The Midnight Golfer Newsletter, Summer 2005

The Fourteenth Annual Heather Farr Leader Dogs Classic was a rousing success. The weather was perfect; an inspiring high of 85°, the sun was shining in typical Scottsdale, Arizona fashion. Everyone came out to play golf and have a good time.

Thursday saw the B1, B2 and B3 golfers tee off at 9:15 AM on the beautifully manicured Starfire Country Club courses, which unfortunately proved to be quite a challenge to all. The B1 category was won by Otto Huber followed by Pat Lacke as runner up. Bob Spencer won the Vision Impaired category. See tournament results for scores.

On Friday, the pro-am got off to a great start with everyone enjoying the beautiful orange golf shirts, donated by Miami World Wide. Other donations to the players included golf balls, sunglasses, pens, golf tees and other miscellaneous items.

The pro-am was followed by a casual dinner, a raffle, and both a silent and a live auction, all to raise money for Leader Dogs for the Blind, the Lions guide dog school in Michigan. Bill Hanson, the president of Leader Dogs, will meet with the tournament committee in early July and be presented with a check for the proceeds from the 2005 tournament.

In 2006, the Fifteenth Annual Heather Farr Leader Dogs Classic will again be held at Starfire Country Club on May 4 for the blind competition and May 5 for the pro-am.

Nick Genovese lost his sight in 1945 from an industrial accident. He was 17 at the time and had some trying moments. Nick eventually took the high road and talked about his loss of sight as a blessing. His blindness enabled him to meet his wife, Pat, and have 3 children and 6 grandchildren.

Nick took up singing as a form of rehabilitation. This led to a successful musical career in which he won the Grand Award in the CBS Radio Show, “Opportunity Knocks” and the Grand Award in “Future Stars,” on the French Canadian Radio Network, to name just a few of his accolades. Anyone who had the pleasure of playing golf with Nick, could have experienced him singing a song or two during the round. Sometimes he would grace us with a few songs after golf.

During the 1950’s, 60’s and early 70’s, Nick was a four time winner of the Canadian Blind Golf Championship; he was also victorious in the Ontario Blind Golf Championship 14 times; and was runner-up twice in an International Blind golf Championship. Nick retired from golfing for 18 years while he raised his family and worked as a general insurance broker for 32 years.

Nick Genovese was well known in the Canadian and United States blind golf communities for his singing and golfing abilities. He was well respected and liked for his engaging personality. Nick and I always planned the rest of our lives around attending golf events. Golf tournaments came first as we enjoyed the company of the many people we met over the years. Our trips to Mt. Kisco were the best. The Guiding Eyes Classics were first-class all the way.

On a personal note, I would like to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to everyone I met during my time as Nick’s coach for 14 years. Special thanks go out to Maryann Midghall (Nick’s daughter) who introduced us.

Sixteen of the finest blind golfers in the United States came to Fort Wayne, Indiana to play in the first Northeast Indiana blind golf championship. The Autumn Ridge Golf Club provided a course that was in superb condition, and the lightening fast greens were a challenge to all players. Tim Jackson did a fine job in promoting the tournament to the local Lions Clubs and media. Radio, television and newspaper support was gathered along with corporate sponsorships.

Jim Baker and his coach for the event Barbara Gooden won the B1 division, Mark Arnold and coach Mike Schmock won the B2, and Bruce Hooper and coach Judy Hooper won the B3 competition. See tournament scores for results.

The Bill Smith Charity Scramble was also conducted with the blind golfers playing on the sighted members teams. This was the 22^nd year for the scramble that has raised over $300,000 for blind charities. Over 150 golfers participated this year. The event coordinators were pleased with the USBGA participation, and have invited us back next year. The Northeast Championship was a great success and the USBGA is grateful for all of the hard work donated by local Lions Clubs that made our time in Fort Wayne, one of the most enjoyable times ever.

I want to congratulate all the players who represented the USBGA at the Ken Venturi Guiding Eyes Golf Classic in New York this June. For the first time, the Corcoran Cup was contested using a modified Stableford scoring system. This means that players scored points on each hole based on their score for that hole. It allowed all players to continue past nine holes instead of having a “cut” that prevented many from playing the back nine. By all accounts, it was a well-received change by the USBGA members as well as the GEC committee.

Following is a repeat of my article in last winter’s Midnight Golfer. Because it is once again time for our national tournament to come up on the schedule, I think it is important for everyone to have this information fresh in their minds as they prepare to compete in Raleigh.

