Category: News

Golf For All’s Fred Corcoran Honored with 2024 Bob Beach Award

Golf For All with Special Olympian friend after receiving the 2024 Bob Beach Award.

Golf For All with Special Olympian friend after receiving the 2024 Bob Beach Award.
Golf For All’s Fred Corcoran with a Special Olympian friend at the event.
Golf For All is proud to announce that Co-Founder and Executive Director Fred Corcoran has been named the recipient of the 2024 Bob Beach Award. This prestigious honor, awarded annually by Special Olympics Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Golf Association (Mass Golf), and the New England PGA, recognizes exceptional service in enhancing the lives of people with disabilities through the game of golf.

Fred was honored at Special Olympics Massachusetts’ Celebration of Inclusion on December 9th at the Seaport Hotel in Boston. The event brought together community members from across the state to reflect on the year’s accomplishments and recognize those who have been instrumental in advancing the mission of inclusion.

About the Bob Beach Award

The Bob Beach Award, named after its inaugural recipient and dedicated volunteer Bob Beach, celebrates individuals who go above and beyond in promoting inclusion through sports. Bob Beach, co-founder and chairman of Golf For All, has been a driving force in making golf accessible to individuals of all abilities. Since its inception, the award has honored inspiring advocates for athletes with intellectual disabilities.

Recognizing Fred Corcoran

“Special Olympics Massachusetts was honored to highlight the contributions of Fred Corcoran with the 2024 Bob Beach Award. Fred’s connection to the cause of providing access to golf to underserved populations made him an easy pick. We thank Fred for all he has done to support our mission of inclusion through sports and congratulate him on this award,” said Matt Ruxton, Vice President of Sports at Special Olympics Massachusetts.

Fred has profoundly impacted the golf community, continuing a family legacy of serving the game and creating opportunities for players of all abilities. His work has been instrumental in fostering inclusive programs and ensuring golf remains a welcoming sport for all.

“Fred Corcoran has and continues to make an incredible impact on the local and regional golf community. He follows many of his family members in serving the game of golf and giving back to support golfers of all abilities. He is most deserving in receiving the 2024 Bob Beach Award on behalf of Special Olympics Massachusetts, Mass Golf, and the New England PGA. We applaud him for his tireless dedication and commitment,” said Jesse Menachem, Executive Director and CEO of Mass Golf.

Words of Appreciation

Fred expressed his gratitude, saying, “Special Olympics Massachusetts is working every day to improve the lives of people facing physical and developmental challenges. I am honored and humbled to be recognized by Special Olympics Massachusetts, Mass Golf, and the New England PGA for the work we do at Golf For All in growing the game. I am especially grateful to work with Golf For All’s Bob Beach, who has devoted decades of service in coaching and instructing people facing challenges from all walks of life.”

Reflecting on Fred’s contributions, Bob Beach shared, “I am very proud of Fred Corcoran. He is very deserving of this award. The Special Olympics is all about volunteering. I can’t remember a time that Fred said no when I asked him about helping the Special Olympics. After the awards ceremony on Monday, several of the Special Olympics athletes asked Fred if they could get a photo with him. I loved that.”

About Golf For All

Golf For All relies on contributions to support its programs and expand access to golf for individuals of all abilities. To support our mission, visit www.golfforall.org/ways-to-give.

For more information about the Bob Beach Award or Special Olympics Massachusetts, visit www.specialolympicsma.org.

PowerFades: Veterans Day pairs with golf, igniting memories of a late hero and champion

… In recent years, Veterans Day has been celebrated with free golf lessons and tournaments throughout the country to honor those men and women who paid great service to this country. At Leo J. Martin, it was a day to be among friends with big hearts so Lynne was there to support a group called “Golf For All,” a charitable group that is committed to making golf accessible for all.

Bob Beach and Fred Corcoran, a pair that beats four of a kind, offered a moment of silence for Jack Waldron of Dedham, Mass., whose colorful life featured duty with the 82d Airborne in 1956-58 and many years in local golf circles before he died two months ago at 86. There were tributes paid to Waldron, then buckets of golf balls were emptied as Tracy Hightower, Arthur Stratford, Resnick, and others emptied large buckets of balls.

