The 2019 Canadian Amputee and Disabled National Open (CADNO) was held in Okotoks at the River’s Edge Golf Club on August 15th and 16th. The event was a 54 hole tournament open to all amputees and people with qualifying disabilities.

River’s Edge is a unique 18 hole golf experience with 2 different 9 hole layouts. The original South 9 was opened in 1994 and runs down into the valley situated along the Sheep river, it features holes with narrow fairways lined with 50 foot tall Poplars. The North 9 opened for play in 2004 and features water on 4 holes with their signature hole number 9 an island green. The course has hosted the Alberta Amputee Provincial Tournament a number of times and is an amputee friendly course. The course has also hosted the Alberta Ladies Amateur Championship.

What is CAGA ?

C.A.G.A. is the Canadian Amputee Golf Association and was formally incorporated (along with the acronym) with Industry Canada on October 18th, 2000. The Association was formed both Federally and Provincially, with the following Objectives of the Association being filed with Corporate Registry:

• Assisting amputees and their families in the rehabilitation process, by giving them personal support – both physically and morally – through interaction with other amputees;
• Promoting awareness of amputee issues to the general public;
• Educating amputees in the latest developments in technology;
• Introducing amputees to the sport of golf as not only a means of recreation but also as a tool in the rehabilitation process;
• Promoting amputee golf throughout Canada;
• Bringing together amputee golfers from across Canada, to share their passion for the game of golf, in the spirit of friendship and competition.

CAGA’s mandate is to visit trauma victims in hospitals, meeting with prospective amputees and their families at home to prepare them for the difficulties that lie ahead, giving moral support to existing amputees with their struggles in daily life, whilst also comforting their families, raising the awareness to the general populous of how an amputation affects one’s daily living habits, and a part of rehabilitation – running amputee golf tournaments and supporting golf clinics across the country.

Anyone can, and is welcome, to join the Association for the betterment of amputee golf in Canada and to play in specific categories at any sanctioned C.A.G.A. event (i.e. Amputation Below Knee (BK), Above Knee (AK) Below Elbow (BE) Above Elbow (AE) Double Amputation (DBL) Triple Amputation (TRPL) Quadruple Amputation (Quad)). However, to share in the prizes at a tournament, players must be an amputee (i.e. they have lost a limb at a major joint through birth, injury, accident or disease).