#TeamTaylorMadeCA Thursday - Todd Keirstead

There are a lot of great people in Canadian Golf.

Todd Kierstead is most definitely one of those great people who is doing amazing things through the game.

A PGA of Canada professional for more than 20 years, Keirstead has travelled the globe showcasing his unique golf trick-shots, raising serious money for charities. He’s been voted Trick Shot of the Year on the Golf Channel and has been on CTV Sports Plays of the Year. Keirstead’s also been featured on ESPN, Sports Illustrated, TSN and TMZ.

In September of 2014, while performing for a United States military veterans’ hospital in Florida, Keirstead had a realization a majority of the golf trick shots he had been hitting over the years were actually emulating the physical situations of the wounded warriors who were in attendance.

“I came to the realization I was in fact changing mindsets by showing these amazing military individuals how golf could be played in an adaptive way,” Keirstead says. “In an instant my life had changed—I was given a new path and purpose.”

After that line-in-the-sand moment, Keirstead remembers returning home to Canada with a new sense of responsibility to show that golf is a sport for everyone, regardless of his or her physical or mental situation.

Today, Keirstead is one of the world leaders in adaptive golf. His program—which has been supported by TaylorMade Golf Canada for five years—aims to help individuals with physical and cognitive injuries overcome challenges that might prevent them from enjoying golf.

“Since 2015 the support from this company has been overwhelming,” Keirstead admits. “TaylorMade Canada understands the importance of growing the sport of adaptive golf.”

Through his adaptive golf program, Keirstead has witnessed first-hand how the amazing game of golf has helped people journey through the challenges associated with an illness or injury.

“The most rewarding part of what I do is that I have enlightened thousands with my vision that anyone can play golf, no matter what their circumstance,” Keirstead says. “Disabled individuals should have every opportunity to be as active as non-disabled people and physical activity from golf can make a fundamental difference to someone’s quality of life.”

Moving forward, Keirstead says his mission is to ignite the passion in individuals and to transcend personal boundaries both on and off the golf course.

“With the help of TaylorMade Canada, I am able to promote wellness and health, and minimizing secondary disability-related complications, such as social isolation, depression, substance abuse, domestic abuse and suicide,” he says. “Providing the integration of all individuals who wish to play golf shows that individuals need to be considered for their abilities rather than their impairment.”

For more information about Kierstead and to watch his latest TK Talk series, visit tkinspire.com.