An inspirational golfer who lost both legs and all but two of his fingers after contracting bacterial meningitis at a golf tournament has been gifted a membership by London Golf Club to help him on his golf journey.
Issa Nlareb, 34, was first introduced to golf at the age of 11 when, following the death of his mother, he started work as a ball boy at a local club to earn money in his home country of Cameroon. After a few years, he progressed to caddying and eventually started playing the game himself.
His talent was obvious from the start, and at one point he was the top-rated player in Africa. A tournament in Egypt in 2018, however, changed the trajectory of his life forever. During tournament week, he contracted bacterial meningitis, losing both legs, all fingers on his left hand and all but two of the fingers on his right hand.
But after a couple of years, it became clear that he missed golf too much to give it up – and to his delight, Nlareb realised that he could still hit a golf ball better than most. Thus began the slow climb up the World Ranking for Golfers with a Disability (WR4GD).
In August, the Cameroonian was one of 30 golfers from six nations who competed on London Golf Club’s International Course as EDGA’s inaugural London Golf Club G4D Shield took place. Following a superb four-under opening round of 68, Nlareb’s second round 78 in difficult conditions was enough to see him finish one shot clear of the chasing pack.
The world number 12 recently returned to the prestigious Kent venue, and upon arrival was gifted a membership to the club to enable him to practise and train when in the UK.
Ben Stimson, director of golf at London Golf Club, said: “Issa Nlareb is an incredibly inspirational individual – his story of resilience can teach us all how to react in life to setbacks.
“His love for the game of golf is infectious, and we are delighted to be able to offer our world-class services to support him during his journey over the coming years.”
Nlareb said: “I love to play golf here. The practice facilities are in such great condition. The courses are very challenging, and everyone has been extremely welcoming.
“I’m looking forward to using London Golf Club as a training base when in England and would like to thank the club for this kind gesture.”
Nlareb will defend his title at London Golf Club in 2025 when the London Golf Club G4D Shield returns.