To give someone a chance. In some instances, a second chance. To see the similarities, not the differences. To understand we are all connected in some way through our humanity and to foster that connection. This is inclusion in action. And in golf, it lives in Empower Golf.
The story of Empower Golf is the story of two remarkable men who suffered catastrophic injuries and then set about helping others. It is the story of the inspiring people they serve. And it’s a story of love, fate and the game underpinning it all. It is a powerful story, all of it, and it’s not finished yet.
As a youngster, James Gribble was exposed to a range of sports by his parents, but wasn’t really into golf until his university days, when his godfather, on a visit from the UK, insisted they play together. A couple of good shots later and he was hooked.
Such was his passion for golf that one summer he played 36 holes for 20 days straight, bringing his handicap from 15 down to four, thereafter hovering between two and six. Not surprisingly, thoughts of a career in the game germinated.
Alongside this, he completed an economics degree at the University of Sydney before moving to the UK, where he applied for both corporate positions and jobs in golf. On the 12th of November 2001, his parallel journeys collided.
“I had this sliding doors moment. I got two phone calls within 10 minutes of each other; one was Roehampton Golf Club, saying there was a position in the golf shop, and the other was from Halifax Bank of.
