MJ McColgan hasn’t allowed a disability to prevent him from playing – and excelling at – the game he loves. Born with cerebral palsy, which makes it difficult to walk, McColgan overcame the odds to become a champion golfer, winning 48 Special Olympics gold medals.
And his dad has been by his side the whole time.
“I introduced him to the game because the beauty of the game is friendship and meeting people,” Mike McColgan said. “You can go out as a single player, meet three people you’ve never met in your life and by the end of the round, be friends for life.”
Among the lessons MJ has learned from the game is perseverance.
“Golf taught me a lot,” he said. “The one thing is not to give up and go out there and play.”
You can help make golf more accessible to people with disabilities by making a gift to the USGA Foundation Annual Fund today. Your tax-deductible donation to the USGA will help advance our mission allowing us to more deeply invest in three broad areas:
- Groundbreaking research and innovation to help golf courses remain viable and responsible partners in their communities
- Amateur golfer programs focused on juniors, women and golfers with disabilities
- Preservation and celebration of all the memorable moments in golf through the USGA Golf Museum
The USGA works every day to make the game sustainable, accessible and enjoyable so anyone can experience the transformative power of play, competition and camaraderie. But the organization can’t do it alone. The USGA needs help from the golf community to keep this the greatest game ever played so future generations of parents and children – like MJ and Mike – can continue to enjoy it.
The USGA Foundation’s commitment to drive golf forward is critical for the game and the people with disabilities who play it.
The United States Golf Association “USGA” is a 501(3)c nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote and serve the true spirit of the game of golf as embodied in its ancient and honorable traditions. It acts in the best interest of the game for the continued enjoyment of those who love and play it.
The USGA Foundation secures resources to fulfill the USGA’s commitment to invest in programs and innovative solutions that best serve golf for all who love and play it.