My TT Story - Representing England in the World Deaf Championship

Name: Richard Le Page
Age: 50
Region entered: Frilford Heath
Handicap: 10
Golf Club: Brocton Hall
Caddy: Ian Thwaites
Occupation: Flooring Contractor and Tearoom and Campsite owner
Motto: Be the Right Club

*Help sponsor Richard and send him to Japan! Details at bottom of page*

I'm entering the TT because I think it will be a good run in to the World Deaf Golf Championships.

I used to play football but getting towards the end it was hard to hear calls so to change to golf or a single minded game was a natural progression.

Being deaf hasn't hindered me
I'm now deaf to a certain degree but being deaf hasn't hindered me - with my aid in it's pretty normal but as you can imagine golf with no noise, wind, birds is of course very strange

I'm going to Japan this year to represent England in the World Deaf Golf Campionships at Tsu Golf and Country Club

It's going to be what I think to be the highlight of my golfing career but I'd just like to say I would not have achieved any of this without my wife Kaye my daughters Alice and Lucy my pro Nevil Bland and my playing partner and caddy Ian Thwaites.

It all started when I met the pro Nevil Bland at Brocton Hall GC in Staffordshire. He told me about the English Deaf Golf Association and that I should get in touch as they hold National Championships.

The biggest test in my golfing career
Before I knew it I had entered the 2010 event down at Princes Golf Club in Kent. I had lots of lessons to fine tune my game for what I thought would be the biggest test in my golfing career.

I travelled down there (if anyone has played Princes they know what a wonderfully hard course it is) with my wife and two daughters and after a very nerve-racking 4 rounds came 7th overall and net runner up.

In 2011 I entered again this time at Hunley Hall in Brotton a very hilly course and after 4 rounds there came 7th again.

Out of the blue I was then picked to represent England in The Four Nations Cup at Castleknock in Ireland which we brought home after winning it by 10 points from Scotland, Ireland and Wales.

This then led me to being selected to represent England on the world stage in Japan this October.

"Never give up on your dream because it could always be just round the corner"

Help send Richard and the English Deaf Golf team to Japan!

You can sponsor Richard by going to this link http://www.justgiving.com/englishdeafgolf-japan2012