April 18, 2026 • 13 mins
Guy Harrison's doctors said that he needed to prepare for life in a wheelchair at a young age - but he's gone on to secure a national golf championship.
He went on to win the NZ All Abilities golf championship nearly 20 years after being diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
He joined Piney to discuss his journey.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
I'll bring you a pretty inspirational sports story. Guy Harrison
had a normal birth, but when he was three years
of age, he had a massive seizure and technically died.
He was revived but left with cerebral palsy. The doctors
told Guy and his family at that time that he
would not be able to walk or talk and would
(00:34):
be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
He defied the odds with the support of his parents
and the game of golf. Guy is now twenty four
years old. He can walk, he can talk, he's out
of his wheelchair, and he is also New Zealand's number
one disability golfer and recent winner of New Zealand's All
Abilities Golf Championship at Windross Farm. He has recently been
(00:58):
awarded a scholarship by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club,
which will allow him, among other things, to travel to
the UK shortly to play in the G four D
Open later in the month. It's a story of resilience,
belief and the power of sport to literally change lives.
Guy Harrison is with us. Guy, your story is incredible
(01:19):
when you reflect on what you were told or what
your family was told when you were just a very
small child. What does it mean to you now to
be achieving what you are and competing at this level.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
Yeah, like after that slow start and having been really
lucky to have parents that I have, being able to
proved and wrong being able to play the game. I
love starting off at the local nine hole courses playing
with Dad and then now being able to have the
opportunity to go overseas and play against the best players
in the world as truly unbelievable and can't believe that
it's so close to be able to do that.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Take us back to those early days you mentioned your dad.
There is that how gold first came into your life
and why do you think it resonated with you?
Speaker 3 (02:03):
I mean, after the seizure, I went from being that
everything was normal to then not being able to do anything,
and Dad, being a top sportsman him south was thinking, oh,
we need to find a sport to keep him moving,
and he thought of golf. And I started golf when
I was five years old at the local local golf
course and it was just being able to beat Dad
(02:25):
was always a big gold mine. It was always my
big goal to try and beat Dad, and just being
able to go out hitting some clean shots and just
having spending some time with my father. That's why I
love the game so much. Being able to travel be
so lucky in the Zeland with the matter golf courses
that I mean, yeah, I just got helked straight away
and then just enjoy traveling after that.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
What were some of the biggest physical and mental challenges
you had to overcome to get to where you are now?
Speaker 3 (02:50):
I mean, yeah, as we all know, growing up with
the disability, it's not easy, and with the disability I have,
it's really day by day I struggle a lot with
fatigue and then also the other factor of being able
to just being able to play I can't play, and
then the mental side of things of being able to
(03:10):
believe that I can play the game at the level
that I'm playing at at the moment. Golf has been
great for me because for a lot of people out
there with disabilities is a really you get a lot
of chances. You don't get many chances to spend and
do stuff with kids your own age, and golf gave
me a chance to be able to make friends, make connections,
(03:33):
and just being able to live in a normal life.
And I'm just so thankful for my parents to get
me into golf, because I wouldn't be where I am
today without them.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
We mentioned beating your dad before, which is a form
of competition. I think we all all like to beat
our parents at whatever it is that we come up
against them in. But when I mean, has it always
been a sport that from early on you were competitive
in or did that come later that you started to
think about, Hey, i'll make you, I'll makeually not bad
at this.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
I mean I grew up in the Hawk's Bay and
I went through Hawks Bay Junior Golf, But I mean
at that stage, I didn't even know about disability golf.
Going through, I wasn't the top golfer there, but I
was able to win some matches against some top players
throughout the time, and I was just used to love
competing for I went to Native Boys and was in
the top school team for this and then being able
(04:24):
to go and travel and represent the region was really nice.
But the first time I knew about disability golf was
twenty nineteen. Here was a disability Golf open that I
was being played at Maria Nui, which was my home
course growing up, and not knowing about it. A mate
so a post the normal, Ah, go, you got disability,
why don't you plan this? And I was like, oh,
(04:44):
what his disability? Golf? And then from this moment on
it was just going through the journey of being able
to travel around, meeting different players and slowly being able
to get high and higher up in the rankings than
now being the top ranked golfer. It's pretty nice to
be able to bim now, but it's cool to be
able to have the journey to get me to that point.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Also, what parts of your game, guy, have improved the most?
And in the last two or three years.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
If you know me, well, we all know how erratic
I am off the sea. That I mean, I can
had a big board, but I'm a very sociable tree lover.
I mean I normally end up in the trees a bit.
