After a strong finish to the 2010 golf season, members of the Scottish Disability Golf Partnership are practising hard for the upcoming golfing year.

They will tee-off their new season with games at the Dukes Golf Course in St Andrews, Swanston in Edinburgh and a training day at the Wellsgreen Golf Academy, near Kirkcaldy.

The top 8 disabled golfers from the 2010 Scottish Order of Merit title race, successfully qualified for the Scottish Team, and will compete in the world's first 4-team Ryder Cup event for disabled golfers, which will be played at the Westerwood Resort, Cumbernauld this July.

Steve Bramwell, the Secretary of the SDGP and Captain of the Scottish Team for the World Ryder Cup said, "2010 was our busiest year of operation since we created the group 6 years ago.  We now have
more golf competitions, training sessions with the PGA and fun games, than any other disabled group. The highlight of the year will be the World Team Cup in July, but we have lots of golfers representing the SDGP, travelling around the UK and to several world and European events this year".

Each team has 12 players, but the 8 Scottish Order of Merit automatic qualifiers for the World Cup were:

1st Derek Milne of Upper Largo Fife 241 points
2nd Jim Gales of Springfield Fife 227 points
3rd Fraser Paterson of Edinburgh 219 points
4th Steve Bramwell of Johnstone 216 points
5th Steve Cunningham of Newton West Lothian 213 points
6th Bob Drysdale of Tayport Fife 204 points
7th Robert Craig of Dunfermline Fife 181 points
8th Willy McEwan of Glenrothes Fife 177 points

The Scottish Disability Golf Partnership is governed and operated by disabled people and is the only group in Scotland which actively encourages and involves anyone of any age, with a disability, serious health problem or mobility issue and their coaches, who wish to play golf and includes amputees, the blind, deaf, those with learning difficulties, downs syndrome, stroke and heart attack victims, wheelchair users and anyone with other similar issues, who wish to learn or play the sport.

Further information about all the SDGP's events, can be found at www.sdgp.co.uk. or by email at info@sdgp.co.uk. or by calling 01334 650 963.