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Little City to offer golf clinic open house for people with disabilities

Little City's new indoor golf center is currently enrolling new participants for small group instruction with a PGA certified golf teacher Thursday afternoons at the facility on the nonprofit's campus in Palatine. To launch the program, Little City is offering free golf lessons during Open House Specials at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8 and 15, and at 4 p.m. Thursday Dec. 10 and 17 at 1760 W. Algonquin Road in Palatine.

Mary Dwyer, who was a member of the Ladies Professional Golf Tour for 20 years and who is a PGA certified teacher, will provide instruction to individuals with disabilities age 16 and older. No prior golf experience is required.

"We want it to be a well-used facility. We want to expose as many people to Mary Dwyer as we can. She's just fantastic," said Tim LaHart, director of recreation and fitness at Little City.

Dwyer, who also has worked as a golf teacher at Northmoor Country Club in Highland Park and Tamarisk Country Club near Palm Springs, Calif., has prior experience teaching golf to children with disabilities. She has been providing instruction at Little City since 2014.

"It's been wonderful," she said. "They are so easy to help."

With a warm, jovial personality, Dwyer gives advice in an approachable manner, telling participants to line their bodies up to the ball with their belly buttons even with the tee. She is quick to praise their efforts.

Dwyer, who has been playing golf since age 11, was a member of championship golf teams at the University of Miami in Florida before joining the LPGA.

"Everybody says how much they love Mary," said Kyle Standridge, a recreational therapist at Little City with a background in sports management who will be assisting in the program.

Following the open house clinics, Little City plans to offer a four-week session on Thursday afternoons priced at $120 total per participant. Inquire about the program at the open house or contact Tim Gavin at tgavin@littlecity.org.

For more than 50 years, Little City Foundation has developed innovative and personalized programs to assist and empower children and adults with autism and other intellectual and developmental disabilities. For information about Little City, visit www.littlecity.org or contact Ann Meyer at ameyer@littlecity.org or (847) 221-7831.

Little City participants John King, left, and Joe Flasch enjoy a golf lesson with Mary Dwyer, who was a member of the Ladies Professional Golf Tour for 20 years. Dwyer provides instruction and coaching to golfers with disabilities at Little City in Palatine. Courtesy of Little City
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