The MGA Adaptive Golf Program completed a productive month of clinics and other programming throughout Adaptive April, reinforcing the program’s rapid growth since its launch in 2024 and the MGA’s ongoing commitment to creating inclusive golf opportunities throughout the Met Area.
Throughout the month, the MGA conducted 14 clinics in collaboration with nine organizations, welcoming more than 130 participants to the game through fun, engaging sessions. Clinics were held across all regions of the MGA’s footprint for individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities. In 2026, 37 clinics have been conducted with 14 organizations, impacting more than 500 individuals.
“The whole team loves the MGA,” said The Arc Westchester Direct Support Professional Julio Delgado. “When you merge golf with helping men and women with special needs, you can see the glow on their faces. It’s a social interaction that they don’t get anywhere else.” The Arc Westchester supports children and adults with developmental disabilities, including autism, and has participated in the MGA’s Adaptive Golf Program since its inception.
The MGA traveled to the Bronx to work with St. Joseph’s School for the Deaf, training faculty and staff to use lessons from golf as a teaching tool. This effort is part of a larger initiative by the school to connect learning with play. Principal Duncan Wilson noted that his students do not often have opportunities for organized team sports, and introducing them to golf provides a valuable new outlet to explore.
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The program also brought adaptive golf to Chelsea Piers in Manhattan, working with The Golf Trust, a U.K.-based organization that provides opportunities through golf for individuals with disabilities. The MGA offered guidance and instruction to seated golfers, who took advantage of Chelsea Piers’ unique driving range to practice their skills.
In addition to clinics, the MGA held a volunteer certification course to educate and guide program volunteers on the best ways to support participants and ensure a safe, welcoming environment at all clinics.
“We talked a little bit about how to work with different disabilities that we encounter on and off the golf course,” said Adaptive Golf Program Manager Ryan Kayton. “It’s great to see instructors who are so passionate, as they are the heart of our program.”
On the competitive side, adaptive golfers took center stage at a qualifier for the 5th U.S. Adaptive Open Championship, conducted by the MGA at Haworth Country Club on April 22. Russell Aide of Canada and Meredith Dwyer of Lyndhurst, N.J., punched their tickets to the championship at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Md., this July after finishing atop the leaderboard.
Dwyer advanced for the second consecutive year, earning medalist honors with an 84, which included a pair of back-to-back pars on the front nine. Aide finished at 3-over 75, making par on all but three holes and adding a birdie on the par-4 fifth to advance to the U.S. Adaptive Open for the fourth time. Aide, a member of the University of Arizona’s Adaptive Golf Team, was also medalist at Haworth in 2024.
This year, the program’s growth continues to be a defining theme, with 37 clinics already completed and more scheduled with new partner organizations. The MGA Adaptive Golf Program will continue expanding its reach, welcoming participants from communities across the entire region it serves.
You can make a meaningful difference by supporting the MGA Adaptive Golf Program. Consider making a contribution to the MGA Foundation—100% of donations directly support the Foundation’s charitable programming, including adaptive golf initiatives. As part of the MGA125 Campaign’s 125 Days of Giving, now through July 31, a gift of $125 or more will earn you an exclusive supporter bag tag. Click here to make your donation today.
About the MGA Adaptive Golf Program: Launched in 2024, the MGA Adaptive Golf Program, supported by Breakthrough Partner PwC, offers clinics in partnership with local organizations that serve children and adults with intellectual, developmental, and physical impairments. The goal is simple: introduce participants to the game of golf through fun, welcoming sessions. Clinics are held at indoor golf facilities, school gyms, driving ranges, clubs and courses, and parks, where participants learn the basics of the game in an inclusive environment led by MGA staff and trained instructors. To learn more about the MGA Adaptive Golf Program, contact Ryan Kayton at ryan.kayton@mgagolf.org.
