Asian Tour Golfers Getting Experience of Blind Golf

Golf is a difficult game even when you can see what you're doing. How hard is it to play golf if you can't see? Three golfers from the Asian Tour will find out this week in a prelude to the Handa Singapore Classic.

Three Asian Tour members will play - blindfolded - in a 3-hole scramble, partnering three blind golfers who are members of the International Blind Golf Association.

The IBGA is the governing body of blind golf, which is played by thousands around the world who have no or low vision. The International Blind Golf Championships take place every other year.

Blind golfers play with a "coach," also known as a guide or a caddie, who is sighted and who describes the coming shot, the terrain and yardages. The coach lines up the golfer, who executes the shot. All the normal rules of golf apply to blind golfers, except that grounding the club in a hazard is allowed. (Many coaches are spouses, some are friends, some really are golf coaches.)

How good are the best blind golfers? At the 2009 national championship of the United States Blind Golf Association, Bob Andrews won the B1 Division - which means totally blind, without light perception - shooting rounds of 103 and 104. Could you shoot 103 blindfolded? Mr. Andrews could beat most recreational golfers, because a majority of sighted golfers never break 100.

But it's not about the competition for most blind golfers. Like with most golfers, playing the sport is about spending time with friends at an activity you enjoy.

The IBGA is the official charity of the Handa Singapore Classic, which begins on Thursday.

Dr. Haruhisa Handa, chairman of the International Sports Promotion Society and title sponsor of the tournament, is quoted by the Asian Tour thusly:

"ISPS wants to encourage more juniors, seniors and people with disabilities to get involved with golf. We have a very strong relationship with the blind golf community and it has been a passion of mine to help foster the development of this format of the sport across the world. It is really important that everyone can enjoy the sport regardless of their age or ability."

The three blind golfers taking part in the event are David Blyth of Australia, Neil Baxter of England and T.W. Yam of Malaysia. From the Asian Tour, Unho Park will play blindfolded; the other two golfers participating have not yet been named.

Update: Here's the follow-up on the Asian Tour Web site after the 3-hole challenge was completed.