Trio given second chance at life

AN unforgettable adventure awaits three disabled people who have been given a second chance at life when they travel to Tasmania to play four of the best golf courses in the country.

Sydney’s James Gribble, Queensland’s Ben Tullipan and Jigs Denby from Tasmania will tee it up at Cape Wickham, Ocean Dunes, Barnbougle Dunes and Lost Farm from October 3-7 thanks to Empower Golf Australia.

The four layouts are ranked in the top 10 courses in Australia and some of the most spectacular in the world. 

Empower Golf Australia will be taking on the Ultimate Air Adventure King Island, Barnbougle adventure to show that ‘all abilities’ players across the country can play and enjoy Australia’s most remote courses. 

Disability will be no barrier to experiencing golf in these remote locations.

James Gribble, Founder of Empower Golf, had it all but lost it in an instant when he became a quadriplegic after breaking his neck as a result of a simple fall, while on a fishing trip to a remote island in Africa. 

He spent 12 terrifying hours lying motionless on the sand through the night until a medivac helicopter could land at first light. 

James survived thanks to the kindness of strangers and after a lengthy fight back to one of his passions is now one of the only quadriplegic golfers globally. 

Ben Tullipan is Australia’s worst injured survivor of the Bali bombings. He lost both of his legs, most of his stomach muscles and suffered 63 per cent full thickness burns to his body after simply dropping into the Sari Club to buy a bottle of water. 

Following his medical evacuation by the Australian Air Force on a Hercules back to Australia, Ben proved all the doctors wrong by miraculously learning to walk again on two prosthetic legs and now is a world-ranked disabled golfer. 

This October marks the 20th anniversary of the bombings. 

Jigs Denby suffered a head trauma which severed the nerves connecting his brain to the left-side of his body and suffered paralysis of the brain, similar to a major stroke after being viciously attacked by a stranger. 

He was rescued by the Royal Flying Doctors. He is now also paralysed in his left arm. 

These courageous Australians have been given a second chance at life. 

Their determination and strength of character to triumph over personal adversity is nothing short of inspirational. 

They are living examples that life is 10 per cent what happens to you and 90 per cent what you make of it.

James will be the first person to play the incredibly remote King Island, Bass Strait courses in the revolutionary Paramotion, a remarkable all-terrain electric wheelchair that raises the user into a secure standing position to swing a golf club. 

Air Adventure Golf specialise exclusively in King Island (Bass Strait) and Barnbougle (northern Tasmania) trips and are breaking every barrier to give these unbelievable men the best chance to enjoy this incredible experience.

As large commercial airlines are unable to land on King Island, the logistics alone of transporting the 200kg Paramotion on their charter plane is testament to their perseverance to make this dream a reality. 

Golf industry figure and podcast media producer Ross Flannigan is a key member of this motley crew. 

Ross, a renowned golf content creator, will capture the challenges, elations, frustrations and ultimately the emotional roller-coaster of this amazing journey. Nothing is off limits. 

For the record, more than four million Australians have a disability.

With one billion people, or 15 per cent of the world’s population, living with a disability, Empower Golf and Air Adventure Golf are on a mission to make it possible for disabled golfers to lead an active and fun lifestyle by providing them the opportunity to be able to travel to some of the most inaccessible golf courses in our country. 

The challenges are real – the excitement contagious. So, buckle up for the ride from take-off to tee off!