Disability no handicap for golf ace David Waterhouse, member of European Team

article By Dave Powell for Chester Chronicle | Sept 10, 2013

Ellesmere Port golfer David Waterhouse to compete at the Fightmaster Cup in Scotland this week

David Waterhouse, pictured after securing the Fightmaster Cup with Team Europe in Chicago in 2012.

A one-armed golfer from Ellesmere Port is aiming for glory this weekend as part of the European team that with face America for the Fightmaster Cup.

David Waterhouse has been selected as part of Team Europe to contest the biennial competition, which pits the best one-armed golfers against each other in a Ryder Cup-style format.

For 56-year-old Waterhouse, a member of Upton-by-Chester Golf Club, it will be his fourth time playing in the competition, which will this year be held in Scotland at Stirling Golf Club from tomorrow until Saturday.

“It’s the fourth time I’ve played at the Fightmaster Cup and it’s always a massive honour to be a part of it and I can’t wait for it this time around,” said Waterhouse, who lost his arm in  in a motorbike accident when he was 18.

“We won the competition when it was held in Chicago back in 2012 and with the quality of the guys on our team,  I’m pretty confident we can retain it on home turf.”

Waterhouse, a keen golfer prior to his accident as an 18-year-old,  first became involved in one-armed golf back in 1992 and has been a regular fixture at the World Championships, where his first appearance came in 1993.

Waterhouse comes in to the Fightmaster Cup on the back of a successful showing at the World Championships at Seaford, Essex, in June, where he finished third in the stroke play and reached the semi-final of the match play.

Targeting more glory this weekend, Waterhouse, who plays off a handicap of 12, believes the sport is well and truly on the rise.

“I had a great performance at Seaford and played really well,” said Waterhouse.  Hopefully that performance will stand me in good stead and I can play well in Stirling this weekend.

“One-armed golf is an excellent sport and more people are becoming involved in it and the standard is continually increasing.

“I  took up the sport in 1992 and I have loved being a part of it ever since. It’s enabled me to carry on playing the sport I love and travel the world.

“Disability shouldn’t be an excuse and it should never stop anyone from continuing to do what they enjoy in some way. The opportunities for getting involved in the sport are increasing. The popularity of the Paralympics has shown there is always a way to stay involved in sport.”

http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/sport/other-sport/disability-no-handicap-golf-ace-7747567