NASHVILLE, Tenn. (September 2012) -- Three vision-impaired members of the United States Blind Golf Association have accomplished in seven days what most sighted golfers rarely experience in a lifetime -- hit a golf ball into the hole with only one stroke.
The "jaw-dropping" holes-in-one occurred on various golf courses in Kentucky and Oregon during the period Sept. 10-16 by USBGA members Ty Thompson of Lexington, Ky.; Ron Plath of Portland (Lake Oswego), Oregon; and Kevin Edwards of Springville, Tenn.
(Photo: Blind golfer Ron Plath)
"Whether it's out West or down South, people say it's mostly luck," said USBGA President Jim Baker. "But surely something greater is going on with these and other members of organized blind golf. To see this happen to three fellow members within one week is simply amazing."
Lexington's Ty Thompson, a golfer with little usable vision, hit his hole-in-one at the Peninsula Golf Resort in Lancaster, Ky., on Sept. 10. Thompson's impaired vision now causes him to see the ball only as a peanut-shaped object.
"I told my sighted coach and the rest of the foursome, 'Okay, I know you say it went in, but I'm not going to get excited until we get up to the green and verify it,'" Thompson said with a laugh.
Sure enough, 145 yards later, Thompson's 9-iron shot sat comfortably in the hole.
USBGA member and International Blind Golf Association representative Ron Plath of Portland struck his own good luck the following day. Having been given alignment help by a member of his threesome, Plath hit his gap wedge to a short secondary green (one that is used only when the more distant carpet is under repair or being given a rest from regular play). But being a short hole of only 85 yards at the Stone Creek course in Portland doesn't mean it's an easy one.
"The green is nearly surrounded by water and offers no flat surface whatsoever," Plath noted. "Its extreme slope makes it almost impossible to keep the ball on the green from the tee."
Seeing the ball roll slowly "side-hill" until it at last hit the pin and dropped, Plath's friends yelled out their joy and delight in unison. Plath, who can barely see the ball at all over every shot, let alone the fairway, said in disbelief, "I thought they must be telling the truth," and they were.
As if two blind golfer holes-in-one weren't already enough, a third "jaw-dropper" came just five days later at the USBGA Kentucky Bluegrass Regional at the Golf Course of the Blue Grass in Lexington. While competing there, sight-impaired member Kevin Edwards of Springville, Tenn., capped off his first-day of play with an ace of his own. It came at the eighth hole from 154 yards out.
"When I am addressing the ball, I see both the ball and the club," Edwards said. "But once I swing, I never see the ball in the air. As usual, my wife Anna lined me up to hit the center of the green. The ball landed, and they said it rolled straight to the pin just like a putt. After what seemed like forever, people started yelling and celebrating. This was my second one to fall. I had no idea I would ever be playing like this."
"We definitely believe something else besides luck is going on," said USBGA past president David Meador. "This shows that a blind or vision-impaired golfer can do anything if he or she gets involved with the game of golf. The value of accomplishment and team spirit has no limits."
The United States Blind Golf Association was founded in 1953 by blind golfer and lawyer Bob Allman. The organization, which is run by an elected board from its membership, sponsors two regional tournaments and a National Championship each year. These tournaments offer the opportunity for very friendly, but very competitive golf for the members who compete for trophies and the thrill of achieving success in an activity they enjoy. The goal is not only to play competitive golf with other blind and vision-impaired golfers, but also to encourage people with sight loss to participate with family and friends in "this crazy game we call golf." The USBGA also holds more than a dozen clinics for blind and vision-impaired children through its junior blind golf program. Its Hall of Fame annually honors legendary players and contributing organizations.
For more information about the USBGA, visit http://www.USBlindGolf.com.
(Photos: Blind golfers Kevin Edwards (top) and Ty Thompson)
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (July 2012) – Some 25 blind and visually impaired golfers will compete in the 67th annual United States Blind Golf Association National Championship in Oceanside, N.Y., on Long Island from Aug. 6-7.
Competitors will include USBGA President David Meador of Nashville and Jim Baker of Hermitage, Tenn. Other golfers will come from as far away as California and Oregon to vie for the title of "best blind or visually impaired golfer in the nation." The USBGA National Championship tournament will occur from 7 a.m. to noon on Monday and 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday at Middle Bay Country Club, just 26 miles from New York City's Times Square. Hall of Fame and tournament trophy presentations will occur at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 7. Members of the general public may observe the games at no charge.
"Every place we go, people tell us they had no idea blind people could play golf," said Meador, who lost his eyesight in an automobile accident at age 18. "Playing in the nation's largest city gives us the opportunity to educate the public about blindness issues and also show that anything is possible."