“The beginning of a New Year is always a good time for everyone to brush up on his or her knowledge of the rules of golf. This year should be no exception.

It is a good time to remind everyone that one of the reasons the USBGA enjoys the reputation it has is because we pride ourselves on playing by the same rules as sighted players. I realize that our members do not always have as many opportunities to play as others and that many players have more than one coach throughout the year. However, in golf, it is always the player’s responsibility to know the rules and to abide by them.

In 2004 the USBGA purchased from the USGA a handy guide called, “Golf Rules in Brief”. All players/coaches received one in NY at the Guiding Eyes event and every player/coach at the national tournament who was not at Guiding Eyes got one as well. It contains many of the common rules that you could encounter during a round of golf. Again, it is the player’s (that’s you!) responsibility to know the rules. My job is to help players proceed correctly if they are unclear. You always have a chance to ask me questions at any tournament I officiate.

At the last national championship in FT. Lauderdale, I made several rulings pertaining to rules and procedures that are covered in these booklets we handed out to everyone. In each case, had the player used the handout, they could have avoided the penalties they received, including one disqualification. The “Golf Rules in Brief” card covers the most common things that can occur during a round of golf.

How to proceed when your ball goes into a hazard marked with yellow stakes or lines. You should know the additional options you have if your ball goes into a lateral water hazard marked with red stakes or lines.

You should know what to do if your ball is at rest and is moved by you or your coach. You should know what to do if your ball is at rest and is moved by someone or something else. You should know what to do if your ball is in motion and is stopped or deflected by you or your coach. You should know what to do if your ball is in motion and is stopped or deflected by someone or something else. You should know what to do if the cart path interferes with your stance or swing in order to make your stroke. You should know what to do if casual water or ground under repair interferes with your stance, swing or lie of your ball. And finally, you should know that the answers to all of the “you should knows” above, are in those “Golf Rules in Brief” that all of you received. I am sure that there are at least three players that were in Ft. Lauderdale, that will be reviewing the rules before their next tournament.

Following are a couple of rules questions from a test that I have used in golf clinics for golfers of all skill levels. If you don’t agree with my answers, the answers to these questions can also be found in the “Golf Rules in Brief” booklet that you have.

Question: True or False? You get relief from a fence or stake that defines out of bounds.

Question: True or False? There is not a penalty for a ball lost in casual water, ground under repair, or a burrowing animal hole.

We should always play by the Rules when we play golf. It is most important that we do so at our national tournament. There are many people watching at our tournaments, such as spectators, media, scorekeepers and other volunteers. We have seen in the past that scorekeepers do not always know the rules (nor is it their responsibility). The integrity of the USBGA along with your personal reputation is always on display at our tournaments. The Rules are there to help us all and I am committed to keeping our tournaments the showcase for blind golf that they are.”

I look forward to seeing everyone at this year’s national tournament in October. Let’s have a great event in Raleigh!HOT WEATHER; GREAT GOLF; FABULOUS TOURNAMENT

In all of the years that I have had the privilege to attend the GEC, I have found this event to be superb in every respect. The cause is great, and the profile of blind people is elevated allowing them to demonstrate their capabilities in golf and mobility. The Guiding Eyes event illustrates the greater independence that all blind persons strive for.

This year brought in on a trial basis, a modified Stableford scoring system. This allowed golfers the opportunity to experience all eighteen holes of the Mount Kisco course while competing for the Corcoran Cup. This new format allowed all golfers to complete the competition in a more timely manor. The scoring in a Stableford competition is made by the points awarded in relation to a player reaching Par on each hole.

After the tournament, it appears that all USBGA players participating gladly accepted this new format, with hopes that the tournament committee will also accept this format in the future. With the help of Tom Mirus, the speed of play was kept moving quite well. All players were able to complete their round in just over five hours. Clearly a different strategy is called for under the Stableford format as to when to play aggressively or conservatively.

The battle for the Corcoran Cup was fierce, with David Meador and coach Everett Davis winning. Pat Brown and son Patrick were second. The winner of the net award was John Casolo and coach Chris Clark. Dick Pomo and coach Sharon Pomo won the most improved trophy.

Once again, the privilege of playing in the Ken Venturi Guiding Eyes tournament is a goal to work towards. The courses you play on are mean and green but totally worth the experience.

