In the quiet, scenic landscape of the Riviera di Ponente, the Golf Club Genova – Sant’Anna recently transformed from a local sporting hub into the epicenter of European paralympic golf. From July 16 to 18, 2026, the club hosted the European Team Championship for Golfers with Disability, a tournament that carried stakes far beyond the final leaderboard.
The event, held under the joint aegis of the European Golf Association (EGA) and the European Disabled Golf Association (EDGA), gathered eight national squads to compete for the continental title. Simultaneously, six teams vied for the Nation’s Cup, a category where Italy—the 2024 champions—entered two separate squads to defend their crown. For the Italian delegation, the tournament was not merely a chance to retain silverware but a tactical opportunity to integrate experienced hands like Cristiano Berlanda, fresh from a victory in the Phoenix Cup, with a new generation of talent.
The competition followed a rigorous 54-hole structure, split into daily 18-hole sessions. The format underscored the technical adaptability required in elite paralympic golf: players navigated the 'Mare e Monti' courses through a rotation of Greensome and Foursome pairings. This required captains to balance player strengths across four sports bands, ensuring a gender-inclusive composition for every team on the tee.
The Legacy of Accessibility
Liguria’s role as the host was no accident. Having been named the 'Best European Region of Sport' in 2025, the regional government utilized this tournament to showcase infrastructure improvements. Simona Ferro, Vice President of the Liguria Region with a delegation for sport, highlighted that the event serves as a physical manifestation of a broader regional mission. Beyond the competition, the local administration has backed this inclusive surge with a significant extraordinary allocation of 300,000 euros, specifically earmarked for training staff to facilitate sport for those who might otherwise be sidelined by accessibility concerns.
This commitment to inclusivity permeated the event schedule. On July 17, a roundtable titled Lo Sport Paralimpico: Storia e Storie che migliorano la Società (Paralympic Sport: History and Stories that improve Society) brought together officials and athletes to debate the social mechanics of sport. Meanwhile, the club opened its doors to the public for two Open Days, offering potential new players the opportunity to engage with instructors and experience the game’s therapeutic and social utility.
Tactical Stakes and the 'Golf Oltre Ogni Barriera' Initiative
The tournament served as the high-water mark for the Golf Oltre Ogni Barriera (Golf Beyond Every Barrier) project. Launched earlier in April at the Golf Club Pineta di Arenzano, the initiative is a systematic effort by the Italian Golf Federation (FIG) to build a network of accessible clubs across the region. The project, led by Regional Delegate Roberto Damonte, aims to normalize the presence of para-athletes in all local golfing circles, treating disability not as an obstacle but as a variable in a professionalized sport.
As the final putts dropped on July 18, the atmosphere at Cogoleto was one of validation. Joaquín Castillo, President of the EGA, joined local officials to observe a field that has evolved significantly since the tournament’s last major iterations in Belgium and Germany. For the local organizers, the lasting impact is measured not just by the tournament results, but by the fact that Liguria has successfully linked competitive excellence with sustainable, accessible tourism—a template they intend to export further in the coming seasons.
Sources
These sources formed the evidence pack for this article. Links open the original publisher; inclusion does not imply endorsement.
- giornale original
- lavocedigenova.it original
- repubblica.it original
- stellenellosport original
- BarbarAle original
- Redazione Genova24 original
- svsport.it original
