The Pambula Merimbula Golf Club has for a long-time prided itself as a truly inclusive employer determined to support people of all abilities. 

The Sapphire Coast-based course in New South Wales, the only 27-hole Championship golf course in the vast region, has been making dreams come true for workers living with disability looking to build a career in the sporting industry.

Award-winning club superintendent Pat Wilson, with the support of The Disability Trust, an NDIS registered and quality certified not-for-profit provider offering disability services across NSW recently hired local man Brent Peters to his first ever paid job in the team’s turf maintenance department.

Brent is working Tuesdays and Thursdays in four-hour shifts with the support of his dedicated full-time support worker, divoting the tees and helping on the course where required.

Wilson said the club was delighted to welcome him in and was enjoying having his vibrant personality around the crew.

Brent, after exploring various local workplaces and meeting prospective employers, settled on the golf club as his preferred destination to begin his paid working life, enjoying the outdoor nature of the work.

With the guidance of embarc - an inclusive employment service dedicated to supporting employers and employees - and his NDIS team leader, it all came to fruition for Brent and a position at the club was opened up for him.

“I’ve been in charge at Pambula for 14 years now and I’ve always wanted to be in a position to give people opportunities,” Wilson said.  “Brent came into the golf club about three or four months ago now. He’s a very cheerful lad and asked for a job.  Straight away I could see his enthusiasm and thought why wouldn’t I give this guy a chance. With his full-time support worker, he goes out and divots the tees. A bright lad and knows a lot of things so it’s great to see him around the team."

It continues a rich and strong history of the club providing opportunities for workers living with disability.

“It probably started about eight years ago when we employed a local guy, Jeff Irvine, basically off the street, and when I say that I mean not through any disability services,” he said. “He he was an amputee and had just become redundant at the local sawmill. I know him personally and he’s quite capable, so I got him a job here and this is where it started having the assistance of workers with complex needs within the club.

“We then hired a guy by the name of Brett Horne (still employed at the club), with The Disability Trust, he had a stroke and is also an amputee and only has feeling in one arm and again, the opportunity to work was few and far between.  

“We had a modified a machine and we got him to mow some rough. Another 12 months to two years went on and it ended up breaking down so we got some funding and eventually got a modified mower for him and then in the winter months when the rough mowing dried up and to keep him working we got an enclosed buggy and blower so he’s been blowing all the debris off the fairways, tees and rough.

“I’ve always wanted to have more than just one person working for us. There’s definitely a ratio where you can’t have a full team of workers living with a disability but at the same time there’s always opportunities to have jobs for these types of people and that’s what we really pride ourselves on.”

Story by Nick Creely/ Pictures supplied