Staff WriterThe Belfry is about to host a golfing spectacle with more grit, talent, and heart than most majors. Ten of the world’s best disabled golfers will line up for the G4D British Masters, the first of four events in a whirlwind month for the G4D Tour.
And this isn’t just another stop on the calendar – it’s the season’s first Net-only event, played over 36 holes on the fabled Brabazon course from August 18-19.
After a three-month breather, the G4D Tour is back in business. The headline story? Slovenia’s Marjan Gavez, the World Number One in the Net rankings, making his debut on the Tour. Gavez, an above-knee amputee, reached the top earlier this year and isn’t just here to play golf – he’s here to make a point.
“I am very excited about the first invitation to play in the G4D Tour @ Betfred British Masters,” Gavez said. “I hope that my achievements and progress can definitely inspire other players with a disability and can help them reach their potential. Golf has had a beneficial effect on my physical and mental health.
“I began playing the sport 15 years ago when I started playing golf by myself at the age of 40. Since then, I’ve always enjoyed having the chance to compete with others.”
He’s not the only fresh face. Four more debutants will join him: fellow above-knee amputees Charles McClelland and Daniel Slabbert; Mark Clougherty, who has impaired muscle power; and Johnny Granberg, who lost his left foot after being struck by a train in 2012.
Then there’s France’s Alexia Girault, ranked just three spots behind Gavez. She’ll be one of two women in the field alongside England’s Aimi Louise Bullock.
Girault’s journey into golf is nothing short of remarkable – at 30, she awoke paralysed due to a tumour in her spinal cord. With balance issues and no sensation below her left knee, she fought back to win the RSM European Net Play-offs in 2024, shortly before her G4D debut in Andalucía.
“It’s been a great year for me,” she said. “I can’t wait to be at The Belfry. We obviously want to do well, but I’m going there with just the desire to experience an exceptional moment, which is always the case with this kind of event.
“Golf is a disability-friendly sport, the ball is static, and it’s magical to see people who think they can’t play sport discover that golf is possible. For someone with a disability, golf allows you to meet people and it limits isolation.”
Completing the field are England’s Bradley Smith, Italy’s Davide Fasci, and Argentina’s Joshua Exequiel Riccardo – all with eyes on the season-ending G4D Tour @ Rolex Grand Final at Club de Golf Alcanada. That finale will feature ten players: six in the Gross competition, four in the Net event, all of them chasing the ultimate title in disabled golf.
Launched in 2022 as a partnership between the DP World Tour and EDGA (formerly the European Disabled Golf Association), the G4D Tour is more than a competition. It’s a statement – that golf is for everyone.
Players compete on the same courses, in the same week, as the sport’s elite, and thanks to ongoing European Tour group support, EDGA can keep raising awareness, running tournaments, and delivering coaching worldwide.
If you think golf is just a game, spend a couple of days watching the G4D British Masters.
You’ll see courage you can’t measure, swings you can’t forget, and proof that the game’s most powerful shots don’t always come from the longest hitters.