“It’s the least we can do,” said Beach, who has never said no to a child with autism, a Special Olympian, anyone with Parkinson’s, a stroke victim, or anyone disabled. The game of golf is an incredible medicinal avenue and Beach for decades has been helping dispense it and he smiled warmly as he offered tips to the veterans who attended on this unseasonable warm Veterans Day.” …

Read the article on PowerFades by clicking here.

GOLF FOR ALL Awarded $5,000 Grant

Make Golf Your Thing

GOLF FOR ALL Selected to Receive Funds Through Industry’s ‘Make Golf Your Thing’ Grant Program

GOLF FOR ALL one of 81 Organizations Across U.S.Receiving Grant through ‘Make Golf Your Thing’ DEI Initiative

Make Golf Your Thing

Wellesley, Mass. June 28,2024 – Golf For All (Northeast Accessible Golf Association) has been selected to receive $5,000 through a dedicated grant program operated by the golf industry’s DEI campaign, Make Golf Your Thing. As one of 81 designated organizations across the U.S., Golf For All was chosen for its efforts to increase golf participation among underrepresented populations of the sport.

Golf For All is dedicated to transforming the lives of people facing emotional, physical, and developmental challenges or who are experiencing traumatic/stressful hardships, including veterans and their families, by providing free golf accessibility and instruction.

Initially introduced in 2021, the grant program – through its latest round of funding – has now issued 318 grants to 166 unique organizations overall, totaling $2.5 million to-date.

“We are very grateful for the support of this program,” said Fred Corcoran, co-founder and executive director, Golf For All. “We are committed to bringing hope and positive change to people facing emotional, physical, and developmental challenges through the game we all love. This financial support will help us help more golfers.”

The grant program was established to support organizations or programs dedicated to increasing golf participation among underrepresented populations in the sport (i.e., Black, Latinx, Asian, Indigenous communities, as well as women, LGBTQI+ individuals, veterans, and individuals with disabilities). The program is being financially supported by industry partners committed to helping make the game more welcoming and inclusive for all.

Since its inception in 2011, Golf For All has hosted over 1,200 clinics and 10,000 participants in Massachusetts and New England. Each clinic is run by a PGA club professional and volunteers who work one-on-one with each golfer on a foundation of respect, compassion, and a commitment to providing best-in-class instruction.

Formally launched in May 2021, Make Golf Your Thing is an industry-wide movement to accelerate golf’s evolution, strengthening its inclusion of people from all backgrounds. The movement is organized into three strategic focus areas for increasing diversity: Make Golf Your Game (participants), Make Golf Your Career (industry employees), and Make Golf Your Business (industry suppliers).

The grant program is being administered by the American Golf Industry Coalition, a partnership among golf’s leading organizations to promote and advocate for the collective interests of the sport. Funding for the program is led by a contingent of industry supporters committed to making the sport more welcoming and inclusive for all.

For more information on Make Golf Your Thing, visit https://makegolfyourthing.org.

Golf For All Featured on ‘Golf Destination’

Golf For All was recently featured on “Golf Destination,” giving Fred and Bob and opportunity to talk about what we do. It’s worth watching and sharing with anyone who wants to know more about our programs.

Join Golf For All at the 2024 Ridge Club Charity Classic!

Join Golf For All at the 2024 Ridge Club Charity Classic.

Please join us for a day filled with meaningful experiences, camaraderie, and support for two incredible causes! Enjoy an afternoon of golf followed by a reception and silent auction. Proceeds from our Charity Classic will support Golf For All and the Invited Employee Care Foundation.

Click here for tickets and sponsorship opportunities.

Format:
18 Hole | 4-Person Bramble
Shotgun Starts at 10 a.m.

