Ben Tullipan

Ben was the worst injured survivor from the Bali bombing in October 2002. At the time of the bombing, Ben was a successful furniture importer from Brisbane, on a buying trip to Indonesia.

Standing only 5 metres from the car bomb when it was detonated, the blast took both of Ben’s legs, most of his stomach muscles, and his hearing in one ear. It gave him more than 63% full thickness burns to his body. His injuries were so severe that he was initially thought to be dead. Assessed as the most critically injured person with only a 5% chance of survival, he was the first person airlifted back to Australia.

Not only did he fight on and survive his horrific injuries, but he walks again thanks to his two prosthetic legs and his ‘never say die’ attitude.

Ben’s determination and strength of character to triumph over personal adversity earned him a 2006 Pride of Australia Medal for Courage and he was awarded a Moncrieff Community Award.

Ben took up golf in 2007 as a form of recreation and rehabilitation. He has played in many amputee and pro-am tournaments and taught hundreds with a disability.

After running a series of disability golf clinics in Queensland from 2008 to 2014 for amputee golfers. In July 2014 Ben met James from Empower Golf, they realised that they shared a common journey and common goals. Since mid 2014, Ben has run Empower Golf in Queensland. In recent years Ben has branched out and now you can find him assisting clinics and PGA Professionals around the country, arranging disability golf clinics and growing the game for thousands of participants.

Ben’s home course is the magnificent Parkwood International (Empower Golf Hub) on the Gold Coast. Ben currently conducts clinics at Topgolf, Meadowbrook Golf Club and Oxley Golf Club in Queensland. No only an All Abilities coach Ben is one of very few trained technicians available to work on the Paramotion/Paragolfer All Terrain wheelchairs.