United States Adaptive Golf Alliance (USAGA) announces the formation of the Women’s Para-Golf Committee (WPGC) driving increased inclusion of women with disabilities in the fabric of society through the game of golf.

According to the Center on Disease Control (CDC), sixty-one (61) million or 26% of adults in the United States (1 in 4) have some form of disability. According to the same statistics, about 36 million women in the U.S. have disabilities (1 in 4) – “and the number is growing”.

There is a proven need to include women with disabilities in the game of golf, giving them an opportunity to be included as opposed to be excluded.

The WPGC is presently comprised of 14 women, 12 of which have a disability. Several on the Committee are excellent golfers who have worked hard to achieve recognition or world ranking among the adaptive and para-golf community. They meet routinely to develop goals, refine strategies, and implement plans to advance their mission of improving inclusion in golf by creating awareness among women who have a disability, increasing opportunities for play and competition, and advocating for employment within the golf industry.

KEY INITIATIVES

• Centralized communication for women among USAGA members and the adaptive and para golf community
• Building and strengthening golf networks among women with disabilities
• Partnering with health care communities to educate girls and women on how golf can be used as a rehabilitative intervention
• Support education efforts to expand instructors’ knowledge of teaching golf to women who have a disability
• Drive the importance of intentionally marketing golf to women who have a disability
• Maximize the influence of the WPGA through synergistic relationships with leaders across industries

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WONDERFUL WOMEN MAKING GOLF HISTORY

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"One of the industry leaders, the PGA of America, is a supporter of the USAGA and recognizes the important impact the WPGC can have on the future of golf.  We invite you to join us as well. www.usaga.org"
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Respectfully Submitted
Dana Dempsey, M.S., CTRS
Chair

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LEADERSHIP

Dana Dempsey M.S, CTRS--CHAIR PERSON

Since 1986 Dana has been serving as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) helping those with a disability or chronic medical condition that has made involvement in recreation and leisure difficult.  In 1997 she began working at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children and developed their Learn to Golf program in 1998 that creates opportunities for their patients to become active in golf. Since its creation the LTG program has served over 1,500 patients. She also serves with TR and golf related organizations to promote inclusion.

Judith (JUDI) P. Brush

“My hope is to show others you can continue to enjoy golf as you age and do it with a disability.  I jokingly say, “I got a prosthetic and Medicare in the same year.”

Sandy Cross, CDP, CHRO

Senior Executive with 25 years of leading strategic initiatives to transform organizations

Sandy Cross has built a solid reputation of developing, engaging, and leading a company’s greatest assets – its people – to create valuable, meaningful, and purpose-driven change. She cultivates inclusive cultures that challenge the status quo and move businesses forward, while fostering professional development and advancement for high potentials.

In her current role as Chief People Officer at The PGA of America, a 28K-member professional trade association, Sandy works directly with the CEO and is a member of the C-suite leading long-term strategic planning and organizational development. Within 2 years, she transformed the entire organization to a values-based, people-centric culture by instituting shared values at every stage of the employee experience.
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Sandy continued pioneering Diversity, Equity & Inclusion by launching a strategy that embedded inclusion and diversity throughout all lines of business.

Ellen Doub

As an active teenager my life changed due to bone cancer in 1973, and adjusting to an AK amputation had its challenges.   I found that golfing was a great sport to pursue, and over the years I have enjoyed many rounds with family and friends.

I am a life member of EAGA, led by Bob Buck,  and have enjoyed tournaments when they were in this area.  My one win was in a tournament when no other women participated!  I was still proud of my accomplishment.   I hope to advocate for more "challenged" female golfers to join the sport.  
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​We have a beautiful golf course in Waynesboro PA, and a new pro is coming on board. I look forward to seeing how we can grow the sport in south central PA!  

Ann Grube        

Ann came to love the game of golf through her son who at age 8 asked to leave his Little League team due to an overzealous coach. He had a golf lesson, and the rest as they say, is history. Rob became a high school all American and went on to Stamford a Division 1 University to become a four-year all American there. His team won the NCAA Division I national championship in 2007.

​Ann is really a tennis player having played competitive tennis through college. Her tennis playing days ended when diagnosed with a retinal disease, retinitis pigmentosa. She is now legally blind. In addition she wears an assisted foot orthotic (AFO) due to a severed nerve which occurred during her knee replacement surgery. She is a committed community volunteer in her hometown of Hinsdale IL as well as in the city of Chicago. Ann recently joined the Board of USAGA is excited to “spread the word”!

Sarah Larsen

Sarah is a left above the elbow congenital amputee, as a result of amniotic band syndrome, she also was born with a form of spina bifida-with a Meningocele.
Sarah never let her “Disability “ didn’t stop her from any she wanted to achieve. Sarah was active her whole life, participating in basketball, volleyball, and cheerleading all the way through grade school.  Sarah was also was actively involved with her states Children’s Hospital and was often used as a poster child to help raise money, often times on telethons.

Sarah started golfing in 2012 and is actively involved with her states Amputee Golf Association, North American One  Armed Golfer Association, alongside other adaptive golf chapters, and now is excited for her involvement in the USAGA.   Sarah started golf to spend more time with her spouse and quickly started local leagues followed by competitive golf, which includes being a Phoenix Cup teammate. 

