But their impact beyond golf is minimal. Non-golfers (and even us golfers sometimes) tend to see professionals as a somewhat robotic mass of similarity.

For those outside the game the impression (incorrect, for the most part) is that ‘golf’ is made up of a multitude of faceless men and women being paid large sums of money to spend their days trouping around unfeasibly manicured playing grounds hitting a small white ball into a hole.

But this past week there was a tournament with a difference. A tournament that showed non-golfers (and golfers) alike that there is much more to this game than just the athletic, young, sponsor-covered professionals we see playing for money.

It is a tournament with the potential to change golf’s image and was won by a player with an understanding of that power.

The tournament was the G4D Open, the first official ‘British Open’ for golfers with disability, and it was won by one of the best in the world in Ireland’s Brendan Lawlor.

Lawlor is ranked No.2 in the official world rankings for golfers with disability. He is also a professional.

But more than that, Lawlor is a fabulous ambassador for golf.

Lawlor's class in responding to online comments after playing in Japan tells you all you need to know about the Irishman. PHOTO: Yoshimasa Nakano/Getty Images.

As pleasing as it was to see Jason Day get back in the winner’s circle in Texas and Minjee Lee’s close call in New Jersey, it is Lawlor’s win at Woburn that could – and should – have the biggest impact on golf. And more importantly, beyond.

Unlike the multitude of professional Tours, G4D is golf for real people with real obstacles to overcome in life.

That’s a narrative that non-golfers (and God forbid, even anti-golfers) can understand and, more to the point, see the value in.

Instead of being a pastime for the stereotypical wealthy, white, middle-aged man, golf instead becomes something much broader and more inclusive.

While it’s far from a perfect world and the G4D Open received little publicity in comparison to the main Tours this week, just the fact of its existence is critical.

And the game could not have hoped for a better winner than Lawlor.

It was only last month the Irishman took to social media to expose some of the depressingly horrible feedback he received when invited to play the DP World Tour’s ISPS Handa Championship in Japan.

"Unlike the multitude of professional Tours, G4D is golf for real people with real obstacles to overcome in life. That’s a narrative that non-golfers can understand and, more to the point, see the value in." - Rod Morri.

But what stood out from that episode wasn’t the slurs and abuse levelled at him (though it would be easy to focus just on that).

By far the most impressive thing was how Lawlor himself handled it. With grace, dignity and eloquence.

Prior to the G4D Open, Lawlor wrote the DP World Tour’s weekly ‘Player Blog’ (a worthwhile read most weeks, if you’re looking for different content) and while he addressed that negative feedback it was most of what else he had to say which was far more important.

“Being a role model is definitely not something I envisaged happening when I took up golf, but I love what I do, and we have changed so many lives along the way – not just when it comes to golf, and that’s why all of this is so important,” he wrote.

Lawlor is a worthy winner of the inaugural G4D Open but more than that he is exactly the sort of ambassador the game deserves. And needs.

And while we’re talking ambassadors let’s not forget the sterling efforts of Australia’s representatives at Woburn.

Lachlan Wood finished T8, Geoff Nicholas T23, Cameron Pollard 30th and Adam Letherbarrow 71st.

Well done all, you’re part of something much bigger than just a single week and you’ve done yourselves, Australia and the game proud.