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Partnership Formed with Lions Clubs International
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National Championship and U.S. Open
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Guiding Eyes Classic Selection
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World Championship Selection
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California Blind Golf Classic
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What’s Up – information on what’s been
happening
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By the Book, by Tom Mirus – Rule 28 “Ball
Unplayable”
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Junior Golfer learns the game (from the
eyes of a 14 year old)
PARTNERSHIP
FORMED WITH
LIONS CLUBS INTERNATIONAL
By Bob Andrews
The most important development in the United States Blind Golf Association’s 50-year history will take place on April 1, 2002. A three-year partnership with Lions Clubs International will begin on that date. This is indeed a wonderful opportunity for the USBGA to further its mission with the help of the largest organization dedicated to blind and sight impaired issues.
A generous grant from the Lions Clubs International
Foundation will help insure greater participation and exposure in tournaments
around the country. With the help of local Lions Clubs the 3-year $300,000
grant will enable more blind and vision impaired golfers to compete. The publicity will, in turn, inform many
others that they too can take up the game. Or even better news, they do not
have to give up the game because of sight loss. All these developments stem from last year’s National
Championship & Open, which was hosted by the Greensboro Adams Farm Lions
Club. Sid Scruggs, an
international director of LCI,
played in the tournament sponsor scramble.
He played along side blind and vision impaired golfers and enjoyed the
event, appreciated the skill level demonstrated by the blind golfers, and
immediately set the wheels into motion to bring about the partnership.
Texas will be the first state where the title “National
Championship and U.S. Open” will headline with “Lions Clubs
International Presents.” In late September the USA-Canada Forum will
assemble in Fort Worth. The USBGA’s
major tournament of the year will take place during that same week and members
of the world’s largest service organization will help and play in the events. A
clinic will also take place to educate Lions at the forum about coaching and
providing opportunities for vision impaired golfers, both juniors and
seniors. The future is looking much
brighter and busier for the USBGA. A future that USBGA’s members can proudly
say is partnered with 1.4 million Lions worldwide.
56th
NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
and
U.S. BLIND & VISION IMPAIRED OPEN
By Phil Blackwell
The 56th USBGA National Championship was
not only in a new state, for most, but also was sponsored by the small, but powerful
new Adams Farm Lions Club of Greensboro, North Carolina. The Adams Farm Lions Club is the newest
chartered club in the state.
Chairperson, Bonnie Bastow, and the Lions did a great job and we commend
them for their efforts in hosting the 56th USBGA National
Championship.
Another first was the US Blind & Vision
Impaired Golf Open. This gave B-1, B-2,
and B-3 golfers a chance to compete for both gross and net trophies in their
respective categories. It also introduced International Blind Golf Association
golfers to a major American tournament for the first time.
Competing at the Sedgefield Country Club was new to all the
members. However, competing in
Greensboro was not. Pat Browne won two of his National Championships in
Greensboro. One at the Bryan Municipal
Park in 1982, and then the Starmount Forrest Country Club in 1987. Sedgefield, a Donald Ross Golf Course,
designed in 1925, was definitely a challenge to all competitors. Jim Baker’s time had arrived.
While everyone was having words to say about the greens, Jim and Coach
Kyle Seely were having two great days on the course. His National Championship win was completed with the sinking of a great up hill putt from the fringe on the 18th hole.
Phil Blackwell and his coach Rod Turnage placed second gross B-1 and won
net for the National and Open. They continue to be a top team to beat at every
course.
Vision impaired golfers played in this first ever major
“Open”. The rescheduling of the tournament
because of the 9-11 tragedy did cut the field back. However, most of the top vision impaired B2 and B3 golfers were
in attendance as seen by their scores below.
Art Beauregard and Coach Sue are not new to major events, having played
in the last two World Championships.
Art took first in the B2 category followed by Dennis McCulloch, from
Canada.
West Texan, Charlie Adams, played in his first major USBGA tournament
and found it to his likings. He took
first place in the B3 category with French Canadian Jean-Yves Vigneault coming in second.
One other first was a trophy for the youngest coach ever. The trophy went to 11-year-old Daniel
Kennedy, son and coach for Bob Kennedy, from Charlotte, North Carolina.
Everyone at the awards dinner had a good time. I am sure that Joe McCourt’s attempt at
singing will be remembered by all for a long time to come.
National Championship titles
NATIONAL CHAMPION – Jim Baker
CHARLIE BOSWELL TROPHY – NET
WINNER – Phil Blackwell
JOE LAZARO TROPHY – MOST
IMPROVED – Robert Dillinger
U.S. Open Titles
B-1 GROSS - Jim Baker
B-2 GROSS – Art Beauregard
B-3 GROSS – Charles Adams
Overall NET – Phil Blackwell