SPA’s Mark Gibson has confirmed his position as one of the best disabled golfers in the land after adding the British title to the European championship he won earlier this year.
He brought the latest prestige trophy back to Ballynahinch last week after an 800-mile round trip by road and ferry to the Lakeside Lodge Golf Club near Pidley in Cambridgeshire.
Just last month Mark, wheelchair bound after he was paralysed in a road traffic accident at the age of 17, went to the Spanish Club of Terramar in Stiges south of Barcelona to claim the European Scratch Cup.
The one-day 18-hole Stableford competition in Cambridgeshire for the Handigolf Foundation National Championship saw Mark take the trophy with 36 points two points clear of the competitor who finished second.
“The Lakeside Lodge is a parkland course. It’s a bit like Spa, but tighter in that there are a lot of trees and not a lot of room if you go wrong. It was the first time I played the course and I was quite happy with the way I played,” he said.
“Normally it’s a Stroke competition, but the organisers decided to go for Stableford this year. I finished second last year so it was good to win it this year,” Mark added.
As Spa members congratulated Mark on Saturday after he competed in the domestic Plessey Cup competition, carding 35 points, club captain Mike Porter said his achievements were phenomenal by any standards.
“It is an unprecedented achievement to win both these titles especially in the same year and as I have said before Mark is a true inspiration not only to golfers but to everyone and we wish him
continued success,” the Captain added.
Mark’s plays his golf single-handed from a specially designed and adapted electric buggy and his commitment to the sport is illustrated by the fact that he spent the winter months perfecting what he regarded as a few minor flaws in his swing.
“I wasn’t all that happy with it and tried to get it right,” he said.
His victories in Spain and England would indicate his tenacity and practice paid dividends.