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Click here to return to News and Events. Golf NewsJune 2010
Photo: Left to Right Scott Gardner, Michael Gardner, Neil Baxter, Clara Baxter, Ian Woosnam, Sandy Lyle, Paul O’Rahilly, John Kennedy.The PGA Irish Seniors Open hosted Irish blind golfers at Carton House on June 10th 2010. This event is sponsored by Dr Handa, a Japanese businessman, who is also a patron of the International Blind Golf Association (IBGA), working to develop golf for blind and visually impaired people around the world. He has expressed the wish that blind golf is included in the 2016 Paralympics. The Irish Seniors Open is one of several PGA events supported by Dr Handa and Blind Golf skills are being demonstrated at each. Dr Handa has enlisted the support of golf ambassadors Ian Woosnam, Sandy Lyle and Sam Torrance for this initiative. The blind golfers who played in Carton House included IBGA director Neil Baxter, Michael Gardner from Northern Ireland, and Paul O’Rahilly from Ireland. The professionals, playing blindfolded, took on the blind golfers at pitching. The blind golfers need the assistance of guides to set up and describe the outcome of the shots. The guides were Clara Baxter, Scott Gardner and John Kennedy. In the afternoon the blind golfers teamed up with professional Bill Longmuir to play the pro-am. Bill was generous with his encouragement and his expert advice throughout the 18 holes, and directed the team to a stableford score of 84 points, just three shots shy of third place. Neil Baxter, a founder member of IBGA, described the event as “very special”. It would have been even more special if a few more putts had dropped, and the blind golfer’s team won a prize. The Irish Blind Golf Society provides training, development and playing opportunities for visually impaired and blind golfers. For further details contact IBGS Secretary, Paul O’Rahilly on 086 846 0029, or by email Paul.orahilly@gmail.com |
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