About Mindy Derr

Golf Therapy Pioneer | Healthcare Innovator | Inspirational Speaker

Mindy Derr’s journey began on a family farm just a 5-iron away from a rural 9-hole golf course in north central Ohio. Growing up working alongside her siblings at the course, she witnessed firsthand the camaraderie, competition, and joy that golf brought to so many. The Derr family had a reputation—her father and brothers were known for their skill and low handicaps. But it wasn’t until her father became ill that Mindy discovered golf’s true power: its ability to heal.

Guy Derr, an accomplished golfer, became abruptly ill upon his retirement. When traditional approaches failed to lift his despair, Mindy saw an opportunity. What if golf could offer him hope? What if it could improve his quality of life? In 1989, she founded Fore Hope, Inc.—one of the nation’s first therapeutic golf programs—and set out to prove that golf was more than a game. It was a pathway to recovery, independence, and renewed purpose.

What started as a dream and a set of ideas laid on a card table blossomed into a nationally recognized program serving those aging, those with neurological conditions, and those experiencing isolation and depression.

Building Something That Lasts

Mindy came to Fore Hope with a proven track record in nonprofit leadership. From 1984 to 1989, she served as Exploring Executive for the Boy Scouts of America, Firelands Area Council, where she pioneered a high school career awareness program serving over 1,000 students across three northern Ohio counties. She received the National Boy Scouts of America Professional Pacemaker Award for bringing Scouting to more youth. This foundation in mission-driven work prepared her for what would become her life’s calling.

For nearly four decades, Mindy built Fore Hope with “the end in mind.” She knew that to truly make a lasting difference, the program would need to outlive her leadership. Drawing on her background in nonprofit management and her Bachelor of Arts in Communications from The Ohio State University, she navigated board development, fundraising, human resources, marketing, and program implementation—all while staying laser-focused on the mission: improving health and quality of life for individuals with trauma, injury, and neurological conditions.

Thousands of lives were impacted. Over $6 million was raised in revenue and gifts-in-kind. Strategic partnerships with golfing legends Jack and Barbara Nicklaus, the PGA TOUR and TOUR Wives, The Memorial Tournament, corporations, foundations, and dedicated donors fueled Fore Hope’s growth and national recognition.

Major innovations included:

• The Guy Derr Leadership Society, which provided one-fourth of Fore Hope’s annual budget through committed annual memberships
• The Rose Scheeff Planned Legacy Gift Program, which secured a transformational $525,000 legacy gift that kept Fore Hope alive and moving forward toward partnership with OhioHealth
• Development of a golf training manual for persons with disabilities
• Design of an adaptive golf glove/mitt
• Securing the donation of a large natural putting green at Red Roof Inns Corporate Course in Columbus, designed by renowned golf course architect Dr. Michael Hurdzan
• Partnership with Ohio State University’s Professional Golf Management Program
• Hosting the annual Fore Hope Champagne Breakfast Fundraiser featuring PGA TOUR stars, where Mindy served as host and speaker to large audiences

Mindy also served as an advisor to the United States Golf Association (USGA) Resource Center for accessible/adaptive golf and secured a long-time partnership with Dennis Walters, world-renowned golf trick shot artist and advocate for golf accessibility.

Fore Hope earned accreditation from the Better Business Bureau of Central Ohio and received support from the United States Golf Association and Scotts Miracle-Gro Company as a founding sponsor.

In 2017, Mindy’s vision came to fruition. Fore Hope became the first therapeutic golf program ever absorbed by a major U.S. healthcare system—OhioHealth, ranked Top 5 by IBM Watson Health. The program found its permanent home within OhioHealth’s Neuroscience Wellness Department, ensuring it would live in perpetuity. Mindy developed the OhioHealth Fore Hope team for program implementation, established best practices, and maintained donor and investor relationships as Advisor and Ambassador.

A Personal Journey

Shortly after the absorption, Mindy’s body—finally able to relax after years of relentless work—experienced a health crisis. She was hospitalized and unable to walk. The diagnosis: Multiple Sclerosis.

Alone but not panicked, Mindy felt the presence of something greater—a guardian angel, her faith, her father’s spirit. With the support of exceptional doctors, family, and friends, she fought her way back to a “new normal.”

This most recent health challenge served to fortify Mindy’s resolve to make the most of each day and to share her story of adversity and hope through the greatness of golf. She recently returned to the game she loves, playing a few times a month as her energy and schedule allow. In a moment that brought her journey full circle, she played in the Guy Derr/Fore Hope tournament—and her team finished in first place.

Living with MS has only deepened Mindy’s understanding. She now knows, more intimately than ever, how illness can change a life. She has witnessed four decades of therapeutic golf transforming others, and now her own life exemplifies the power of Fore Hope’s mission. Golf—her “nugget”—keeps her in the game of life, just as it does for so many others. Mindy has become Fore Hope’s “poster child,” truly “walking the walk” as someone living with a chronic illness.

Wellness and Golf: Her Current Mission

Today, Mindy channels her four decades of expertise into Wellness and Golf, a platform designed to educate, inspire, and demonstrate the transformative power of golf therapy. Her expertise and life lessons as a social entrepreneur offer hope and knowledge through:

• The spirit of hope and promise for those living with chronic illness
• The spirit of social entrepreneurship and organization development for mission building, collaboration, and implementation
• The spirit of participation in the game of life, which parallels the game of golf—and the positive impact on not only lives, but the growth of the game
• The spirit of education, so that those in healthcare and golf communities may witness and gain knowledge on the goodness of golf therapy and understand, from Mindy’s perspective, the health recovery process, challenges, and management

She works with:

• Healthcare systems looking to integrate golf therapy into rehabilitation and wellness programs
• Golf clubs and associations seeking to create inclusive programming for aging or recovering members
• Nonprofit leaders building sustainable, mission-driven organizations
• Individuals navigating Parkinson’s, MS, stroke, traumatic brain injury, and other chronic conditions

As an inspirational speaker, consultant, and subject matter expert, Mindy shares her “secret sauce”—the strategies, insights, and passion that have made the impossible possible. She truly “walks the talk,” offering not just expertise, but lived experience and unwavering belief in second chances.

Why Golf Therapy Matters Now

Every day, 10,000 seniors turn 65 (AARP). Fall risks increase with age and disability. Golf offers a proactive, enjoyable solution for prevention, mobility, balance, socialization, and mental health. The American Academy of Neurology believes that golf may have more benefits than Tai Chi.

Golf therapy isn’t just about swinging a club—it’s about restoring independence, confidence, and joy. It’s about proving that no one should be left on the sidelines.

Join Mindy’s Mission

Mindy welcomes the opportunity to share her story, educate communities, and demonstrate the magical powers of golf and its direct link to wellness.

Whether you’re a healthcare leader exploring innovative patient care, a golf professional seeking inclusive programming, or someone looking to reclaim independence through golf—Mindy would love to connect.

Let’s Start a Conversation →

📧 MindyDerr@att.net
🌐 MindyDerr.com
🏌️ OhioHealth.com/ForeHope