But being able to have this shot to being able
to just stay positive that I mean a lot of
times I'd slow down my swing and then I'm still
going to be heading in the trees anyway. Do I
(05:33):
mean my biggest change have been the mental side and
My driving have gone a lot bigger, bigger and more
consistent over the last few years, which have given me
a lot more opportunities to compete in competition.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
So tell us about what's coming up the G four
D Open at Celtic Manor Resort. Tell us about that.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
That I mean, this is the Pinnacle of Disability Gulf.
That means seventy players around the world qualified for this event,
and being and winning our national champs this year and
being the top rank plane in New Zealand ended up
getting me in for this event. It's pretty much it's
kind of we've all been watching the Masters. This event
is kind of like the Masters of Disability golf. All
(06:13):
the best players around the world will go and have
two days and then he will be a cust for
the third day. For the top half the field will
qualify for the third day to go for the mat
for the International Championship. There will be a core opportunity
to play a righte a cup course and just a
chance to be able to see where the top player is.
That because can't leave the top disability player in the
(06:34):
world have seal posy too. That I mean, it's pretty
cold to be able to have time to inspire to
that have the same disability that it would be nice
to watch him and see how he adapts his game
to be able to be at the level he is today.
But it will just be a co opportunity to be
able to play myself but also put New Zealand on
the map. So I mean I'm the first New Zealander
ever to qualify for this event and having the New
(06:56):
Zealand's flag here alongside all the other international flags will
be killed and being able to promote so the good
stuff that's happening down in New Zealand at the moment.
When it comes to disability.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
Golf, you're doing an amazing work guy off the course,
and you've spoken I know about wanting more access and
awareness of disability golf. What are the biggest barriers for
disabled people wanting to play golf in New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
The biggest barriers is it's a lot around this knowledge
side of things, but it's also the resources currently doing
in the background alongside my own playing. I'm doing a
lot of work at the moment trying to create a
funding stream to be able to get players overseas. For
twenty twenty seven, the aim of this trip for this
year is for me to go over and experience it.
(07:44):
Also playing in Scotland and London that we have a
few chances to see how they run the events over there.
But also we are doing initiative of trying to raise
the money for that. I mean we're looking at trying
to raise one hundred thousand dollars and we booked in
a charity golf day at Royal Auckland on the fifteenth
of their next year, which will be a big part
(08:05):
of our fun thing. And the main reason why we
are doing this is to be able to provide a
pathway for those other disability golfers coming through, a chance
to go overseas and compete against the best in the world.
But not only that, the most important thing when it
comes to all sport is the grassroads and this is
a level of things that we're missing out on at
the moment. That I mean being able to provide the
(08:27):
resources of SNAG equipment and then being able to give
them out to local community groups and disability organizations, to
be able to grow the base of junior disability golfer
is coming through and then having a base of players
playing overseas and being able to inspire those young kids
just getting into the game. This whole system around having
(08:50):
the people to inspire the grassroots and golf in dead
and disability, golf in deeds at the moment, running ready
cool disability events locally. With those three pathway pieces, this
will create golf for be a lot bigger in the
years to come.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
Incredible. Do you have a stop in and appreciate and
feel proud of just how far you have come?
Speaker 3 (09:10):
Personally, I have looked back. I've been really lucky and
my golf's always been my love. But I've also been
involved with other sports from athletics, the swimming, the triathlon.
But at the end of the day, I know how
lucky I've been, and here's been those people out there
who've given back have given me an opportunity to be
(09:31):
where I am today. And then now it's the time
for myself to be like, Okay, I've been so extremely lucky.
Now it's the time to be able to give back
and give back to the kids coming through and the
family's coming through. They're all going through the heartaches of
going through this, and if I can make this slightly
easier and being able to provide the game that I
love of golf, and golf is one of the most
(09:52):
successful games in the world. This is something I'm truly
passionate and it's nice about to do for full circle
of being given everything growing up to be able to
overcome my own barriers, to now be able to overcome
other people's barriers moving forward.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
So it sounds like your biggest goal now is of
course you still want to be successful personally, but it
sounds as though your bigger goal is making sure others
get the same opportunity that golf has given you. Would
that be a fair assessment.
Speaker 3 (10:21):
Yes, I mean I'm still as you can see with
the beating dad thing, I'm still competitive myself. But at
the end of the day, if i'm I love competing
and stuff like that, but it's more important of giving
back that I mean. Currently I worked down in the
Manu or two as the parafed disability Sports Advisor corderating
(10:41):
all the events that the kids with physical disabilities down here,
and then now being able to provide more golfing opportunities
for kids or adults of disabilities coming through this will
be it's this legacy piece. Don't mean for me, I
want to be able to make a difference for the
people coming through then when I've had my career and
I'm still competing, but being able to do both at
(11:02):
the same time will have a lot more positive effect
than just focusing on my own sports at his can't.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Moment to finish, what would you say to a young
person with a disability or a family that that you
know includes a young person with a disability who might
be a bit unsure about trying golf or in fat
guy trying any sport.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
Just go out and do it. Here's always ways that
you're going to be able to adapt it being outside.
