How This Ag Engineer Is Making Golf More Inclusive

Seth King is an advocate for people with disabilities and is changing the course of the game

For Seth King, attending the 2023 John Deere Classic and touring a John Deere factory combined two of his greatest joys – agriculture and golf.

It also provided the silver-award winning Special Olympian golfer a platform to highlight how the sport is becoming more inclusive by developing adaptive tournaments for those with disabilities.

“The rules have been adapted for people who have disabilities, not just mental or physical disabilities,” he explained. “A good example is for the blind. They get an aid that can help them aim and find the ball and just help guide them around the course and no penalty comes with that.”

About Seth

Seth, an athlete with high-functioning autism, first started golfing when he was quite young. One of his fondest memories is swinging a golf club while helping his family harvest corn, wheat, and soybeans at their farm in Fishers, Indiana.

In high-school, Seth’s passion for the game grew. He competed in the Special Olympics and broke new ground being an athlete with high-functioning autism. He won two silver medals at state competitions and holds a World Ranking for Golfers with Disabilities which allows him to play in most disability and adaptive tournaments worldwide. He is only the second athlete to receive worldwide eligibility.

Most recently, Seth was invited by the prestigious European Royal and Ancient (R&A) to enter their inaugural adaptive open. An R&A representative recently shared, "Seth is just the second athlete in the II-3 group to get full International eligibility (worldwide) so is set to help break new ground and advocate for emerging opportunities for athletes."

Seth is now a sophomore at Purdue University and majors in Ag engineering. He chose the subject because he enjoys farming but also loves math and technology. Seth explained, “I want to be part of the technology increase and getting faster with, you know, new autonomous [equipment].”

Story originally published by John Deere.

Featured Stories

Leo Koenigsfeld - Graduate Ag Research Spotlight

Leo Koenigsfeld grew up in a small town in central Missouri with the unlikely name of...

Bill and CD Young at a table in front of greenery in the Spirit and Elephant restaurant.

Purdue hosts new plant-based product development competition

A generous gift from the Young Family will drive food innovation at Purdue University over the...

Austin Grant with colleagues during his summer internship with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

FNR Field Report: Austin Grant

Austin Grant, a senior majoring in aquatic sciences with a minor in military science and...

Kingsly Ambrose in front of the solar system model in Discovery Park on campus.

ABE professor recognized for advancing ag safety and health

Kingsly Ambrose, a professor in the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, was...

When passions connect: insect biology meets history

Her love for insects started early. “From the moment I could walk, I was outside looking at...

Student wearing a white T-shirt works on a laptop covered in Purdue stickers while sitting at a table with a notebook open. The background shows other students studying in a large, well-lit space.

2025–26 Animal Sciences scholarship recipients announced

Purdue Animal Sciences awarded $72,200 in scholarships to students for the 2025–26 school...