Golfers will compete in categories ranging from totally blind (B-1) and little usable vision (B-2) to better usable vision (B-3). Winners in those categories will receive trophies designating them as the best blind or vision-impaired golfers in the nation. To be eligible to compete on the national level, a blind golfer must have impaired vision worse than 20/200 and scored 125 or less (B-1), 110 or less (B-2) or 100 or less (B-3) in three qualified rounds of golf.
All 25 U.S. competitors will be accompanied by coaches who "act as their eyes". The coaches meet their blind partners for breakfast, drive them to the golf course, manage their equipment, develop game-playing strategies, and provide directional advice for each hole. The golfers do all of the swinging, putting, slicing, blocking and birdying. Several USBGA golfers, including competitor Sheila Drummond of Lehighton, Pa., have hit holes-in-one. Drummond was the first blind female player to accomplish that feat.
"For someone like me, playing in a tournament like this is an opportunity to connect with the game of golf," said tournament organizer and USBGA member Ted Fass, who lost his sight at the age of 11. "I am honored to chair the championship as I enjoy the competition along with the ability to increase the awareness of blind golf."
National tournament competitors and their coaches are Michael McKone (Ed Hewitt) of Warwick, R.I.; John Casolo (David Mouton) of Waterbury, Conn.; Scott Wilson (Vicky Wilson) of Ontario, Ore.; Takeo Maruyama (Ellen Tajima) of Pearl City, Hawaii; Ron Derry (Jerry Rank) of Baltimore, Ohio; Brad Eaton (David Schuttner) of Harwich, Mass.; Bill McMahon (Kevin Sullivan) of Framingham, Mass.; Jeremy Poincenot (Lionel Poincenot) of Carlsbad, Calif.; David Meador (Everett Davis) of Nashville, Tenn.; Ted Fass (David Santucci) of Rockville Center, N.Y.; Mario Tobia (Michael Tobia) of Mt. Laurel, N.J.; Tony Schiros (Bobby Capobianco) of Odessa, Fla.; George Pilz (Mark Batty) of King of Prussia, Pa.; Sheila Drummond (Keith Drummond) of Lehighton, Pa.; David Wall (Lloyd Dressler) of Wymark, Saskatchewan, Canada; Jim Baker (Rob Lent) of Hermitage, Tenn.; Bob Andrews (Joe McCourt) of Tallahassee, Fla.; Geoff Bull (Walter Calhoun) of Kalamazoo, Mich.; Greg Hooper (Alan Hooper) of Powder Springs, Ga.; Harry Hester (Randy Nutt) of Austin, Texas; Millard Reed (Jay Carter) of Reno, Nevada; Ty Thompson (Paris Sterrett) of Lexington, Ky.; Dick Pomo (Gary Pomo) of Green Valley, Arizona; Mike Mercado (Tim Bartlett) of Albany, New York; and Bill Pease (Neil Pease) of Charlottesville, Va.
The competition will be stiff. Four of this year's national tournament competitors placed in the top five in various categories of the 2012 World Blind Golf Championships in Truro, Nova Scotia. Jim Baker and David Meador placed fourth and fifth, respectively, in the B-1 Men's Gross category. Baker also placed second in the B-1 Men's Net category. Defending world net champion Jeremy Poincenot placed second in the B-2 Men's Gross category. Scott Wilson took third place in the B-3 Men's Gross category and second place in the B-3 Men's Net category.
To make the national tournament possible, the organizing committee had to raise more than $40,000 from businesses, organizations and individuals. Company tournament sponsors include The Gilbert Co., The Mineola Lions Club, and Creative Staffing. The funds pay for green fees, lodging, and meals for 50 golfers and coaches from across the nation. Competitors pay for their own transportation.
The United States Blind Golf Association was founded in 1953 by blind golfer and lawyer Bob Allman. Today, the organization conducts three annual tournaments and holds more than a dozen clinics for blind and vision-impaired children through its junior blind golf program. The USBGA also has a Hall of Fame that honors legendary players and contributing organizations.
"Yes, we're about golf, but what we're really about is demonstrating for adults and children alike that absolutely nothing's impossible through partnership," Meador added.
For more information about the USBGA National Championship tournament, call (615) 385-0784, send an email inquiry to davidmeador7@gmail.com, or visit http://www.USBlindGolf.com.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (September 2012) -- Three vision-impaired members of the United States Blind Golf Association have accomplished in seven days what most sighted golfers rarely experience in a lifetime -- hit a golf ball into the hole with only one stroke.
