World Blind X-Golf launches in Brisbane
The world’s first indoor golf competition especially for blind and low vision golfers is set to tee-off in Brisbane this month.
Queensland-based not-for-profit charity World Blind Golf has announced an exciting ongoing partnership with golf simulator provider X-Golf, which will see the first of its kind competition roll out to X-Golf centers around the country soon.
The competition will launch on Saturday November 26 at X-Golf’s Enoggera centre in Brisbane.
Blind and low vision golfers will compete playing the simulated front nine holes at Melbourne’s iconic Kingston Heath golf club which is also the host for this year’s main PGA event, the 2022 Australian Open.
The X-Golf simulators have received a few tweaks to provide blind and low vision golfers with an added sense of realism, most notably, an audio description of each hole which is played when the golfer is at the tee and ready to swing.
“It’s a great time to be playing Blind Golf, we’re using the most advanced golf simulators available to provide our blind and low vision golfers with opportunities to play against their friends, wherever they are in Australia” said World Blind Golf CEO and blind golfer Mr Neil Herdegen.
X-Golf have also made changes to their centers in order to provide a venue that can adapt to the varied needs of golfers and visitors with zero or limited vision, including extra lighting if required and removing some furniture which could prove to be an unnecessary obstacle for those using a cane.
“It’s also great fun, our players can invite their friends, caddies and family to come along and enjoy some serious and not-so-serious golf, all in a very safe environment – I’m sure there will be lots of laughs as well” he said.
“It’s a very exciting time for many of our blind and low vision members to be playing golf”, said World Blind Golf CEO and blind golfer Neil Herdegen.
“X-Golf have gone to great lengths to put together what will soon be a national tournament and make our players feel welcomed and included – there’s nothing else like it, it has to be another world first for both our World Blind Golf charity and X-Golf” he said.
Participation rates in World Blind Golf competitions are growing rapidly, the Australian charity now proudly claiming the sport is among the fastest growing all-abilities sports in Australia with players now competing regularly in every State and Territory.
“The monthly X-Golf competition will be a great way for blind and low vision players to not only practice their golf but also enjoy the fun and good times which are synonymous with golf regardless of their age, sex, level of golf experience or level of vision”.
According to the blind golfers themselves, not being able to see the ball is apparently not that big of a deal after all.
Brisbane blind golfer, Mr David Saxberg says the competition will provide a regular and very welcome social outing, with blind golfers now able to invite their sighted friends along to play golf in the comfort of their nearest X-Golf.
“Indoor golf at X-Golf is bound to be a winner” he said.
“My mates and I are really looking forward to it, even my friends who aren’t nearly as addicted to golf as I am.”
Mr Saxberg says that with the aid of World Blind Golf’s PGA-accredited coaching professionals, he’s been able to develop a golf swing which would make many fully-sighted beginners slightly green with envy.
“It’s really no big deal, golf is just a perfect sport for players who have no vision as well as players that struggle to see the ball – I’ve learnt to control my swing path and tempo, I just take a swing towards the target and more often than not, the ball gets in the way of the club”.
“There’s really no better feeling than hitting a cracking drive down the fairway” he said.
The X-Golf competition will launch at Enoggera X-Golf at 10:30am on Saturday November 26, with discounted rates for blind and low vision players and their friends as well as a bevy of golf prizes up for grabs.
