The Social Golfer’s Par 3 Championship has been won by Essex-based amputee golfer Paul Houghton after a thrilling play-off at Pelham Place Golf Centre.
Members of The Social Golfer travelled from all over England to meet and compete at the Kent venue on August 23.
The open tournament— now in its 9th year— was played over 27 holes with the top six players advancing to an 18th hole shootout, and later, the Grand Final.
Each finalist had two balls to secure their place in the Grand Final, with the two players nearest to the pin on the 18th green qualifying.
Houghton secured his spot in the play-off along with former Par 3 champion Steve Slater (Herts), with Houghton taking the title after his tee shot came to rest just 18 inches from the pin.
BITTERSWEET VICTORY
Houghton, a veteran disability golfer who has represented his country in international events and played on the EDGA Tour, experienced a bittersweet victory, as he received the devastating news that morning that one of his closest friends had passed away.
Commenting on his win, Houghton said, “This win is special. Not only is it my first win at The Social Golfer events, but it will always remind me of my friend Mike, who has always been a great support to me and my disability.
“What I love about playing in these tournaments is that no one treats me any differently from an able-bodied golfer, which shows how far we have come in combating prejudice in our sport. However, we’ve still got a long way to go to achieve complete parity, but sports like golf offer us that opportunity.”
The four losing semi-finalists included two women, Linda Fagg (Kent) and Judy Lilley (London), along with Steve Hunt (London) and Mark Crane (Kent).
Other winners on the day included the Golf News Guest Trophy winner Mike Aherne and runner-up Si Elie, both of whom are from Kent.
The field, ranging from 7 handicappers to 36, and the course — one of the best par-3 courses in the South of England— made for a hugely enjoyable contest.
Speaking after the event, Ian Mullins, Editor of The Social Golfer, said, “I am so chuffed for Paul. Not only has he been a great supporter of our events, but it’s great to see him demonstrate his talent to a wider audience.
“The broad smile on his face as the winning putt rolled in shows how much pleasure this game can bring to anyone from all walks of life!”
“I’d also like to add a big ‘thank you’ to our sponsors, Gogogo Sport Rangefinders and Golf News Magazine, both of whom continue to promote disability golf at all levels.”