Cost:
$225 Individual | $900 Team
The Ridge Club
70 Country Club Road
Sandwich, MA

Format:
18 Hole | 4-Person Bramble

Cost:
$225 Individual | $900 Team

Schedule of Events:
9 a.m. Registration on the Range | Demonstration
9:45 a.m. Ready in Carts | Announcements
10 a.m. Shotgun Start | Bramble
1 p.m. Afternoon Reception with Lunch and Auction

If you have any questions, please contact Jillian Cotter at jillian.cotter@invitedclubs.com. Registration for this event is nonrefundable. If you cannot attend, your registration is transferrable, or it will be credited as a donation to the benefiting charities.

Meet Cameron Bartolomeo, GFA Board Member and Avid Golfer

Fred Corcoran and Cameron Bartolomeo of Golf For All
Golf For All Executive Director Fred Corcoran, left, and Board Member Cameron Bartolomeo of Golf For All at the Northeast Golf Show in March 2024.

We are proud to include Cameron Bartolomeo as the youngest member of our Board of Directors. Cameron joined our board in 2023 and has dedicated many hours of volunteer work assisting with our clinics and events since then.

Cam is a graduate of Xavier High School in Middletown, Connecticut, and is graduating from Bentley University in the spring of 2024 with a major in finance and a minor in law.

He is a member of Bentley Men’s Lacrosse team and is a Division 2 All-American, a member of Bentley University Chess Club, and an incoming Operations Associate at Fidelity Capital Markets.

Cameron has been surrounded by the game of golf for his whole life. He grew up swinging clubs on the Hunter Golf Course in Meriden, Connecticut, and played in the Lyman Orchards PGA Jr. League in middle school. He became focused on lacrosse in high school and college but has come back to golf with a reinvigorated passion.

“As a Golf For All volunteer, the program has quickly become my favorite hour of the week by a mile,” said Cameron. “There is no better feeling than seeing the joy on each golfer’s face and sharing that moment with them.”

“We cannot thank Cam enough for his contributions helping our special golfers in our clinics, producing videos, staffing events, and participating in our board meetings,” said Fred Corcoran, Executive Director, Golf For All. “Strong young leaders like Cam provide me with great hope for the future of our organization and for the game of golf.”

Seasons Greetings From Golf For All

Dear Friend of GFA,

Holiday greetings from the entire staff and golfers at Golf For All!

Golf For All is dedicated to transforming the lives of all people with disabilities or who are experiencing hardships by providing free access to the game of golf. The many players of the GFA family need and deserve our help.

The GFA team continues to pursue our mission with the same determination, joy, and ongoing success.We enjoyed an active 2023 golf season hosting multiple clinics each week for our veterans, their families, and special needs golfers. As always, the response was overwhelmingly positive, reminding all of what a criticalrole GFA plays in the lives of our golfing family and of the therapeutic and rehabilitative benefits of golf.

In 2023, Golf For All conducted over 120 free clinics at multiple venues and courses. Veterans alone accounted for 45 of these events and we need your support to continue our indoor programs especially for those veterans who tend to isolate during New England winters. In our 14 year history, we have hosted over 1,500 clinics and more than 5,500 participants. Our golf program continues to be supervised by GFA Director of Golf, Bob Beach, New England PGA Hall of Famer and winner of the PGA of America’s 2013 Patriot Award.

Golf For All’s countless success stories and powerful testimonials is proof we are making a big impact. This holiday season, please give back to the game by giving to our GFA golfers. All of our players will tell you they look forward to a morning or afternoon with Bob and all our volunteers at Golf For All more than any other. We’re already making big plans for 2024 including restarting our autistic indoor program in February and hosting our first charity golf tournament later in the year.

Don’t wait. Your support is critical. Thank you in advance for your help! Our veterans and all our developmentally and physically challenged golfers look to you and your support to sustain and expand our programs and reach new golfers. Exciting sponsorship, gifting, and volunteer opportunities are available. And don’t forget to follow us on social media for the latest Golf For All news and events.

On behalf of the entire GFA golfing family, we wish you a happy and healthy holiday season! See you in 2024!

Fred Corcoran, Executive Director