, adaptive programs also have expanded to other sports like lacrosse, field hockey, baseball and basketball, according to Kristine Fitzpatrick, who founded the Calverton-based League of YES in 2011.
Fitzpatrick’s organization provides baseball and basketball programs for individuals with special needs, primarily children and young adults. She said it has served “well over 1,000 players,” who “just wouldn’t have the opportunity to play in a typical program or in a typical league.”
“There are starting to become more programs for people with all abilities,” she told Newsday, but added, “there needs to be more programs for our community of people. They deserve the right to play sports.”
“The most important aspect in my opinion is the friendships that they gain from becoming a part of a sport or team,” she said.
People’s Arc Golf Clinic
- The clinic in Bohemia is one of the latest “adaptive” sport programs that have cropped up over the past decade with the goal of making sports accessible to people with a range of disabilities.
- The free Saturday golf clinics at the Bohemia location were launched earlier this month. They are open to all, not just those who are already enrolled with the program.
- The free clinics are scheduled to run at least the next two Saturdays from 10 to 11 a.m. Individuals can get registration details by emailing sgagas@suffahrc.org.
Sam Kmack covers the Town of Islip for Newsday. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California and previously worked as a city watchdog reporter in the Phoenix metro area, as well as an investigative journalist at the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting.
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