Mankert’s special milestone teaching blind golfers
COACH HAS BEEN HELPING VISUALLY HANDICAPPED FOR PAST 25 YEARS
THIS is a special year for highly acclaimed PGA Advanced Fellow Anders Mankert, who owns and runs the Leicester Golf Centre, which includes part of the former 18-hole Oadby golf course, writes Jennifer Prentice.
The local council-owned course closed in 2012, but the nine holes not within the boundary of Leicester Racecourse were redeveloped and relaunched as his Gallops course a few months after he took over the complex.
Mankert has been recognised and respected as a coach for many years and 2021 marks 25 years since he taught his first totally blind student.
He worked first with Jim O’Brien, of Market Harborough, at Kilworth Springs GC, where Mankert was based and, more recently, at Oadby.
O’Brien has achieved successes in this country and further afield, and is one of very few totally blind golfers anywhere in the world to have a hole-in-one, which he achieved in 2013 at Hindhead GC.
Mankert has expanded his services teaching B1 – totally blind - as well as visually handicapped people who have taken up or are still playing the game.
He has been a valuable part of the England and Wales Blind Golf (EWBG) training programme for around 20 years, in that time winning warm acclaim for his efforts.
In 2016, he became the first ever golf professional to be awarded honorary life membership of the EWBG in recognition of his 20-years contribution.
Barry Ritchie, chairman of the EWBG, said: “Anders’ support has been invaluable in coaching beginners and established blind golfers over the years.
“He has provided his expertise free of charge and also provided the facility for the training to take place.
“Training for our members has been a priority from the outset of the charity, and as we receive no funding other than that raised by our members and board of directors, you will realise what a valuable part of our organisation Anders is, including undertaking a number of his own fund-raising efforts for us.”
Mankert said: “I have raised several thousands of pounds to buy equipment for blind people to be able to take up golf and also to cover their expenses to access the game.
“I have hosted clinics all over the country and offered numerous free clinics to any blind or partiallysighted person to be able to experience golf and helped them to acquire and to train the sighted guides who are so integral to their
enjoyment and regular participation in the game.
“This type of coaching to people who may never have had the opportunity to try golf for themselves has subsequently changed the lives of many people who have gone on to take up the game and found a renewed confidence in their lives despite their disability.”
One totally blind man who did this is Billy Macallister, who has gone from 65th in the world to third and is currently ranked joint top in the UK by a big distance.
He has worked with Mankert for several years.
In that time he has won major tournaments all round the world, including the British Open, Australian Open, English Matchplay, British Masters, Order of Merit, represented the Rest of the World against the United States of America in the Blind Ryder Cup and has also played in the World Championship in Japan.
Now he is set to compete in this year’s World Championship due to take place in South Africa.
Macallister said: “To the present day Anders still helps me with all aspects of my disability and plays a large part in me qualifying for the blind golf championships.
“His time, expertise, calming nature is unique as he asks for nothing in return.
“This is the man’s selfless attitude and warrants high praise from all blind golfers and golfers alike.
“I started making strides fairly quickly after I started working with Anders.
“He is one of the top coaches in the country and he has got the awards to prove it.
“Although I don’t live in the same county, I go and see him every six weeks. He is such a nice man and has never once asked for a penny.
“He always pushes me that little bit further. He has an understanding of blind golf and he teaches many other golfers like me. He has definitely improved me ten-fold.”
Mankert is now to offer free access to golf at Leicester Golf Centre’s Gallops course to all blind or visually impaired men and women.
He said: “This will remove any obstacle to any blind or VI person to try their hand at this amazing game and to be able to try golf on a proper course for the first time, which as most of us know is unforgettable.
“As someone who has benefited from the help of many people over the years, I truly understand the power of having someone place their faith in me and how powerful this can be.
“Being given a leg up by someone without any motivation other than genuinely to help is incredibly powerful and can change the course of someone’s life.”