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| Dr. Haruhisa Handa (photo: asiantour.com) |
Through his International Sports Promotion Society, the Japanese businessman has sponsored numerous events across numerous tours; The European, Ladies European, Senior European, Asian, Japan and Australian Tours have all benefited from his benevolence and his superlative support for the Legends Tour has many senior LPGA players referring to him as the "father" of their tour.
Clearly, Dr. Handa has a passion for golf, and more than anything else, he's dedicated to making the sport accessible to all people, particularly those with physical challenges. To that end, the tenacious philanthropist established the Japanese Blind Golf Association and was instrumental in the formation of the International Blind Golf Association. Which brings us to his latest challenge: securing a spot for golf in the Paralympic Games.
While golf will once again be an Olympic sport in Rio four years from now, it won't be part of part of the 2016 Paralympics. For that, Dr. Handa has his sights set on the 2020 games.
This laudable effort is yet another reason to see Dr. Handa as The Quintessential Golf Ambassador. The video below offers an inspiring glimpse of para-athletes on the golf course. You may recognize Manuel De Los Santos, the extraordinarily talented Dominican golfer who took up the game after he lost his leg in an accident.
These athletes are dedicated in ways most of us can't even imagine. It would be great to see golf included in the Paralympics but i think it will be hard because the sport is still considered elitist and exclusionary by many people. If anyone can do it though, I think that must be Handa. I hope he is successful.
ReplyDeleteDr. Handa seems to be doing more for golf than just about anyone, or any organization, in the world.
ReplyDeleteHis work with blind golf and his efforts to make the game more inclusive are certainly without equal.
Our family hosted a couple of para-athletes when they were here for a triathlon qualifier and got to see they're dedication first hand. It was a great experience, especially for my kids who had never actually met anyone with a disability before. They learned some important lessons about human potential during that week that really shaped the way they live their lives and made them avid fans of adaptive sports. We're all hoping that the the London Paralympic Games are well attended and get the buzz they deserve.
ReplyDeleteFeel proud of you Dr. Handa for your dedicated work for making the sport accessible to all people, especially for physical challengers.
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