We are so lucky in these Zealands, but outdoors and
things like that, and with the game of goal, just
start off with mini parts, then go to the driving range,
and then get confident on the driving range, and then
go to the range. You don't have to look like
the professionals like Rory McRoy or Tiger Woods. You can
(11:47):
you can look a little bit different, but just go
out there and enjoy it and just having a whole
lot of fun with friends and family and just have
you ever a chance, say yes and just give it
a go, and you never know where it might take you.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Your journey is inspiration or your story is one that's resonated,
I'm sure with many of our listeners. All the best
on your travels, Congratulations on what you've achieved up to
this point and look forward to staying in touch to
see to see the power of good that you're doing
in the future. Thanks for taking time for a chat
to us.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
Yes, thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
No, thank you very much, Guy, Guy Harrison. There pretty
inspirational stuff text here. Just tuned in. Who is this
superhero you have on at the moment? Guy Harrison is
his name if you missed the start of our chat.
He suffered a massive seizure when he was three years old,
technically died, was revived, left with cerebral palsy. The doctor
(12:40):
said he's not going to walk, he's not going to talk,
He's going to be in a wheelchair for the rest
of his life. And yet here he is New Zealand's
number one disability golfer, recent winner of New Zealand's All
Abilities Golf Championship, and now the first New Zealander to
go to the UK and qualify to play in the
(13:00):
G four d Open later in the month.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
For more from Weekend Sport, with Jason Fain. Listen live
to news Talks at B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
I'll bring you a pretty inspirational sports story. Guy Harrison
had a normal birth, but when he was three years
of age, he had a massive seizure and technically died.
He was revived but left with cerebral palsy. The doctors
told Guy and his family at that time that he
would not be able to walk or talk and would
(00:34):
be in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
He defied the odds with the support of his parents
and the game of golf. Guy is now twenty four
years old. He can walk, he can talk, he's out
of his wheelchair, and he is also New Zealand's number
one disability golfer and recent winner of New Zealand's All
Abilities Golf Championship at Windross Farm. He has recently been
(00:58):
awarded a scholarship by the Royal and Ancient Golf Club,
which will allow him, among other things, to travel to
the UK shortly to play in the G four D
Open later in the month. It's a story of resilience,
belief and the power of sport to literally change lives.
Guy Harrison is with us. Guy, your story is incredible
(01:19):
when you reflect on what you were told or what
your family was told when you were just a very
small child. What does it mean to you now to
be achieving what you are and competing at this level.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
Yeah, like after that slow start and having been really
lucky to have parents that I have, being able to
proved and wrong being able to play the game. I
love starting off at the local nine hole courses playing
with Dad and then now being able to have the
opportunity to go overseas and play against the best players
in the world as truly unbelievable and can't believe that
it's so close to be able to do that.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Take us back to those early days you mentioned your dad.
There is that how gold first came into your life
and why do you think it resonated with you?
Speaker 3 (02:03):
I mean, after the seizure, I went from being that
everything was normal to then not being able to do anything,
and Dad, being a top sportsman him south was thinking, oh,
we need to find a sport to keep him moving,
and he thought of golf. And I started golf when
I was five years old at the local local golf
course and it was just being able to beat Dad
(02:25):
was always a big gold mine. It was always my
big goal to try and beat Dad, and just being
able to go out hitting some clean shots and just
having spending some time with my father. That's why I
love the game so much. Being able to travel be
so lucky in the Zeland with the matter golf courses
that I mean, yeah, I just got helked straight away
and then just enjoy traveling after that.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
What were some of the biggest physical and mental challenges
you had to overcome to get to where you are now?
Speaker 3 (02:50):
I mean, yeah, as we all know, growing up with
the disability, it's not easy, and with the disability I have,
it's really day by day I struggle a lot with
fatigue and then also the other factor of being able
to just being able to play I can't play, and
then the mental side of things of being able to
(03:10):
believe that I can play the game at the level
that I'm playing at at the moment. Golf has been
great for me because for a lot of people out
there with disabilities is a really you get a lot
of chances. You don't get many chances to spend and
do stuff with kids your own age, and golf gave
me a chance to be able to make friends, make connections,
(03:33):
and just being able to live in a normal life.
