Tee It Up for the Troops Teams with SoloRider

by C&RB Staff (editor@clubandresortbusiness.com)
March 2008
 

James Ball believes golf has recuperative powers, especially for America’s injured veterans. By teaming up with SoloRider, a manufacturer of single-rider golf cars,  Ball, who is President of the non-profit Tee It Up for the Troops organization, says he’s found a way to help veterans and disabled soldiers get back in the game at the same time they move back into society.
 
Tee It Up for the Troops supports rehabilitation programs that are using sports and recreation to help disabled service men and women. “Adaptive sports programs have a great impact on the recovery process as well as on continued health,” Ball says. “They build strength and agility as well as love for a game that patients can enjoy with confidence as they re-enter social activities.”
 
To encourage injured vets to give golf a try, Tee It Up for the Troops recently donated a SoloRider golf car to the Salute Military Golf Association, founded by former PGA Tour professional Jim Estes. Estes and other SMGA instructors at Olney Golf Park in Olney, Md., work with soldiers hospitalized at nearby Walter Reed Medical Center, using golf to improve their physical and mental health.
 
“I’ve witnessed golfers who did not think playing was possible after an injury play and enjoy the game using the SoloRider car,” says Estes. “The design of the golf car allows players to continue to play their game even with physical limitations.”
 
The SoloRider golf car features hand controls for braking and acceleration and a stand-up seat that rotates so players can hit their shots without leaving the comfort and safety of the vehicle. The car’s precise weight distribution allows it to go onto tees and greens without damaging turf.
 
Tee It Up for the Troops has also contributed financially to the Adaptive Golf Foundation of America in Sarasota, Fla., and Disabled Sports USA in Rockville, Md., recommending that both non-profits purchase SoloRider golf cars to enhance their adaptive golf programs.