Royal Wellington Golf Club golfer Jason Eade is competing in the Carrus Tauranga Open – All Abilities Invitational at the Tauranga Golf Club this weekend. Photo / Simon Watts / BW Media
Royal Wellington Golf Club golfer Jason Eade is competing in the Carrus Tauranga Open – All Abilities Invitational at the Tauranga Golf Club this weekend. Photo / Simon Watts / BW Media
The Carrus Tauranga Open – All Abilities Invitational is being held this weekend at the Tauranga Golf Club. One of the golfers, Jason Eade (Royal Wellington Golf Club), explains his journey into all-abilities golf and why it’s important to keep fighting after a life-changing injury.
Three decades ago, Iwas a 22-year-old boxer with Olympic dreams.
I had been selected to represent New Zealand at the 1992 games in Barcelona, and everything in my life was building toward that one goal.
But in a split second, everything changed.
It was a crisp afternoon in 1991, and I was riding my motorbike near Kaiapoi, just north of Christchurch. The sun was low in the sky, and as I rounded a bend, I was completely blinded by sunstrike.
When my vision returned, I was heading straight for a lamppost. I didn’t have time to think — only react. Instinctively, I ducked, using a move I’d honed through years in the boxing ring.
That decision saved my life.
The impact was massive. My left leg was severed at the knee. I was lying on the side of the road, stunned, in a pool of blood. A bystander – someone I’ll never forget – fashioned a tourniquet and kept me alive until help arrived. I was rushed to Christchurch Hospital, and by that night, doctors had made the call to amputate above the knee.
My right leg was also badly broken, but somehow, I escaped without internal injuries. I remember lying in the hospital bed that night, staring at the ceiling and thinking, “Man, I’m lucky to be alive.” But at the same time, the weight of what I’d lost was overwhelming.
I had gone from being an elite athlete preparing for the Olympics to someone learning to walk again.
The early days were tough. I had no idea what the future looked like. How would people perceive me now? What would life be like living with a disability? At 22, I had to start over – physically, emotionally, and mentally.
Royal Wellington Golf Club golfer Jason Eade is competing in the Carrus Tauranga Open – All Abilities Invitational at the Tauranga Golf Club this weekend. Photo / Simon Watts / BW Media
But I didn’t want to be defined by my injury.
With support from ACC (Accident Compensation Corporation), I threw myself into rehabilitation. They were with me every step of the way – medical care, prosthetics, vehicle modifications, you name it. That support gave me the foundation to not just recover, but to rebuild.
I dabbled in wheelchair sports – tennis and rugby – but they didn’t quite fit. Then, in 2007, I went along to a work golf tournament. I picked up a club, took a swing, and something just clicked. I hit a few decent shots and thought, “You know what? I can do this.”
So I taught myself how to play.
Fast forward to today – I’m a 10-handicap golfer, playing every weekend at Royal Wellington Golf Club. My best round? An even-par 72 at Manor Park, where I also notched up a hole-in-one. In 2022, I won the New Zealand Disability Golf Championship, and more recently, competed in the New Zealand All Abilities Championship.
I love golf because, like life, you never truly master it. Every round is a new challenge. It’s humbling and rewarding at the same time.
Jason Eade had his left leg amputated above the knee when he was 22 after a motorbike accident. Photo / Simon Watts / BW Media
What means even more to me now is the opportunity to show younger players – especially those living with disability – that sport is still possible. I’m 56 now, and beating the young fellas is a nice bonus.
But my real drive is to be a role model. I want others to see that, yes, life throws curveballs – but there’s still so much to live for.
Outside golf, I’ve worked at the InterContinental Hotel in Wellington for over two decades. I started as a porter and now I’m the chief concierge, leading a team of 12.
It’s a physically demanding job – long days on your feet – but I’ve never made excuses. If anything, I’ve worked harder to prove what’s possible.
Jason Eade is the chief concierge at the InterContinental Hotel in Wellington, where he has worked for more than two decades. Photo / Ezra McDonald / ACC
I’ve even won a couple of international awards for hotel excellence. But for me, the greatest reward is showing up every day, leading my team, and being part of a community.
If I could give one piece of advice to anyone facing a life-changing injury, it’s this: you have a responsibility to yourself to keep living. You only get one shot at life. Don’t waste it.
The crash ended one chapter of my story – but it also opened another. And standing over a pressure putt to win a championship, I know this for certain: I’ve faced far tougher moments. And I’m still here.