The USBGA Junior Golf Program is continuing to grow and the first half of 2005 was a good indication of this trend. We have two ongoing programs that started earlier this year. Bruce and Judy Hooper have a program that meets one Saturday a month for two hours at the First Tee-San Antonio which began in January. They have 18 junior golfers involved and typically get 10-12 at each session. Ron Plath has a similar program at the Children’s Course just outside of Portland that meets for one and one half-hours each Friday afternoon. This program started in April and will run until October.

The one-day blind clinics started in May with 32 students from the Perkins School for the Blind participating in a three hour clinic at the MGA Golf Links in Norton, Massachusetts. Board member Bill McMahon and two of his coaches, Kevin Sullivan and Peter Friel from the Frammingham Lions Club, along with eight golf professionals taught the kids to chip, put and hit full shots at the range. This was the third year for this clinic. There was one other clinic in May on the 31^st, a new event in Janesville, Wisconsin with 12 students from the Wisconsin Center and School for the Visually Handicapped, organized by USBGA Vice President Dick Pomo. In June, Ron Plath had a two-day clinic in Salem, Oregon with 11 students from the Oregon School for the Blind. South Florida PGA member Larry Levow, who assisted with the golf instruction at the clinic in Ft. Lauderdale last year, organized a clinic in Miami with the help of board member Sheila Drummond for 8 students and 4 adults from the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind.

July was the junior program’s busiest month to date with four blind clinics taking place. Three of these clinics, which were also supported by the USBGA last year, included the Foundation for the Junior Blind Clinic in Cypress, California which was set up by PGA member Joe Grohman and attended by USBGA member Bill Davis and had 32 campers from the FJB’s Camp Blumfield participate. The 4^th Camp Dogwood Blind Golf Clinic in Mooresville, North Carolina had 43 campers from the North Carolina Lions’ Camp Dogwood attend, along with USBGA Board member Bob Kennedy, and PGA members Chris Leatherman and Charley Roberts. The 3^rd Carroll Center Blind Clinic in Norton, Massachusetts was also held with the help of Bill McMahon, in which 21 students from the Carroll Center for the Blind participated. The new clinic this year in July was the Vancouver USABA Blind Golf Clinic organized by Ron Plath, which had 18 youth athletes from the USABA Sports Camp in Washington attend.

Overall the USBGA Junior Golf Program is well on its way to being bigger and better than in 2004. It looks like we will have 16 clinics and three multiple session programs which will be able to introduce or continue to instruct over 400 blind and vision impaired golfers in 2005. The USBGA Junior Golf Program would like to thank all USBGA members and coaches, as well as the many PGA professionals and volunteers, that gave of their time to organize and participate in all of the clinics and programs.

SkuttlePutts

By Bob Kennedy

Death of Nick Genovese (Please see article): It is with great sadness that I report to you that Nick Genovese passed away on Saturday, April 9, 2005 in

his 77th year. He was one of our older totally blind members and will truly be missed. Nick’s engaging personality and great sense-of-humor entertained

us all, along with his fabulous singing voice.

Earlier this year, Phil Blackwell appeared on The Golf Channel, when he competed in the BMW Charity Pro-AM on the Nationwide Tour, near Greenville, South Carolina. Great job Phil!

Three times in one season

Hole-in-one by Ken Hoffmann April 28, 2005

Ken Hoffmann B2, using a 5 iron shot a hole-in-one on hole three, 147 yards at the Hilltop executive golf course, The Villages, Florida.

HOLE IN ONE by Jim Evans May 6 2005.

In May, Jim Evans scored his fourth career hole-in-one! Using a 7 iron on the 131 yard hole #15 on the Wildcat course at Fort Jackson, Columbia, South Carolina.

A hole-in-one by Kevin Edwards

I just hit my 1st "vision impaired" hole in one!!!!!!

I was playing the 5th hole at Sullivan's Golf Course in Murray, Kentucky. The hole was playing 121 yards. Anna lined me up to hit straight at the hole with a 9 iron. I heard the ball hit the green and looked back at her to tell me if it was good or not. She told me it

rolled in the hole. At first I did not believe her until we went down to the green. The ball mark was about 3 inches to the left of the hole and the ball

was in the hole.

More news from the Edwards soon-to-be growing family:

Anna and I just wanted to let everyone know that we went for an ultrasound on August 15th and it looks as if we are going to have a baby girl. From what

They are seeing it looks as if Maggie Grace will arrive somewhere right around January 1st.

TOURNAMENT SCORES

Finally the USBGA would like to welcome our new members. We look forward to meeting you at one of our tournaments soon.