Sixteen of Europe’s most talented disabled golfers are ready to fly to the USA to compete in their version of the Ryder Cup after an East Midlands marketing agency signed up as their sponsor.
The team, which consists of golfers from across the continent, including England, Scotland, Denmark and Germany, have been selected to play in the Cairns Cup, an annual transatlantic contest which pits Europe against a team from the United States.
The Cairns Cup is disability golf’s premier matchplay event and, just like the Ryder Cup, it sees players slug it out over three days with a four-ball, foursomes and singles rounds.
The event is taking place at Cherry Creek Golf Club in Detroit at the end of July, with the USA defending their title, which they picked up at 2022’s event, which took place at The Shire London, in Barnet.
Although the golfers play to a high standard, they have to rely on funding to compete, meaning that they need to attract sponsorship to meet the cost of taking part.
Among the firms helping them to pay their way is South Normanton marketing agency Purpose Media, which has contributed towards their costs and air fares, giving them a huge boost in their preparations.
It has also helped organise a fundraising golf day at Morley Hayes, in Morley, on May 9, where local businesses will be invited to play alongside members of the Cairns Cup team, so they can understand the challenges that they have to overcome in order to complete a round of golf.
The event, which is being held in partnership with the Cairns Cup and S O’Brien Heating Solutions, which is based on Pride Park, will begin at 9am and will cost £400 for a team of four.
The Cairns Cup was established in 2018 when former soldier and disabled golfer Kevin Booth and fellow players decided to set up a Ryder Cup-style competition in memory of a friend, Billy Cairns, who died during a previous Europe vs USA disabled golf event called the Phoenix Cup.
Six years on, the Europeans are putting out an experienced team featuring players with a range of disabilities, including amputees, paralysis, cerebral palsy and Parkinson’s.
The team is captained by Netherlands player Tineke Loogman, who was born with one arm, and its players include Kris Aves, who was left paralysed when, while serving with the Metropolitan Police, he was run over by a terrorist driving a stolen van in the Westminster Bridge attacks of 2007, and Trevor Crombie, who has cerebral palsy.
The event has grown in stature every time it has taken place and Kevin, who is now vice president of the European team, says everyone is looking forward to flying to the States to avenge last year’s defeat.
He said: “We’re so grateful to Purpose Media for supporting us and for sharing our philosophy that the game of golf is for everyone and everyone deserves the opportunity to play it.
“All of our players have had to overcome challenges and have all got stories that will touch your heart, but when people see them play they are amazed by their ability with the golf club and the way they refuse to let their disability stop them from getting out onto a golf course.
“This will be my last Cairns Cup event I will be organising so I’m really looking forward to it. It’s a huge undertaking and we’re confident that we can win this time round.”
Matt Wheatcroft, managing director of Purpose Media, is a keen golfer himself, but has a very personal reason for wanting to support the Cairns Cup European team.
He said: “When I was 19 I suffered an injury while playing football and nearly had to have my foot amputated, and more recently, while on holiday I fell and broke my neck and was inches away from being left paralysed.
“So when I first saw these incredible Cairns Cup golfers I thought ‘that could have been me’, but I was totally unprepared for how incredible they are and what they’ve had to overcome.
“We’re really proud to be sponsoring the team and we’re confident that there will be a good turn-out at the golf day. Even if they’re not a super-keen golfer, no-one can fail to be amazed at what these guys achieve and playing against them is extremely inspirational.”
