Golfing for people who are blind or visually impaired   Mark Twain once quipped, “Golf is a good walk…spoiled,” but don’t tell that to Pat Browne, Charlie Boswell, or Joe Lazaro.  All three combined have claimed 46 titles in the ‘Masters’ of blind golfing.  It may have been difficult for them to see the ball, but they sure knew where to put it.    History   Golf for the blind and visually impaired first started with a man named Clint Russell. After a tire explosion accident that lead to the loss of his vision in 1924, Mr. Russell started his golfing career.                                                    Robert Ripley of Ripley’s Believe it or Not took notice and proclaimed Mr. Clint Russell as the world’s only blind golfer. As it turns out, Mr. Ripley gives the same title to an Englishman six years later. Realizing his mistake, he accepted to sponsor the world’s first blind golfer’s championship in 1938. It turns out Mr. Russell defeated Dr. Oxenham the Englishman 5 and 4 at Ridgeview Country Club in Duluth, Minnesota.   As the sport blind golf grew, the second tournament was held in 1941 at Fort Worth, Texas. It was set up to have three matches but the third match was interrupted with the bombing of Pearl Harbor.   The United States Blind Golfers Association (USBGA) was founded in 1953 by Bob Allman, a blind golfer and lawyer. Several years later, with the support of the USBGA the International Blind Golf Association was founded in 1998. They also host a biennially world championships in one of nine member countries.   The following states Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas are sanctioned regional tournaments for blind golf. Today the national championships are partnered with The Lions Clubs International and moves from state to state.

Interesting Facts            Since 1978, Mount Kisco, New York has been the home of the Ken Venturi Guiding Eyes Classic invitational, the Masters of blind golf.   Three golfers have dominated the championships. Pat Browne has taken first place 23 times, (an amazing 20 wins were consecutive), Charley Boswell 16 times, and Joe Lazaro 7 times.  In 1998, Keith Melick won, ending Pat Browne’s 20 year winning streak. Pat holds the record for the lowest round ever shot in USBGA competition, a 74 at the Mission Hills Country Club.    In 2006, the USBGA amended the association Bylaws to include B2 and B3 vision impaired associate members as full members with voting privileges.  The newly expanded board of seven will include three vision impaired and three totally blind members, plus the president, who must be a totally blind member.  The vice president is chosen by the board of directors.

Lingo to Know      coach (?koch) n, pl coaches: 1. a person who lines up the shot for the golfer before he or she takes a swing, essentially pointing the golfer in the right direction  2. a person allowed to offer advise and confer with his or her golfer                                              caddie or caddy (?ka-de) n, pl caddies: 1. a person who carries and handles a golfer’s clubs and balls 2. a person who can also function as a coach, though restrictions apply, ensuring the golfer does not proceed with more than one caddie, in which case the golfer would be disqualified   advice (?d-?vis) n: a person accompanying the golfer—a partner, a coach, or a caddy—allowed to recommend a course of action    FYI > caddie/coach position: no penalty for a player's coach positioned on or close to an extension of the line of putt behind the ball during a stroke played from the putting green

Categories       These categories are accepted and recognized by the International Blind Golf Association (IBGA) and the United States Blind Golf Association (USBGA).   Totally Blind Division:   B-1 No light perception, or light perception which is not functional, central or peripheral, with or without light projection, up to the inability to differentiate between a blank sheet of white paper and a sheet of white paper with a black symbol on it. (The black symbol is displayed on the IBGA/USBGA Sight Form and is used as part of the exam.)   Vision Impaired Division:   B-2   From the ability to recognize the shape of a hand up to visual acuity of 20/600.   B-3   From the visual acuity above 20/600 up to visual acuity of less than 20/200.   All classifications are in best eye with best correction.     CONTENT COURTESY OF United States Blind Golfers Association (USBGA)   Additional Info   United States Blind Golfers Association (USBGA) www.BlindGolf.com   Polburn Golf Challenge (partnership with the Cleveland Sight Center) www.Polburngolfchallenge.com   Buddie's Buddies http://www.buddiesbuddies.org/

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