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World Blind Golf

World Blind Golf is a global Australian-based not-for-profit organization which was established in 2021 to help increase the levels of participation in the rapidly-growing sport of Blind Golf. The organization also aims to provide existing blind and low-vision golfers with increased opportunities to play local, national and international tournaments.

On their website World Blind Golf states their main objective is integration and inclusion of blind and low vision golfers. All World Blind Golf games and tournaments offers all blind and low vision golfers a level of inclusion which is unique within blind and disabled golf insofar that all vision and sight categories have been removed. The normal paraolympic sight categories and disability classification of B1, B2 and B3 have been eliminated completely allowing all golfers to play together regardless of their individual level of sight loss or vision impairment. Instead of using sight categories which are difficult to administer and often based on unreliable testing methodologies, World Blind Golf games are played using regular WHS golf handicaps. In practice, this has also assisted players to integrate more within their local golf clubs, playing groups and wider golfing communities because blind golfers only need to maintain one handicap, just like regular sighted players. This enables World Blind Golf players the ability to also play club and representative games with sighted players using regular handicaps, thereby allowing blind golfers to enjoy the benefits that come with more fully integrating with their friends, club and community. By encouraging inclusion and integration, blind and low vision players are also likely to enjoy the increased levels of happiness and satisfaction and at the same time, minimize the negative effects which come from not participating equitably. Such debilitating effects include isolation, malaise and depression. Instead, World Blind Golf offers players the opportunity to enjoy all of the benefits of golf in particular and outdoor sport in general.

Senior and Junior divisions

World Blind Golf is also the first disabled golf organization to include both juniors and seniors divisions. World Blind Golf has established communities of practice which aim to increase participation and golfing ability of blind and low vision golfers who are below 18 and above 55. Ro date, these demographics have not been provided with opportunities to compete against others of a similar age. World Blind Golf also provides registered PGA coaches and all-ability community coaches with coaching resources based on leading best-practice all-abilities golf instruction.

Major National Media Coverage

World Blind Golf was featured on Channel 7 (Australia) national Channel 7 Sunrise program on March 31 2022 in the lead up the the Far North Queensland Open. The TV news piece was also featured by Channel 7 Cairns on their official Channel 7 Facebook page. Both World Blind Golf CEO Neil Herdegen and President Dr Brad Carver were interviewed on camera.

World Blind Golf was featured on Cairns Channel 7 on March 30 2022 with TV news anchors commenting that they would not want to play against Qld Open Champion Neil Herdegen considering his low golf handicap.

The Cairns Post (owned by News Limited) promoted World Blind Golf's upcoming Cairns come and try day Cairns Post newspaper on April 21, 2022 in an news article titled Barrier-breaking international golf event to be held at FNQ. The article highlighted World Blind Golf's attempts to promote blind golf as a lifestyle choice for Blind and Low Vision golfers.

Tournaments

World Blind Golf was the primary organizer of the 2022 Far North Queensland Blind and Low Vision Open which was held at Half Moon Bay Golf Club in Yorkeys Knob near Cairns on April 28 and 29 2022. The event was won by DR Brad Caver with James Lehn winning the gross division and Steve Art taking honours as runner-up. World Blind Golf CEO and current Qld Open Champion Neil Herdegen did not finish the event after withdrawing after the first day's play as his caddy Tinnerat Meemungtham was forced to retire due to ill-health.

World Blind Golf's first tournament was held at Kooralbyn Valley Golf Club. The inaugural tournament was won by current Qld Blind Golf Open Champion Neil Herdegen and his caddy Todd Sleep PGA from TS Golf, Robina, Queensland.

World Blind Golf and Blind Golf Queensland will co-present the 2022 Queensland Blind Golf Open showcasing some of the world's best blind golfing talents.