Mark retains his European crown

Mark retains his European crown

24 May 2017

SPA Golf Club’s wheelchair golfer Mark Gibson is European and British champion again.

Hat-trick hero Mark returned in triumph to his home club last week after claiming the European crown for the third time in as many attempts.

His highly impressive record includes winning the British title nine times, despite the enormous handicaps he overcomes to play the game.

Mark, who was paralysed from the waist down in a road traffic accident at the age of 17, plays sitting down in a specially designed and adapted electric buggy and plays using just one arm.

A regular competitor on the Spa course in weekday and Saturday competitions, Mark also had to face a gruelling journey by car ferry and overland to south of Barcelona in Spain to compete in the European championships — a round trip of some 2,000 miles.

His latest catalogue of success came when he recently won the Wheelchair Championships at Tapton Park in Chesterfield.

Then it was on to Golf de Terrema in Stiges with Mark taking home both the gross and nett titles, despite tough competition from other gifted wheelchair golfers.

“The European Ladies tournament had been held there the week before and the course was in beautiful condition,” he said.

“It was the best it has ever been, but the greens were very fast with everyone struggling with the speed.

“It was a two-day event with a practice day to start. I’d been doing a fair bit of practising at Spa before I went and I was fairly happy with the way I played with 37 nett points and 19 gross points. These were my best scores since I started going to Stiges.”

Mark added: ”The journey was long and a bit tiring, although my friend, Trevor Jones, who came along as my caddy, shared the driving and that helped a lot.”

Spa captain John Brannigan said Mark was a popular and inspirational figure at the club where he was known as a great sportsman with a very determined and competitive spirit.

“These were fantastic victories and achievements for Mark and I know I speak for everyone in the club when I offer him my heartiest congratulations,” he said.

“He is a regular in our midweek and Saturday competitions and often features on the leaderboard. We all wish him continued success.”