And I'm just so thankful for my parents to get
me into golf, because I wouldn't be where I am
today without them.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
We mentioned beating your dad before, which is a form
of competition. I think we all all like to beat
our parents at whatever it is that we come up
against them in. But when I mean, has it always
been a sport that from early on you were competitive
in or did that come later that you started to
think about, Hey, i'll make you, I'll makeually not bad
at this.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
I mean I grew up in the Hawk's Bay and
I went through Hawks Bay Junior Golf, But I mean
at that stage, I didn't even know about disability golf.
Going through, I wasn't the top golfer there, but I
was able to win some matches against some top players
throughout the time, and I was just used to love
competing for I went to Native Boys and was in
the top school team for this and then being able
(04:24):
to go and travel and represent the region was really nice.
But the first time I knew about disability golf was
twenty nineteen. Here was a disability Golf open that I
was being played at Maria Nui, which was my home
course growing up, and not knowing about it. A mate
so a post the normal, Ah, go, you got disability,
why don't you plan this? And I was like, oh,
(04:44):
what his disability? Golf? And then from this moment on
it was just going through the journey of being able
to travel around, meeting different players and slowly being able
to get high and higher up in the rankings than
now being the top ranked golfer. It's pretty nice to
be able to bim now, but it's cool to be
able to have the journey to get me to that point.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
Also, what parts of your game, guy, have improved the most?
And in the last two or three years.
Speaker 3 (05:11):
If you know me, well, we all know how erratic
I am off the sea. That I mean, I can
had a big board, but I'm a very sociable tree lover.
I mean I normally end up in the trees a bit.
But being able to have this shot to being able
to just stay positive that I mean a lot of
times I'd slow down my swing and then I'm still
going to be heading in the trees anyway. Do I
(05:33):
mean my biggest change have been the mental side and
My driving have gone a lot bigger, bigger and more
consistent over the last few years, which have given me
a lot more opportunities to compete in competition.
Speaker 2 (05:44):
So tell us about what's coming up the G four
D Open at Celtic Manor Resort. Tell us about that.
Speaker 3 (05:52):
That I mean, this is the Pinnacle of Disability Gulf.
That means seventy players around the world qualified for this event,
and being and winning our national champs this year and
being the top rank plane in New Zealand ended up
getting me in for this event. It's pretty much it's
kind of we've all been watching the Masters. This event
is kind of like the Masters of Disability golf. All
(06:13):
the best players around the world will go and have
two days and then he will be a cust for
the third day. For the top half the field will
qualify for the third day to go for the mat
for the International Championship. There will be a core opportunity
to play a righte a cup course and just a
chance to be able to see where the top player is.
That because can't leave the top disability player in the
(06:34):
world have seal posy too. That I mean, it's pretty
cold to be able to have time to inspire to
that have the same disability that it would be nice
to watch him and see how he adapts his game
to be able to be at the level he is today.
But it will just be a co opportunity to be
able to play myself but also put New Zealand on
the map. So I mean I'm the first New Zealander
ever to qualify for this event and having the New
(06:56):
Zealand's flag here alongside all the other international flags will
be killed and being able to promote so the good
stuff that's happening down in New Zealand at the moment.
When it comes to disability.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
Golf, you're doing an amazing work guy off the course,
and you've spoken I know about wanting more access and
awareness of disability golf. What are the biggest barriers for
disabled people wanting to play golf in New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
The biggest barriers is it's a lot around this knowledge
side of things, but it's also the resources currently doing
in the background alongside my own playing. I'm doing a
lot of work at the moment trying to create a
funding stream to be able to get players overseas. For
twenty twenty seven, the aim of this trip for this
year is for me to go over and experience it.
(07:44):
Also playing in Scotland and London that we have a
few chances to see how they run the events over there.
But also we are doing initiative of trying to raise
the money for that. I mean we're looking at trying
to raise one hundred thousand dollars and we booked in
a charity golf day at Royal Auckland on the fifteenth
of their next year, which will be a big part
(08:05):
of our fun thing. And the main reason why we
are doing this is to be able to provide a
pathway for those other disability golfers coming through, a chance
to go overseas and compete against the best in the world.
But not only that, the most important thing when it
comes to all sport is the grassroads and this is
a level of things that we're missing out on at
the moment. That I mean being able to provide the
(08:27):
resources of SNAG equipment and then being able to give
them out to local community groups and disability organizations, to
be able to grow the base of junior disability golfer
is coming through and then having a base of players
playing overseas and being able to inspire those young kids
just getting into the game. This whole system around having
(08:50):
the people to inspire the grassroots and golf in dead
and disability, golf in deeds at the moment, running ready
cool disability events locally. With those three pathway pieces, this
will create golf for be a lot bigger in the
years to come.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
Incredible. Do you have a stop in and appreciate and
feel proud of just how far you have come?
