EDGA (European Disabled Golf Association) is unveiling its new campaign, “You Can”, at this week’s EDGA Annual Assembly and Workshops in Portugal. “You Can” seeks to encourage new golfers with a disability through the shared personal experiences of established players. Their highly positive messages and stories aim to ignite the imagination of others to join in and try the game.
While “You Can” is all about putting each golfer first, inspiring each individual to dream, it enhances EDGA’s mission to make golf truly inclusive for people with a disability.
The campaign launch coincides with the EDGA Algarve Open (November 20-22) at Pestana Vila Sol and the organisation’s 25th anniversary celebrations. During the event, players will be presented with a new EDGA book – Changing Lives – that tracks the evolution and key milestones of EDGA, along with a memento to commemorate the launch of “You Can”.
Now live across EDGA’s digital touch-points and rolling out through member countries (EDGA advises and supports 50 national golf federations), the “You Can” campaign is designed to empower individuals with disability to see golf as a sport where they truly belong.
Its central message, “You Can Play Golf”, is supported by three powerful themes: Make Friends, Compete, and Improve Health. Together, these emotive messages reflect the broader impact of golf beyond the course.
“With ‘You Can’, we’re flipping the script,” said Scott Bennett, Head of Marketing at EDGA. “This isn’t about inclusion as an afterthought, it’s about representation that feels real, powerful, and personal. Golf can offer confidence, health, community, and competition, and this campaign reflects exactly that. We wanted to make sure this project speaks to people with disabilities, not just about them.”
The EDGA team feels that unlike many sports campaigns in which disability is added almost as a side note, “You Can” was built by, and for, the G4D (Golf for the Disabled) community.
Crucially, every image, message, and story is drawn from real players and their lived experiences. It highlights the diversity of disability, not just the most commonly represented, and brings to life the barriers, breakthroughs, and benefits that only those with first-hand experience can truly articulate.
Rita Sampaio, the designer who created the campaign for EDGA pro bono, said: “The concept behind this campaign is ability, regardless of the limitations each person may have. The focus is on the player and their skill in the game of golf. ‘You Can’ is a message of empowerment, an invitation for more people with disabilities to experience this inclusive sport. We want every person with a disability to see it and think, ‘Yes, I can do that too.’ Everyone featured is a real golfer, with a true story. That’s what gives the campaign its strength.”
With QR codes on all materials linking to deeper content: videos, interviews, and written stories, “You Can” encourages confident participation through honest storytelling. The campaign is designed to reach future players where it matters most: including in rehabilitation centres, hospitals, and community spaces. And thanks to its adaptable branding, member countries can tailor the messaging while staying aligned to a unified, global movement.
The “You Can” materials are now integrated into the EDGA 8-Stage Programme, which is supported by The R&A and explores: getting started; locations (assisting venues); the workforce; communication; encouraging new and regular players; competitions and events; professional coaching education; and legacy.
Through this programme, EDGA aims to support the growth and capacity of national federations as they work to attract individuals with a disability to the game of golf.