Gary's journey into disc golf began when he accidentally stumbled upon the sport through a YouTube video, and he’s never looked back. Motivated by personal wellness, he lost three stone in six months at the age of 44, while engaging in disc golf activities. In a sad turn of events, Gary recently lost his four dogs who had been his best friends all his life, and he wanted to do something he was passionate about to honour them – Gary said “we lost Jess our Alsatian cross Husky just before Christmas 2022 she was a rescue and nearly 18 years old and then in March we lost Tia our 8 year old dog de Bordeaux, it was the first time in over around 40 years I'd been without a dog in the family, I felt empty for days and it was disc golf that got me out of the house. I had been a van delivery driver working nights for 20 years and felt I needed a change when it just came to me, why don’t I start up my own business introducing disc golf to the local community, the name JLT Disc Golf came to me without even thinking about it, Jess, Lady, Tia and Tommy, I would honour my beautiful babies forever, I was determined and just by luck someone mentioned to me that Active Withernsea was hosting a PACE event in the Meridian centre and they might be able to help, so I pushed myself to attend that day thinking" what have I got to loose". I walked in and Kristina from Active Withernsea came over and introduced herself asking if she could help, she listened to my idea and was really encouraging and said straight away that Active Withernsea could support, and a meeting was set up to meet with Selena the Grants Officer. I met with Selena at the Active Withernsea shop, and she advised me what qualifications I would need and was also really encouraging.”
Fast forward 10 months and Gary now has his health and safety level 2, emergency first aid and level 2 safeguarding qualifications through Hull college plus the equipment to set up Disc Golf sessions.
Gary finished by saying “I cannot thank the Active Withernsea team enough for their help and encouragement from day one and I hope I can make them proud”.
Introducing something entirely novel to Withernsea, disc golf holds the promise of encouraging people to get outdoors, fostering social connections, and developing new friendships. With a focus on having fun, Gary’s new endeavour not only introduces an exciting recreational activity to the town but also supports the overall well-being of participants by encouraging a more active lifestyle. Beyond personal health benefits, the success of this venture could contribute to the local economy, potentially creating employment opportunities for someone within the community. Furthermore, the aspiration of having a local champion from Withernsea, should disc golf gain traction in the UK, adds an exciting opportunity for Withernsea. The inclusive nature of disc golf means that it is suitable for a wide audience, which can have a positive impact on our community, and potentially transforming lives through our shared experiences and newfound connections. These sessions are designed to cater to all age groups, offering a unique opportunity for residents to try their hand at this enjoyable and fitness-enhancing activity.
Want to know more information? Contact Gary directly via phone - 07856 391849, via email - jltdiscgolf@gmail.com or message him on Facebook