Speaker 3 (09:10):
Personally, I have looked back. I've been really lucky and
my golf's always been my love. But I've also been
involved with other sports from athletics, the swimming, the triathlon.
But at the end of the day, I know how
lucky I've been, and here's been those people out there
who've given back have given me an opportunity to be
(09:31):
where I am today. And then now it's the time
for myself to be like, Okay, I've been so extremely lucky.
Now it's the time to be able to give back
and give back to the kids coming through and the
family's coming through. They're all going through the heartaches of
going through this, and if I can make this slightly
easier and being able to provide the game that I
love of golf, and golf is one of the most
(09:52):
successful games in the world. This is something I'm truly
passionate and it's nice about to do for full circle
of being given everything growing up to be able to
overcome my own barriers, to now be able to overcome
other people's barriers moving forward.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
So it sounds like your biggest goal now is of
course you still want to be successful personally, but it
sounds as though your bigger goal is making sure others
get the same opportunity that golf has given you. Would
that be a fair assessment.
Speaker 3 (10:21):
Yes, I mean I'm still as you can see with
the beating dad thing, I'm still competitive myself. But at
the end of the day, if i'm I love competing
and stuff like that, but it's more important of giving
back that I mean. Currently I worked down in the
Manu or two as the parafed disability Sports Advisor corderating
(10:41):
all the events that the kids with physical disabilities down here,
and then now being able to provide more golfing opportunities
for kids or adults of disabilities coming through this will
be it's this legacy piece. Don't mean for me, I
want to be able to make a difference for the
people coming through then when I've had my career and
I'm still competing, but being able to do both at
(11:02):
the same time will have a lot more positive effect
than just focusing on my own sports at his can't.
Speaker 2 (11:07):
Moment to finish, what would you say to a young
person with a disability or a family that that you
know includes a young person with a disability who might
be a bit unsure about trying golf or in fat
guy trying any sport.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
Just go out and do it. Here's always ways that
you're going to be able to adapt it being outside.
We are so lucky in these Zealands, but outdoors and
things like that, and with the game of goal, just
start off with mini parts, then go to the driving range,
and then get confident on the driving range, and then
go to the range. You don't have to look like
the professionals like Rory McRoy or Tiger Woods. You can
(11:47):
you can look a little bit different, but just go
out there and enjoy it and just having a whole
lot of fun with friends and family and just have
you ever a chance, say yes and just give it
a go, and you never know where it might take you.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
Your journey is inspiration or your story is one that's resonated,
I'm sure with many of our listeners. All the best
on your travels, Congratulations on what you've achieved up to
this point and look forward to staying in touch to
see to see the power of good that you're doing
in the future. Thanks for taking time for a chat
to us.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
Yes, thank you very much.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
No, thank you very much, Guy, Guy Harrison. There pretty
inspirational stuff text here. Just tuned in. Who is this
superhero you have on at the moment? Guy Harrison is
his name if you missed the start of our chat.
He suffered a massive seizure when he was three years old,
technically died, was revived, left with cerebral palsy. The doctor
(12:40):
said he's not going to walk, he's not going to talk,
He's going to be in a wheelchair for the rest
of his life. And yet here he is New Zealand's
number one disability golfer, recent winner of New Zealand's All
Abilities Golf Championship, and now the first New Zealander to
go to the UK and qualify to play in the
(13:00):
G four d Open later in the month.
Speaker 1 (13:03):
For more from Weekend Sport, with Jason Fain. Listen live
to news Talks at B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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Kingdom of Fraud
It’s the unlikeliest of criminal partnerships: a devout polygamist from an insular Utah sect joining forces with a shadowy Armenian tycoon from LA. The result - a billion dollar fraud conspiracy. In Kingdom of Fraud, investigative reporter Michele McPhee traces the origins of the extraordinary alliance between Jacob Kingston and Levon Termendzhyan. Together, the two men trigger the largest tax investigation in American history and weave around themselves a web of dirty cops, influential political relationships and transnational money laundering. All this is set against the backdrop of Jacob Kingston’s clan – The Order. A powerful and secretive polygamist organization in Salt Lake City. To whom Jacob is desperate to prove his worth. Kingdom of Fraud is produced by Novel for iHeart Podcasts. For more from Novel, visit https://novel.audio/. You can listen to new episodes of Kingdom of Fraud completely ad-free and 1 week early with an iHeart True Crime+ subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts. Open your Apple Podcasts app, search for “iHeart True Crime+, and subscribe today!