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GA of America Golf Professional Kim Moore, now 43, has spent her entire life overcoming obstacles and redefining the words determination, perseverance, resilience, spirit, spunk and fortitude.
Born with no right foot, a severe clubbed left foot and a mild case of spina bifida, Moore became a below-the-knee amputee and was fit for her first prosthetic at age 2 when she began to walk. Born into a sports-minded family, Moore never used her physical challenges as a reason not to participate while competing in golf, basketball, football, soccer and volleyball. Her positive, resolute attitude found her a place on her high school basketball team, although it was extremely difficult.
“Basketball was definitely the sport I grew up with and really had a passion for early on in my life,” admits Moore, a native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, who now serves as the Women’s Golf Coach at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan.
“I grew up playing many sports. I’ve always had a can-do attitude. I’ve never let anything stop me.”
Moore didn’t play golf until her freshman year in high school, but once she learned a few fundamentals, she was a natural. And despite her physical limitations, Moore mastered the game relatively quickly.
“My dad was instrumental in me starting golf,” she recalls. “I soon fell in love with it.”
The determined Moore earned a scholarship to the University of Indianapolis and competed on the women’s golf team from 1999 to 2003. She earned a bachelor’s degree in biology with a minor in chemistry and took lessons from PGA of America Professional Gary Grant at Pine Valley Country Club in Fort Wayne throughout high school and into college.
Moore’s college career was so successful – despite her physical challenges – that she decided to pursue professional golf. She finished a single shot shy of securing her LPGA Tour card at LPGA Qualifying School, but then played the Futures Tour for three years.
“I was the first female with a disability to gain playing status on the Futures Tour,” notes Moore proudly. “About three years out of college is when I decided to go after my PGA of America certification.”
Realizing she had a knack for teaching the game to golfers of all abilities and disabilities, Moore worked at Colonial Oaks Golf Club in Fort Wayne and completed her PGA certification at Elcona Country Club in Bristol, Indiana, being elected to PGA of America Membership in 2012.
The resourceful Moore joined the collegiate coaching ranks later in 2012 by becoming the Head Golf Coach at Saint Mary’s College in South Bend, Indiana. Then, in 2020, Moore accepted the Head Women’s Golf Coach position at Western Michigan.
“My time at Saint Mary’s College and at Western Michigan has made me into the coach and teaching professional I am today,” she explains.
“Guiding these young women in college is one of the most fulfilling things about my career.”
As a player, Moore is a standout in adaptive golf circles. She won the 2003 Canadian National Amputee Golf Championship, the 2005 Japan Amputee Open Championship and is a nine-time U.S. National Amputee Champion. Perhaps her high-water mark as a competitor came in the inaugural USGA Adaptive Open in 2022 at Pinehurst No. 6, when she cruised to an eight-shot victory. She followed that by winning the Female Division in the first-ever G4D Open in 2023 outside London, England, an event staged by the R&A in partnership with the DP World Tour.
“Playing in the inaugural USGA Adaptive Open and winning it is one of the biggest accomplishments in my golf career,” admits Moore, who has won or finished second in each Adaptive Open.
She has become a devout ambassador for the Adaptive Golf community, and realizes many younger golfers see her as an inspirational figure as adaptive golf grows by leaps and bounds in the U.S.
“Representing that community is very rewarding for me and I have no doubt I will continue playing in many of these events,” Moore explains.
She takes as much pride in teaching adaptive golf as she does coaching and playing the game competitively.
“My philosophy when it comes to teaching adaptive golf is that I want to provide instruction that will help students enjoy the game more and change their lives,” Moore says. “I’m so excited to be able to help them.”
—Roger Graves