How golf helped man walk again after bike accident left him paralysed

A year after being told he would never walk again, a social media post about golf potentially being included in the 2032 Paralympic Games "lit a fire" in Chris Perry.

"It kind of lit a fire into me to get involved with adaptive golf," Perry said.

"Just to be able to get out there on the course itself because I know I spent countless hours in hospital trying to get right. Golf's the reward for all the hard work."

The Sunshine Coast father of two was told he would be a quadriplegic for life after a bicycle accident while camping in 2024, which left him with no feeling below his neck.

The 40-year-old broke his neck in two places, his C3 and C4, and damaged his spinal cord.

But Perry insisted his recovery was never in doubt.

"I think what I was told and what I wanted to achieve were two completely different things,"

he said.

Adaptive golf 'perfect' for rehabilitation

Previously only a social golfer, Perry had never played competitively — until this year.

After winning this year's adaptive golf competition on the Sunshine Coast and taking out the Golf Australia All Abilities championship in South Australia, the champion adaptive golfer is among those campaigning for the sport to be included in the 2032 Paralympic Games.

The International Paralympic Committee is set to meet later this year to decide on what sports will be included in the 2032 Paralympic Games.

The International Golf Federation (IGF) is leading the campaign.

After two failed attempts to have golf included in the Paris and Los Angeles Paralympics, IGF's head of disability inclusion, Christian Hamilton, hoped a compliant set of classification rules would get them out of the bunker.

"Classification is a major component of para-sport," Mr Hamilton said.

"We've done all that work, and we're now seen as a compliant sport."

Following a year-long bidding process, the decision now sits with the International Paralympic Committee Board (IPCB) and then the Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee.

The IPCB has not responded to the ABC's request for comment.

'Inspiring for anyone'

When Perry met with his physiotherapist and first shared his new-found dream of playing Paralympic golf, he was told the sport was "perfect" as it helped with balance, arm-swinging motions, standing, and his stamina.

He was then assessed by a golf physio, given a golf pass, and placed in category Standing 1 for the adaptive golf game.

The category was for players with impaired standing balance, multiple limb impairments, or severe lower limb impairments.

Golf coach Wade Hooper said he was confident Perry would qualify.

With four to six years until qualification, he has "time up his sleeve".

"Because he's sharp with his game, if he can get a bit more distance, the fact that he shot 94 to win the week or two before, that's a pretty good shot," Hooper said.

"If he can start getting into the 80s, he'll have every chance of qualifying for sure."

Regardless of whether golf is picked up for the Paralympic Games, coach Hooper said the sport was "key" to Perry's recovery.

"Whether he's winning or not, the fact that he's out there playing and competing and it's given him some drive for his rehab, I think it's just all positive, and it's very inspiring for anyone that's following his journey," Hooper said.

Noosa high school sweethearts

Perry's wife Ambre — who is also his caddie — agreed, adding his improvement away from the course had been remarkable too.

"Golf's the thing that keeps him going," she said.

"We have been told he can go backwards just as quickly as he can forward if he doesn't keep moving."

"[Perry] downplays it a lot, but it has been really hard."

The couple grew up in Noosa and have been together for more than 20 years.

Although golf-obsessed, Perry said, really, it was about spending time with his wife.

"It's just good to spend some quality time together," he said.

"I don't find the game too frustrating because this is a reward for all the hard work that I've gone through over the last two years.

"Being able to play golf is the cream on top, and especially having my wife as my caddie."

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