RELEASE: May 15, 2000

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The rights of golfers with disabilities were at the center of a news story again this month when the manager of a public course in New Jersey refused to allow one such golfer to take his cart onto the fairway -- due to concern that the cart would cause damage.

Only after he and 13 other golfers with disabilities (who were also denied access) complained did county officials take action. They posted notices at each of the three county-owned courses advising workers that golfers with proof of a disability must be permitted to drive carts onto the fairway. A county spokesperson explained that the course manager was simply unaware of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

This is not an isolated case. In fact, a high-profile lawsuit against the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) brought to national attention the impact of the ADA on the right of golfers with disabilities to takes carts onto the fairways. The PGA and other golfers believe that carts give these golfers an unfair advantage. But as a ''reasonable accommodation," federal law requires it.

Actually, public accommodations benefit all of us. As we age and experience more physical limitations, things that assist us in getting around, like ramps and elevators, become essential in our lives.

As golf increases in popularity and the population ages, there is an increasing number of golfers with disabilities on fairways. There is therefore an increasing need for course managers to understand the ADA requirements for accommodating persons with disabilities in any public facility. In New Jersey, the State Office on Disability Services is a good source of information on the ADA and other issues related to persons with disabilities.

As we near the 10^th anniversary of the signing of the ADA, all Americans should clearly understand the right of disabled persons to have access to public places. For New Jersey residents, learning about this and related issues is easy. Simply call the State Office on Disability Services

at 1-888-285-3036.

William A. B. Ditto
Executive Director
State Office On Disability Services