My City September 2022

States Golf Association Director of Communications, Beth Major. “It ’s so great to see everybody here,” Ramin told the crowd of more than 300 before thanking the USGA and revealing some unforeseen positive aspects of be ing an amputee. “I used to have to put both shoes on every time and now one of my shoes is already on, so I’m a step ahead. Also, I never had any friends outside of the United States before the accident and now, I have made friends in almost 60 countries.” As a founder of the U.S. Adap tive Golf Alliance, a group aligned with 42 regional organizations and Executive Director of The National Amputee Golf Associ ation, Ramin had been lobbying the USGA to create a U.S. Adap tive Open for years. A turning point came when Beth Major attended the 2018 National Amputee and Disabled Championship at The Fortress in Frankenmuth, which Ramin helped organize and played in. “The Adaptive Golf Alliance bringing so many adaptive golf organizations gave us a loud voice and Beth loved our tournament which led to positive conversations,” Ramin recalls. “A few months later, I was on a phone call with about 12 people from the USGA talking about how we can make a U.S. Adaptive Open happen.” 

PHOTO CREDIT: JASON GUERRERO/CALLAWAY GOLF

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