Sarah believes that ANYONE can golf- never give up on what you want.  Sarah hopes to inspire other adaptive athletes or anyone thinking that something isn’t possible.  Only YOU can get in the way of your own success.

Ann Liguori

Renowned radio and TV sports talk show host, golf correspondent and author Ann Liguori contributes her insightful golf conversations with top personalities in sports and entertainment.

Kim Mecca

​Spent most of her life in Jessup Pennsylvania, raising four children and serving as an athletic director in Scranton Pennsylvania. Played in her first amputee event in 1991. Has been a member of the EAGA ever since and has several tournaments including the Eastern Regional tournament and The National Amputee Golf Event.

Mandi Sedlak, CMF, COF

Board Certified Mastectomy Fitter & Orthotic Fitter​
Owner--Women's Orthotics & Prosthetics Healthcare Services, Inc.
Prosthetic Healthcare Services, Inc.
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She and her husband live in Nebraska and are avid golfers!  She owns Women's Orthotics & Prosthetics as well as Prosthetic Healthcare Services.  It is a privilege working with amputees as well as breast cancer survivors to get back to living their active and healthy lifestyles.  I am a member of the Nebraska Women's Amateur Golf Association and have served on various golf boards and committees.  Mandi is a two-time National Amputee Golf Champion as well as her reigning Club Champion for the past couple of years.

Deborah Smith

Deborah began playing golf at age 10,  and was captain of her high school golf team. Golf was sidelined for Deborah at age 19 when she was severely injured in a accident. Five years ago Deborah had an elective amputation, was fit with a transtibial prosthesis and is grateful to play golf again, competing in the first WR4GD event in the US in 2019. Deborah is also a three-time cancer survivor, has four children, four grandchildren, and works as a consultant for small companies specializing in innovative prosthetic solutions. 

Stephanie Tow, MD

Stephanie is a physician who specializes in sports medicine for athletes with impairments and disabilities, pediatric rehabilitation medicine, and pediatric sports medicine. She is currently an Assistant Professor and attending physician in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at UT Southwestern Medical Center, where she is also serves as the Director of the Adaptive Sports Coalition and Adaptive Sports Medicine program.

​She sees patients primarily at Scottish Rite for Children Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Center and Children's Health/Children's Medical Center. She is the head team physician and a national medical classifier for US Paralympics Swimming and also serves as a team physician and medical director of multiple adaptive/Para sports organizations and events in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. 

Nancy Towers

Melissa DeChellis

Melissa DeChellis sustained an elective BKA following years of limb salvage surgeries from a softball sliding injury. She is the Founder and President of Adaptively Abled Amputees, a 501©3 that provides support, social activities, education, advocacy, fitness, and wellness for individuals with physical disabilities. She is the Founder and Director of Adaptively Abled Fitness, Boston’s first comprehensive functional fitness and wellness program for individuals with physical disabilities.

​She's the Community Resource Director for The Liner Wand, a Clinical Research Coordinator at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, a certified Adaptive & Inclusive Personal Trainer, and an internationally ranked adaptive CrossFit athlete. While CrossFit is exhilarating, Melissa has sought out other adaptive sports & recreational activities that she can participate in long-term and fell in love with golf. 

She is a newbie to the adaptive golf scene and looking to translate her strength and power into long drives. Melissa is passionate about and has dedicated her career towards providing better support and resources to assist members of the limb loss/difference community as well as the greater adaptive community to lead healthy, fulfilling, and active lives.

Nancy Towers

In 2015 I was diagnosed with a very rare cancer in my left leg after having limited mobility for 24 years due to lymphedema in that leg.
I had always been very athletic in my teens and 20's yet the lymphedema had stopped me from all of that. 

The only way to stop the cancer was amputation. I hoped to be back on my feet and possibly more mobile quickly. I never thought I might be able to return to sports. My physical therapist suggested I look into returning to playing golf. I got out to the driving range and tried it and found I could do it, and surprisingly, pretty well.
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I joined a league and entered the 2019 Midwest Amputee Golf Tournament and played my best rounds ever to win the Women’s division. 
I hope that the USAGA Women’s Para- Golf Committee will help other women with limb differences realize their potential and that they too can get back in the game whether it's the golf course or any other sport they love. 

I believe we are all very handi-capable of so much!

Mallory Weggemann

Mallory Weggemann is an American who has been a competitive swimmer since the age of seven. On January 21, 2008, she went to the hospital to receive her third and final epidural injection that she was receiving to help treat back pain caused by postherpetic neuralgia. The epidural injections that were supposed to help with the debilitating pain instead left Mallory a paraplegic with complete loss of movement from her abdomen down.

"It’s Not the Moments That Define Us, It’s How We Respond"

In addition to competing internationally and training for the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Mallory is an international speaker, delivering messages that are not only inspirational, but also offer valuable lessons in leadership, attitude, and survival in the face of tremendous odds. Instead of focusing on the life she lost, Mallory has done the incredible – she has created a new life for herself.